Yugo M48 Mauser Questions

[jacobhh]

Please ignore

 

[Hud]

In the early '20's Yugoslavia contracted Fabrique National for approx. 100,000 Model 1924 rifles and the machinery to equip the Kraguyevac factory to make their own Mauser-pattern rifles.

These original FN and Yugo made rifles, Model 1924, M24/47, & M48's, are all intermediate actions, being approx. .20" shorter than standard length Mauser actions, due to a safety feature patented by Paul Mauser on Feb. 7, 1898, which allowed for the cartridge head to be fully enclosed, with only the rim projecting past the face of the breach. See attachments from Olson's book "Mauser Bolt Rifles".

For a wealth of information on Yugo rifles, go to this site:
http://parallaxscurioandrelicfirearmsforums.yuku.com/forums/84/t/The-Yugoslavian-Mauser-Forum.html

Regards, Hud

 

[LeibstandarteAdH]

@jacob, oh i wasnt really clear on what you were saying.

Hud, thats some good info to cite, thanks.

 

[cracked butt]

These original FN and Yugo made rifles, Model 1924, M24/47, & M48's, are all intermediate actions, being approx. .20" shorter than standard length Mauser actions, due to a safety feature patented by Paul Mauser on Feb. 7, 1898, which allowed for the cartridge head to be fully enclosed, with only the rim projecting past the face of the breach. See attachments from Olson's book "Mauser Bolt Rifles".

Ah, always wondered why they went with an intermediate length action. The breech end of the barrel on Yugo rifles has a notch cut for the extractor similar to the 1903 springfield and Winchester model 70 (though the Yugo doesn't have a coned breech like the other two). Other 98s have collar inside of the receiver that receives the extractor. I guess that would be enough to account for the shorter bolt.

 

[Trebor]

For a shooter, any of the M48 or 24/47 Yugos or a Russian capture K-98 would all be good choices.

From a collector standpoint, the Russian captured German K-98's are the most interesting as these are actual WWII rifles that "been there, done that."

The Yugo's are generally a little cheaper and generally are in nicer shape.

Just decide what your priority is and one of the choices available now should serve you well.

 

[wcwhitey]

Went to a few places today, the only thing close to what I was looking for was a 24/47 with mismatched numbers for $159.00. Too much IMHO, the rest were well over $200 which would have been OK but nothing looked really sweat. Not going to quibble over a few bucks, I just want a really nice example. Will keep looking. You guys have been a great help. On the plus side I picked a really nice M44 for a decent price. Thanks again, Bill

 

[Aguila Blanca]

The reference to RC's and
neadspace should have given you a clue, but I'll
try to be clearer in the future,

For starters, clarity would be enhanced if you used words. I wonder how many readers of this thread know what 'RC' is an abbreviation for. It took me awhile to figure out that you might be talking about "Russian Captures."

 

[jacobhh]

So now you know, it's the journey not the destination.

Maybe we should have a primer on milsurp terminology.
I'd learn something.

Buying a K98 on an auction site and not reciognizing the
RC reference could cause consternation later. A helpful
approach is: 'if you don't know or aren't sure, ask.

 

[Mr_Pale_Horse]

I was looking at them too. One thing I've noticed is that commercial 7.92mm JS is different from the surplus ammo dimensionally. Can the Mauser surplus guns fire commercial-grade ammo? I'm kind of confused as to this.

Over the years, different shoulder angles have been used in the production of 8x57 Mausers; some examples:

1915 German barrel drawing indicating shoulder angle of 18° 26' 5.8''.
Source: Rifle & Carbine 98, M98 Firearms fo the German Army from 1898 to 1918, Dieter Storz, 2006, page 109.

1932 German (Mauser, Oberndorf) maximum cartridge and minimum chamber drawings indicating shoulder cone angle of 38° 15', which equals a shoulder angle of 19° 7.5' (1/2 cone angle). It appears the shoulder cone angle is rounded up to the nearest 5' of angle. The actual shoulder angle is 19° 6' 2.8'' per the linear dimensions.
Source: Mauser Original Oberndorf Sporting Rifles, Jon Speed, et al, 1997, page 276.

