Yugo M48

[101VooDoo]

Was doing a shelf check at a nearby gun shop yesterday, and they had a M48 on the rack. Looked nearly new (as near as I could tell, forgot my cheaters again), thought I might go back today and get a closer look.

A quick search on M48s looked pretty positive, anything special I should look out for?

[mike in co]

Was doing a shelf check at a nearby gun shop yesterday, and they had a M48 on the rack. Looked nearly new (as near as I could tell, forgot my cheaters again), thought I might go back today and get a closer look.

A quick search on M48s looked pretty positive, anything special I should look out for?

48a is machined parts, 48b ? is stamped metal parts.....trigger guard/floorplate.

anyway lots of referb work and yes some are like new... check the bore, i paid $100 each for mine.....ouch it was a while back.

mike in co

[Larry Gibson]

I prefer the M48 vs the M48A. They make very good shooters. I've 2 of them and put a lot of cast through mine. Lyman's 323470 is an excellent bullet for the long throated Mausers but the heavier 323471 is better. I've also a GB mould that casts a 190 gr GC bullet that shoots very nice out of all 3 of my 8x57s. The GB PB bullet also shoots very well at 1150 fps over a decent dose of Bullseye. I'd take another look with your "cheaters" on and if the bore is good (most are) and the price is decent I wouldn't hesitate to pick it up.

Larry Gibson

[101VooDoo]

Thanks for the input guys. swung by the store, cheaters in hand, and it looked even better than I had thought. It's a M48 not an A/B. Except for a few dust bunny's the bore looked perfect. Numbers all match and there's not a mark on it, condition is amazing.:drinks:

Only fly in the ointment was that the bayonet/oiler/etc. kit was missing; that and they're not $100 anymore...

Think I'm going to look for some surplus ammo to get me by until I pick up a mould.

Thanks again,

[mike in co]

Thanks for the input guys. swung by the store, cheaters in hand, and it looked even better than I had thought. It's a M48 not an A/B. Except for a few dust bunny's the bore looked perfect. Numbers all match and there's not a mark on it, condition is amazing.:drinks:

Only fly in the ointment was that the bayonet/oiler/etc. kit was missing; that and they're not $100 anymore...

Think I'm going to look for some surplus ammo to get me by until I pick up a mould.

Thanks again,

if you shoot surplus, most is corrosive......
take a thermos of hot soapy water to the range with you and a spray can of wd40....
as soon as you are done shooting the m48...remove the bolt, muzzle down poor the hot water thru it, then wash it with wd40. clean as normal when you get home.


salts in corrosive ammo can work very fast....don't wait...

mike in co

[x101airborne]

NNNOOOOOOOO........ Please, Please wait and get some good ammo. Please dont take a chance. Every time i shoot that stuff I cleaned and cleaned and still got a rusty bore.

[felix]

I agree that military 8mm stuff contains something very, very damaging in terms of rust. You might be able to take care of that problem before damage occurs, but don't bet on getting rid of all remaining salts for long term storage. Prolly should fire quite a few chasers immediately (boolits) and then re-clean before storage. Don't believe me, ask Sundog for verification. ... felix

[Combat Diver]

I've got a M48BO years ago. The BO was an export model that stans all marking on the reciever except for the serial number. Have about 800rds of surplus full power Egyptian ammo for it still.

Here's some more info
http://www.marstar.ca/Y-E-48+.htm
http://www.surplusrifle.com/yugom48/index.asp

CD

[Ilwil]

Interesting comments about the long-term corrosiveness; I think I'll get mine out again for another check. I haven't cast for it; I tend to be a pistol-caster. I will say that of all the military ball out there try to use the Yugo stuff. It is the most accurate military Mauser I have shot (with the exception of an Israeli Mauser rebarreled to .308) It shoots to point of aim at 100 yards, where the other Mausers are most regulated at 300 meters. So you can put rounds in the black without holding on the bottom of the target like you do with the Swedes znd South American guns.

