8mm M48 Swedish Mauser Questions

[JeffG]

Hi folks,

I spotted a nice looking M48 8mm Swedish Mauser today and am thihking about picking it up tomorrow. It comes with all the military issues items like bayonet, scabbard, ammo pouches, etc, for what I think is a reasonabl;e price. I may buy one box of factory ammo but intend to start 'rolling my own' after that.

I would be curious to hear of any gotchas or things I might want to look out for or pay close attention to?

Thanks a bunch

[trooperdan]

Are you sure that isn't a Bosnian Mauser? Maybe my brain is tired but that is the M48 I think of and Swedish Mausers are usually 6.5.

[pworley1]

I have a M48 Bosnian Mauser in 8mm. I got it back when you could get them for $69.00. If it is prices reasonably you will enjoy the rifle.

[JeffG]

Well, he said Swedish, but I may not have heard him right. It did note it was an M48 and was nicely stamped on the barrel near the muzzle in a nice stippling I'd call it. It looked big enough to be 8mm and the dealer confirmed that. He might have even mentioned Mitchells Mausers. I took a look at their web site and do see they indicate Bosnian. You've given me something to think about in any event. Either of you loading cast for it?

[Blammer]

I have a Yugo M48a that I shoot and it shoots cast just beautifully.

I would check to make sure the bore is not counter bored for the first little bit.

The "muzzle guide" that you will get, is for cleaning the rifle not for when you shoot it. It's a small section of a barrel on bearings that allow it to spin, it has rifling and everything, it also has a small hook that allows you to hook it on the end of the barrel over the sight. It's amazing how many people put that on the end of the gun then shoot it, thinking it will so something special. It will, it will dissappear!

I load my own and I cast for it.

[Gunnut 45/454]

JeffG
If it is a Micheals Mauser_ Run away ! The are pimped Russian Captures with ZERO collectors value.
All they've done is taken a bunch of parts guns, scrubbed the original serial #off an reapplied matching numbers. It may have a good shootable barrel or it maybe shot out. Nothing about them is original and way over priced- if he wants more then $200 walk away.

[Ed in North Texas]

I agree that Mitchell's rifles are significantly overpriced. And while it isn't a Swedish Mauser, an M-48 can't be a Russian Capture because they were new made after WW II (adopted in 1948) by Yugoslavia.

[JeffG]

He wanted $400 and that was marked down from $575 to $475.. I didn't have cash on me at the time, just plastic and he couldn't do that. I decided at that point to ask a few questions here on the forum. I went back the next day to peruse more good stuff and I believe the rifle was gone. I need a little more education on these things before takaing the plunge I think. If all else fails, I may just try to get a Ruger American in something like .308 or .22-250. I've had a hankering for 22-250 or 220 swift since I have a 222 years ago. Why the heck did I let that go.... oh well...

[Echd]

Avoid Mitchell's at all costs, if only for the extremely unsavory business tactics they use, like relabeling post-war yugo guns as German K98s.

[Ed in North Texas]

He wanted $400 and that was marked down from $575 to $475.. I didn't have cash on me at the time, just plastic and he couldn't do that. I decided at that point to ask a few questions here on the forum. I went back the next day to peruse more good stuff and I believe the rifle was gone. I need a little more education on these things before takaing the plunge I think. If all else fails, I may just try to get a Ruger American in something like .308 or .22-250. I've had a hankering for 22-250 or 220 swift since I have a 222 years ago. Why the heck did I let that go.... oh well...

There are new Mauser configuration rifles around for about that kind of money. If you aren't buying for collection reasons, a military rifle is not a "good deal" unless significantly below the price of a commercial new rifle (or available in a caliber unavailable commercially and you just have to have it). I have to say that the current asking prices for M48s on GB are at the price you quote. The $200 M48 is now gone. But all is not lost:

Centerfire Systems current flyer has Zastava (Serbia - and IIRC the factory which made that M48 originally) Mauser type rifles priced at $430 to $450 (plus shipping and whatever your local FFL charges for transfer) in several common calibers from .22 Hornet to .300 Win Mag. And options of Monte Carlo or Mannlicher stocks, and a Left Hand (!) action in each caliber.

[Blammer]

pop by my table at the Greensboro gunshow, I think I may have a nice mauser you may want at a good price.

[jumbeaux]

Every Swedish Mauser I have ever seen (unaltered) was 6.5 X 55...1895 Carbine, 1896 and the Husky M38...

rick

[JeffG]

pop by my table at the Greensboro gunshow, I think I may have a nice mauser you may want at a good price.

I'm planning on it

[JeffG]

Every Swedish Mauser I have ever seen (unaltered) was 6.5 X 55...1895 Carbine, 1896 and the Husky M38...

rick

Yeah, it's new territory for me and I just took what the guy said as the truth. He may or may not have even known it wasn't swedish....

Thanks for the comments and guidance folks.