"Best" Mil Surplus 8mm rifle

[lefty_red]

I'm looking for a sturdy mil surplus rifle in 8mm. It needs to be "minute of coydog" at 200 yards (around 5") and deer at 150 yards. Would probably use a good peep sight instead of scope.

Jerry

[Ricochet]

A Yugo M48 or M24/47 would do the job, as would a Turk.

[singleshotbuff]

I love my Yugo M48. $100.00 at a gunshow, matching #s, good barrel. definately minute of deer out to 300 + yards.

SSB

[bruce drake]

I'll second the M48 as an excellent purchase for the budget shooter. It's a Large Ring receiver which will give you more barrel options one day should you decide to rebarrel at a later date.

My personal M48 had nearly a spotless barrel and when loaded with Lee's 170gr Gas Checked Roundnose, she's minute of Soupcan (great show for non-casters at the range. Usually gets a few to ask about real BOOLITS) at a 100 yards using a Lyman 57 rear sight and the original front sight.

I've bought Turk Mausers and they are a crap shoot. I've had some that had extremely worn barrels and others that had brand new barrels. I've even picked up Turks with new barrels and crappy crowns due to Ahmed not knowing how to properly use a cleaning rod. A final note on Turks is that they are Small Ring Receivers which usually leave your new barrel selections pretty limited.

Now as a Federally Licensed Collector, all purchased rifles are retained as each has it's own piece of history to tell and only a select few do I opt to add my own piece of history to it.

Bruce

[Shepherd2]

I have both a M24/47 and a M48A. They are both very accurate and small enough to be used in the woods. The trouble with both of them is that they have typical Mauser sights. V rear and inverted V front. I constantly wonder what they were thinking when they came up with that combination. If I were going to use it for hunting I would definitely change the sights to something useable.

[beemer]

I also have a 24/47 and a M48. They are the best reasonably priced 8mm out there.I had to do a little tinkering with the bedding on one of mine,still I was surprised at the performance. Just try to find one with a good bore and crown. I take a cleaning rod to the gun shows. If I can't see the bore I ask if I can clean it out, if he says no I walk. I've got some crazy looks but its my hard earned money and I have some old rifles with nice bores.
beemer

[Newtire]

I've bought Turk Mausers and they are a crap shoot. I've had some that had extremely worn barrels and others that had brand new barrels. I've even picked up Turks with new barrels and crappy crowns due to Ahmed not knowing how to properly use a cleaning rod. A final note on Turks is that they are Small Ring Receivers which usually leave your new barrel selections pretty limited.
Bruce

I asked the guy at Big-5 if I could look so he took me into the back & opened a box of 5 just arrived. One of them even had a broken stock. A couple bores looked like a rusty stovepipe & then there was the one I bought complete with a lifetime supply of cosmoline in the stock.

I found out (like everyone here already told me..) that the big long flatnose boolits won't feed when seated out but the round nosed Lee turns in a respectable performance at 50 tyds. open sights & all.

[Larry Gibson]

I'm looking for a sturdy mil surplus rifle in 8mm. It needs to be "minute of coydog" at 200 yards (around 5") and deer at 150 yards. Would probably use a good peep sight instead of scope.

Jerry

I also suggest the M48 (M48 has milled parts and the M48A has stamped parts). I have two of them, one in pristine new condition and the other is my "shooter". I removed the rear sight leaf and installed a Lyman reciver sight. I also replaced the barleycorn front sight with a post (Brownell's). A groove was cut in the top of the handguard in front of the reciever so the sight could be pretty close to bottomed out with a 200 yards zero. Not a difficult conversion to do and it makes for a nice handy "improved" M48.

Larry Gibson

[Ricochet]

The M38 Turks are large ring actions tapped for small ring barrel threads.

The Yugos are intermediate actions with large rings and threads, but are about 1/4" shorter than the standard large ring Mausers so few parts interchange. The barrel has a cutout in the rear for the extractor, as the Yugo design has the bolt face surround the case head.

[brimic]

czech 98/22 or 98/29 are my 2 favorites

[bart55]

I have had great sucess with turks most being decent shooters and a few being great. the sewer pipe bbls on a couple gave me a chance to rebarrel . But the 24/47 24/52 or the 48 and 48A see to be the best deal on getting a good shooter without too much worry . My favorite is a 48 that I got from AIM a couple of years ago loves the lee rn over a case of 860

[lefty_red]

Looks like a M48 it is!

In all my "brass whoring", I ended up with a mess of 8mm brass and a set of dies. I just need to order the LEE mold and some gas checks.....kind of funny, I pick out what gun to get by what items I've got on hand!