[EMC45]

I just pull the bullets and average out the powder and reload the ammo with modern brass and primers. They do just fine.

[3006guns]

I have several M48's that I picked up years ago when they first hit the docks......you don't want to know what I paid, but they were cheap! Every one of them looks virtually unfired, wonderful bores. One of the guns was counter bored, so I shortened it and set the front sight back along with reworking the handguard. That little gun is absolutely dead on at 100 yds. with a 200 gr. boolit and 10 grns. of Trail Boss and has become my hands down favorite to pack on boonie trips. It also stays on a diet of straight lead.

A word on the surplus ammo, watch out for the Turkish stuff that was sold on the market a few years ago. I bought 3000 rds. and it kicks like mad. I read an online article where they chronographed it at close to 3000 fps....it's hot, but still within the pressure range of the rifles. I now pull the j word and reduce the powder charge by 10%, makes it a lot more pleasant to shoot.

Now, this surplus is corrosive but I just slosh the bore with hot water several times, oil and I'm done. I do check it again after about three days, but I've never had problems.

[Larry Gibson]

I've shot thousands of corrosive surplus over the years and haven't ruined a barrel from rust. I clean with old milsurp solvent made for cleaning corrosive ammo or Hoppe's #9. I also use JBs to get the cupro nichol fouling out. Some corrosive salts will always be under such and cause pitting if it is not removed. I just follow my normal cleaning regimen and have not had any problems. If there is a lag time between the range and cleaning at home I spray the bore and chamber area with WD40.

I''ve shot lots of 8x57 milsurp including thousands of the Turk stuff (still have a about 2500 left). It is not "hot" as in over pressure but it is loaded to top end 8x57 european standards. I've chronographed and pressure tested numerous lots of it and have not reached the fabled 3000 fps in a M48 or K98. With the longer 29.5" barrels it probably is possible. Most of the Turk cases did not have annealed case necks and the cases are brittle. This causes sticky extraction which is often confused with over pressure. I pull the bullets and powder, neck size, recharge with 5% less powder (generally 46 gr) and crimp with a LFC die. This reduces the psi and since the really brittle cases split when the bullets are pulled they aren't used. Extraction is normal with the reworked ammo and shoots pretty darn good.

A friend of mine pulled the bullets and powder for use in new cases and gave me the old Turk cases. NSing will split the neck of the really brittle ones which are discarded. The others are then expanded with a M die and I load the GB PB bullet over 6.5 gr Bullseye for 1150 fps and excellent accuracy. I also load the GB GC'd 190 gr over 28 gr 4895 for excellent accuracy. I have shot thousands of these and simply use normal cleaning with them.

I also wish I had got a couple more of these a few years back. I bought one ata gunshow along with a bunch of turk ammo. I figured that I could shoot it with all the milsurp ammo I then had (about 8 1/2 thousand rounds) and the barrel would be shot out. If I threw the rifle away afterwards it would have cost me 7 1/2 cents per shot! I was amazed that the Turk ammo I paid less than 5 cents a round for was going for much more than that the last couple years!

Larry Gibson

[101VooDoo]

Thanks for all the input , I've shot corrosive ammo before in my long branch Enfield, and will be careful about clean-up.

Think I'm going to get some of the 196 gr Yugo surplus for now.

[frankenfab]

I have one in good shape with matching numbers, and I was just thinking yesterday that it would be neat to come across another one to convert to .358 Winchester for cast. I'd rather do that that use one of my full length Mauser actions. I think I paid $149 dollars for the one I have.

[vintagesportsman]

Mine was $300 and to date, the most accurate rifle I have owned.
.73" with Lee 323471 cast boolits over 18 grains of 2400 with Rem. Brass and primers. I am closing in on .50" which I have managed at 50 yds. with a .427 4 shot group.
I find that to lube with alox is the best. Ugly boolits but a great and accurate round.