1938 SAAMI maximum cartridge/minimum chamber drawing with revisions up to 1947 indicating shoulder angle 20° 48' 25'' from 1938 to 1947. SAAMI changed drawing shoulder angle to 19° in 1980 per Forster Products, Inc.

1967 Yugoslav sporting rifle standard (CIP) 8x57mm JS chamber drawing indicating shoulder cone angle of 38° 15', which equals a shoulder angle of 19° 7.5' (1/2 cone angle). It appears the shoulder cone angle is rounded up to the nearest 5' of angle. The actual shoulder angle is 19° 6' 2.8'' per the linear dimensions.

As to your question about modern commercial ammo, there are two distinct cases to consider, USA standard loading and European. USA loading tend to be so light that any dimensional slack will easily be erased during fire forming of the case.

With European rounds, which are much hotter loaded, the tolerances become more critical, but the Euro offerings tend to be a better fit in the first place.

 

[takhtakaal]

The OP needs to understand that, while small miracles do happen, the general tendency of military surplus things that go boom is to disappear into safes. This has been a period of somewhat feverish purchasing, and the prices that were are not going to be the prices that are in the near future. Look at K31s -- they've nearly disappeared and are about to double in price from what they were just a year or two ago, and the ammunition has gone up significantly, as well.

My suggestion is to buy something at an acceptable premium and have it in hand. Had I known this, I would have had a walnut K31 for $100 and tax back when they were common and the market was flooded. Oh, and my own RC K98? Absolutely sweet, most of the numbers match, and I paid money out the butt for something worth it. A bargain that you can't find is never worth it.

 

[dstorm1911]

your best source is going to be Classic arms, they will actually pull the bolt, run a patch down to push out the cosmoline and really look to see what the bore condition is while most others simply take the next box off the top of the stack....

http://www.classicarms.us/

he's usually a lil conservative on his condition rateing

they have the like new condition 24/47s for $129 hand select (all matching, etc...) or gamble for $119 for the non hand select their 24/47s are the ones imported by SAMCO who usually gets the best stuff in as opposed to Century who just imports em in cargo containers in whatever condition they could get etc...

 

[MilsurpShooter]

I picked one up awhile back, good rifle, solid design, good quality, accurate. I'll see if I can't post a picture or two when I get home from work today

 

[MHBushmaster]

Since this thread kind of wandered a bit, I figured I would drop some Mauser pics into it


This is a Brno Czech 98k that has been sporterized (not by me). I rescued it from obscurity and I shoot her every weekend. The barrel was cut down to 16.5" and recrowned and the rear sight was removed and a Leupold base was perm installed with a Tasco custom LER (long eye relief) 3x-8x Scope. I installed a Harris Notched bipod as well as a an adjustable 3lb Timney Trigger. And it sits in a Ramline Stock. Its a shame that it was cut up, but at least I am shooting her often as it was intended to be used.





Here are 3 more of my Mausers: Left to Right
Yugo M48A, Brno Czech 98k with winter trigger guard, and an RC 98k made at the Obendorf Factory in 1938 that is un-pinged (war eagles are still clear and un-marred) and is all matching except for the bolt.


These old War horses can still shoot! Here is a pic of what my RC 98k can do at 25 yards on a reduced size AQT Target:


Here is a better view of the left side of the receiver and rear barrel area of the RC 98k. The "X" is a Russian Capture "mark". The Reds usually stripped off the front sight hoods and cleaning rods as they deemed them un-necessary for function as an emergency rifle and melted down the hoods and rods for war material uses. The war eagles are still clear and don't have the "ping" where the Reds took a stamp or chisel or punch or whatever they found to marr up the German symbols.


And the right side of the same rifle: