Yugo Mauser 24/47 mismatched bolt woes

[Newtire]

I have a great condition (they all are I understand) Yugo 24/47 I picked up at Big 5 Sporting goods last year for $100.00. Trouble is that the bolt number doesn't match and just so happens that it appears a tad too long.

I loaded up a dummy round with the boolit pushed back in so it doesn't touch the rifling and the bolt still closes tight. I can see a shiny spot form on the forward shoulder corner of the case.

Next thing I did was take the same dummy round and chuck it into the drill press & took .005" off the face of the rim so as to shorten the cartridge. It then chambered normally.

I tried an RCBS full length resizing die and a Lee die to minimize my chances of the die variable.

Even factory ammo and military rounds unfired have this same problem. They all chamber great in my Turk.

So, how does one go about getting this taken care of? Do the smithy's take material off the bolt face or the back of the lugs or what? I would think the hardness of the lug faces might be sacrificed but maybe not.

Any ideas of a home remedy like lapping the lugs and measuring and lapping and measuring. Is this a job best left only for a gunsmith or could someone being real careful do it?

[NVcurmudgeon]

Newtire, maybe the cheapest way to approach the problem would be shortening a sizing die to set the shoulder back a little.

[scb]

First in my opinion the only correct way to fix this problem is to have the chamber cut deeper with the proper chamber reamer. If that's not an option I would suggest taking a little off the top of the shell holder. There are a couple of reasons for this. It's the cheapest part and can be marked as being altered much easier than a die can. If you decide to have the rifle fixed correctly you'll only be out a shellholder. Shortening either the shell holder or the die will result in making dangerous ammunition for any other weapon (of the same caliber) than the one your trying to come up with a remedy for. If ammo loaded in these altered dies or shellholder is used in any other weapon it will be like firing a gun with excess headspace. Remember none of us will be here forever. Someone else (perhaps a your child or grandchild) may well end up using your equipment one day and and may not know if or why it's been altered or what the consequences may be. If you have another rifle in this caliber remember that you'll have to keep the loaded ammo segregated and brass that's been loaded for the short chambered rifle should never be used in the rifle with a correct chamber.

[Buckshot]

...............At least your issue isn't having excessive headspace. It obviously breeches up nice and tight. I had to chuckle when I read, "I have a great condition (they all are I understand) Yugo 24/47 I picked up at Big 5 Sporting goods last year for $100.00." My brother bought one (but his was maybe 5 years ago) at a Big 5 and pushing a patch through it would get you a few tattered threads out the other end.

Maybe you've checked already but I'd sure clean that chamber exceedingly well to make sure there isn't some petrified glob of something in there. If not, and factory or truly FL sized brass does the same I'd have a gunsmith run a 8x57 reamer in the couple thousandths it's take to make it really right.

Barring the availabiltiy of a gunsmith, or one having the reamer I'd shave a bit off the bottom of the size die to set the shoulder back a couple thou. I will have to humbly disagree with scb. The headspace danger is all in how much brass is unsupported outside the chamber. Setting the shoulder back a few thousandths isn't going to have any effect in this area. If you were to turn the boltface back it would, also lapping the lugs back would.

It's well known that the British gov't manufactured 303 ammo had considerable shoulder clearance for battlefield reliability. Of course it headspaced on the rim, but you still had the shoulder blowing forward issue, which was only an issue for repeated reloadings. So granted short shouldered brass will have an affect on longevity, but safety isn't an issue. I have personally seen a guy fire off almost a complete box of factory 308 in a 30-'06. No problems. Produced a nifty looking rimless straight case. Well, except for a bit of turn in at the mouth.

................Buckshot

[NVcurmudgeon]

...............At least your issue isn't having excessive headspace. It obviously breeches up nice and tight. I had to chuckle when I read, "I have a great condition (they all are I understand) Yugo 24/47 I picked up at Big 5 Sporting goods last year for $100.00." My brother bought one (but his was maybe 5 years ago) at a Big 5 and pushing a patch through it would get you a few tattered threads out the other end.

Maybe you've checked already but I'd sure clean that chamber exceedingly well to make sure there isn't some petrified glob of something in there. If not, and factory or truly FL sized brass does the same I'd have a gunsmith run a 8x57 reamer in the couple thousandths it's take to make it really right.

Barring the availabiltiy of a gunsmith, or one having the reamer I'd shave a bit off the bottom of the size die to set the shoulder back a couple thou. I will have to humbly disagree with scb. The headspace danger is all in how much brass is unsupported outside the chamber. Setting the shoulder back a few thousandths isn't going to have any effect in this area. If you were to turn the boltface back it would, also lapping the lugs back would.

It's well known that the British gov't manufactured 303 ammo had considerable shoulder clearance for battlefield reliability. Of course it headspaced on the rim, but you still had the shoulder blowing forward issue, which was only an issue for repeated reloadings. So granted short shouldered brass will have an affect on longevity, but safety isn't an issue. I have personally seen a guy fire off almost a complete box of factory 308 in a 30-'06. No problems. Produced a nifty looking rimless straight case. Well, except for a bit of turn in at the mouth.

................Buckshot

Yep, a Springfield will chamber and fire a .308 cast boolit load. Easiest case forming method for creating the famous .45/70 Rimless Oops wildcat. Also a great teacher of the "only one rifle and one box of ammunition on the bench at one time" rule.

[versifier]

Yep, a Springfield will chamber and fire a .308 cast boolit load. Easiest case forming method for creating the famous .45/70 Rimless Oops wildcat. Also a great teacher of the "only one rifle and one box of ammunition on the bench at one time" rule.

Sorry to hijack this thread for a short digression.
Curmudgeon,
I know you had your tongue firmly planted in your cheek when you posted the above, but the idea got me to looking in COTW & HMOCC. The bigger .45 cartridges are all based on either the Jeffrey or belted magnum cases. There was nothing listed based on either the .308 or .30-06 full length cases, except the .45mag handgun round. With all the millions of Mauser and other actions with that size boltface, it would seem like a no brainer that SOMEONE must have tried it. But there is nothing listed to suggest this. Not that I need another wildcat project on the list, but does anyone have any info on attempts along this line? The name is catchy, too.

[NVcurmudgeon]

Versifier, it is an intriguing idea, sort of a .458 American lite. Name of the scientist conducting the experiment is being withheld because of possible Defense Dept. interest. You will be pleased to learn that no dumb brutes were harmed.

[Larry Gibson]

Newtire

The bolt closes right? So you've got a milsurp with minimum headspace....lucky you! I'll suggest a very thorough cleaning of the chamber to make sure there's no caked cosmoline in there and then get yourself 500 or so Turk surplus rounds and go shoot the rifle. Headspace may loosen up a thou or so if the threads of the barrel aren't mated to the receiver yet. Then after a thorough cleaning to get the fouling out cast up some bullets, load them and go shoot them. With the tight headspace you will have minimal case stretch and the fired cases will be fire formed and prime for just neck sizing. The dies and shell holder appear to be fine as they are. Most complain about excessive headspace, be a shame to ream out one with minimum headspace.

Larry Gibson

[Newtire]

I'm talking less than minimum where you have to really crank down on the bolt to close. I cleaned the chamber with a cleaning brush on a rotating drill with bore paste and used Kroil and got it all squeaky clean. I'll pass on the Turk ammo treatment. That stuff is downright scary. I hear you on the tight chamber being alot better than excessive headspace. I could just sort out the brass between the two rifles like you say. Lots of options! I'll go the shaving of the shellholder route first and see how that goes. Thanks for all the advice(s)! That's why I love this place!

[Buckshot]

Lots of options! I'll go the shaving of the shellholder route first and see how that goes. Thanks for all the advice(s)! That's why I love this place!

.............Since you might be FL re-sizing, be sure to have a stuck case remover handy. Shaving off some of the top of the shellholder just might find you with a busted shellholder (top broken out)and a case stuck in the die.

...............Buckshot

[Newtire]

OK, good thing i have a couple of extra caseholders now too. I'll just be real careful about taking off just enough to ease the effort to get that case chambered. Thanks Buckshot. I don't have a stuck case remover but will send for one if I break off the shellholder and use the other set of dies in the meantime. Good thing to have around.

Just screwed up my back so have to watch the $ for awhile. If i had any, I would get some work done here on my 24/47.
http://www.msnusers.com/JWHamrickfil...tomrifles.msnw

[scb]

Buckshot's right about the stuck case so use a good lube. I prefer Redding's Imperial sizing "wax". You shouldn't take off more than .005" on the first go around and even less if need be after that. Just go slow.

[Newtire]

Buckshot's right about the stuck case so use a good lube. I prefer Redding's Imperial sizing "wax". You shouldn't take off more than .005" on the first go around and even less if need be after that. Just go slow.

Sometimes if i have more time than money things tend to turn out better anyway so will take it off slowly and fit and turn a bit at a time.

[junkbug]

If it were my rifle, I would consider buying a spare bolt body. I havent checked, but with all the Yugo Mausers out there, you would think there would be a fair supply. Just make sure it is for a Yugo m24/47 and not a Yugo M24/52. I would try sarco, Springfield Sporters, or Marstar. I have purchased parts from Marstar (in Canada) by credit card, so it can be done. If I am not mistaken, the bolt for a Yugo M48 may also interchange.

Even if your spare also headspaces too tightly, you will now have a spare to work on first. However, I believe you have better than even odds that it will headspace more loosely.

Good luck.

Sean

[Ricochet]

Yes, a Yugo M48 bolt will exchange. It has a bent handle, though, and the stock may have to be notched for it.

[Newtire]

Boy, a pre-bent bolt! Another choice hah hah...Too much, I'll keep my eyes open for one.