Jerry

[Ricochet]

.....kind of funny, I pick out what gun to get by what items I've got on hand!Yeah, I have .375" and .720" round ball moulds I need guns for. :mrgreen:

[Newtire]

Looks like a M48 it is!

In all my "brass whoring", I ended up with a mess of 8mm brass and a set of dies. I just need to order the LEE mold and some gas checks.....kind of funny, I pick out what gun to get by what items I've got on hand!

Jerry

I got the group buy .357 mold awhile back but have had no luck as the gun store keeps having guns of the wrong caliber but ones that are needed anyway. There was a real nice old sporterized 8mm awhile back for under $250 and I am afraid if I go in there that they will have something in there like that that will jump out at me.

[RoyRogers]

I vote for the 24/47. Decent m48s are getting difficult to find. Many 24/47s have new barrels. I have several of each. The 24/47s are machined better (pre-war craftsmanship) I like both but like the 24/47s better. You would do well with either. The supplies are just now drying up so hurry.

[matm0702]

Don't forget the K98. SOG, Coles, and Century still have them available. They are
a little more expensive than the Yugo variety but are good reliable rifles with readily
available parts.

Mike

[Crash_Corrigan]

I paid $109.95 @ Big 5 for a veteran 98/22. I cleaned it up and removed a ton of cosmoline and oil from the danged thing. It ended up to have a pristine barrel and dented and scratched stock. I ironed out the worst and refinished it with TUNG oil. It looks just fine and shoots 1" groups @ 100 yards all day if I do my part. You can pick up a set of peep sights (MOJO) from a few places for less than $50 and you are on the way. Mine was built in 1924 and has the BRNO crown etc on the receiver but has that goofy cyrllic numbering on the ladder sights. It was probably intended to go to the Turks but became a Arsenal Queen instead until Century Arms dug it up and shipped it into the states thru Vermont. This is large ring model and if the barrel is a crapper you can replace it at a mininimal cost. I do warn you that once you buy one you cannot stop!:castmine:
Dan

[Chiefs50]

If you don't mind the 29" barrel, I would get the Czech-made 98/22. These are real Mausers - finely crafted, accurate, and generally have very good bores. I have one and love it.

[9.3X62AL]

Welcome aboard, Chief!

I have a kind of oddball 8 x 57 variant--a G98/40. It is basically a Mannlicher-Schoenauer action all set up for warfare. It shoots the Lee 175 grainer very well, although its service barley-corn sights make these 50+ year old eyes work pretty hard. It's a lot of fun, and the 8 x 57 caliber is a very fine cast boolit cartridge.

[Newtire]

Has anyone sized these to .324" to shoot in a tight bored 8mm? Any luck with feeding any better than the Karabiner with that long nose this one has?

[Four Fingers of Death]

Actually, my two 8mms are both Lebels! I'm a sick man!!!

[35 Whelen]

I'm looking for a sturdy mil surplus rifle in 8mm. It needs to be "minute of coydog" at 200 yards (around 5") and deer at 150 yards. Would probably use a good peep sight instead of scope.

Jerry


Jerry,
I have a 24/47 I *MAY* be selling. It's a really nice rifle all matching numbers (except the floorplate) with an absolute pristine bore; mirror bright, strong rifling and not a speck of rust or pitting. I put a BLO-mix finish on it and now the walnut stock rivals some of my Rugers, save the usual handling marks found on Milsurps. I also mounted a reciever (peep) sight on it as well as a tall blade sight from Brownells. I just walked in from the shop and putting a dose of AcraGlas gel under the reciever. I plan on shooting it Saturday. P.M. me if you think you might be interested. I can get a few pictures of it.
35W

[lefty_red]

35

pm sent

Jerry

[Chiefs50]

Thanks for the welcome Deputy Al. Glad to be here.

[txpete]

well it isn't 8mm but it used to be:-D .this one is mint matching and the most accurate milsurp I own.7.62 brass sure is alot cheaper:-D .
pete
israeli K98K 7.62 brno
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v238/txpete/7-2.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v238/txpete/7.jpg

[jonk]

Totally different take. My two most accurate 8mms, hands down, are my Gew. 88 and my Portuguese 04/39. Cast bullets or otherwise.

[brimic]

well it isn't 8mm but it used to be .this one is mint matching and the most accurate milsurp I own.7.62 brass sure is alot cheaper .
pete
israeli K98K 7.62 brno

I have one just like that except with a laminated stock and in 8mm. Like you said, very good shooters and minty-new condition.

[Wayne Smith]

Actually, my two 8mms are both Lebels! I'm a sick man!!!

Don't worry, Mick, mine are both Styer's! Some of us just like the oddballs.