New M48 Owner

8

'88Scrat

New member
So today I picked up a Yugo M48-B at a nearby show. I think I might have slightly overpaid for it but it was far and away the best condition one I saw there. My problem was I know just enough about Mausers to get myself in trouble. I can tell a VZ24 or 24/47 from an M48 for example but am by no means an expert. Oh well, it seems a good gun. Inspected barrel with a light (looked great) and all numbers match.

I plan on this being a shooter not a safe queen. So I'm not shy about replacing the stock or anything else I might need to do to accomplish that.

I do have two questions:

When I bought it I was able to get the sellers asking price down because it has a problem of the safety being stuck in the "fire" position. After some quick internet sleuthing I discovered that this is a fairly common issue and an easy fix for someone who knows what they're doing. How easy? When I got it home I took the bolt out and could momentarily fix the problem but as soon as it was put back in "fire" would stick again.

Also what is the cheapest non-corrosive 8mm ammo I can feed it? What about PPU or something more modern?

Anything else a new owner might want to know?

Looking forward to takin' it out!
 
To fix the sticking flag safety issue you'll need to file/stone the camming surface of the safety where it is supposed to slide between the bolt sleeve and cocking piece. One time I had an M48 with such a poorly fitted safety that I had to modify the top of the cocking piece as well.

Jimro
 
Assuming you know the the striker has to be cocked to engage the safety. Basically what Jimro said.
If you study the operation of the wing safety, you will note that as the safety is engaged, it actually pulls the striker back, out of contact with the trigger sear. The reason the safety is difficult to engage (or simply seems stuck) is that the surface of the "cam" isn't quite in the correct interface with the "cocking piece" (the sleeve at the rear of the firing pin).
This is fairly common on surplus rifles that may have parts replaced(or simply worn).
For the safety to engage properly, you need to restore the contact surface(this is simply a crosscut on the cocking piece that the cam of the safety engages) to a suitable position. Be careful not to cut, grind, or file the cut at an angle as this may cause the safety to "self dis-engage" with very little to no user input.
 
Privi is decent ammo, it your rifle likes it, and it is a great way to build up a supply of good quality reloadable brass. It is underpowered compared to the original military load the rifle was built around. Yugoslavian M49 surplus is a pretty close copy of the German 1933 s.S. Patrone, ~198gr FMJBT @ ~2500 FPS.

When the 8X57 was introduced, it had a 0.318 bore, and was later changed to .323, and because of this, most of the ammo you can get in the US is crap.

US manufacturers were afraid some dimwit would try and shoot a full power .323 through their .318 bore Gewehr 88 and blow up the gun, and hurt themselves. Europeans figured if you don't know what ammo your gun can safely shoot, you are a moron and deserve whatever happens to you.

Regardless, there are two specifications for what we call 8mm Mauser, the US SAMMI spec "8MM Mauser", which has a max pressure of 35K psi, and the European CIP "8x57 IS" which has a max pressure of ~56K psi. To further muddy the waters, "8x57 IS" is often written as "8x57 JS, evidently because the Germans used a Gothic script, and the I looked like a J.

Generally, what you can get in the US is "8MM Mauser", and it the anemic SAMMI spec.

Privi Partisan actually makes both, if you look at their online catalog, they have entries for both "8MM Mauser" and "8x57 IS", with the latter having a higher velocity for the same bullet. For example, the "8x57" IS 198 gr FMJ is 2425 FPS, (essentially the 1934+ military load), but the "8MM Mauser" 198 gr FMJ is only 2180 FPS. Naturally, they only sell the wimpy stuff in the US.

Wolf Gold is a decent hunting bullet made by Privi and loaded to 8x57 IS specs, 196 gr SP @ 2461 fps, but I haven't seen it around in a while.

Remington's and Winchester's only offerings is 170 gr @ 2360fps. Federal's only option is even wimpier 170gr @ 2250 FPS.

Hornady and Nosler seem to be the only US folks making "real" 8x57 ammo, Hornady has two options, a 195 hunting bullet and a 196 gr match, both @ 2500 FPS, which is pretty close to the original military load.

Nosler has a 200gr AccuBond or Partition at 2475 fps, and a 180gr Ballistic tip at 2600 FPS, but they are really proud of them, at about $2.50 per round.

Seller & Belot and Norma both make a few 196 loads at ~2600 FPS, but availability is spotty, and while the price on the S&B is decent, the Norma stuff is up in the $2.50/round neighborhood.

That being said, if it shoots OK in your rifle, even the wimpy stuff is fine for punching paper and should be adequate for just about any game animal in North America.
 
Congratulations! I've had a Yugo M48 for quite a few years, mine looked new when I got it. A well made rifle using the Mauser M98 pattern. Not completely identical to the German Kar 98k, but many parts will interchange. I don't know anything about the M48-B, but it can't be much different.

The safety being "stuck" is PROBABLY an easy fix. Can you disassemble the bolt?? (do you know how?) I can walk you through it, if you don't and I'm sure there are Utube videos that do.

What you need to look at is the EDGE of the "notch" in the safety that cams the cocking piece back when you put the safety ON. You may need to touch it with a file, or a stone to put just enough more slope on it that you can operate the wing with finger strength.

But FIRST, strip the bolt and clean it well. Always make sure that the problem isn't crud, crap, dirt, oil turned to glue over time, etc., BEFORE touching any metal work.

Also what is the cheapest non-corrosive 8mm ammo I can feed it?
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After you get past the start up costs, the cheapest non-corrosive 8mm ammo you can feed it is your own reloads. If you don't want to go that route, then just watch the market for deals. I don't bother anymore, since I bought a few bandoliers of Turkish ball, back when it was dirt cheap, for my "war reserve" and over the course of a summer bought several boxes of Remington ammo (one box a month or so, ;), and a few bags of new brass at gunshows, so I shoot handloads for plinking and practice.

It is true that the Remington stuff (and other US factory loads) are not as powerful as the European stuff, but they are enough for regular big game hunting, and an excellent source of reloadable brass. And, if, for some reason, you can't get 8mm Mauser brass, you can make it out of .30-06 fairly easily. (another plus, if it matters, is the US ammo doesn't kick the snot out of you as badly as the European stuff does...:D)

There are a lot of stories about 8mm Mauser rifles and the change in bore size. Some are conflicting. Part of the reason for some of it might be translation of the German Fraktur script. The "I" and the "J" look nearly identical.

The change from a .318" bore to the .323" bore happened well before WW I. The Spitzergeschoss bullet was the reason. What happens after depends on who is telling the history, and I, personally can't say, but some versions seem more sensible than others. Here's some of the things I've heard, judge for yourself..

When the bore size change was made, the rifles in German service were (all?) converted for the new round.
a) they were rebarreled
b) they were rebored
c) neither, but the chambers were relieved to allow for the larger bullet. Shooting a .323" bullet down a .318" bore is no big deal, IF THE CHAMBER is cut to allow release of the larger bullet without raising pressure to dangerous levels.
d) most were converted, some weren't
(you pick what seems like what they would have done...:rolleyes:)

Rifles in civilian hands were NOT converted to the new round's bore (unless the owner personally had it done), and civilian rifles in the .318" bore size continued to be made for some time, as well.

The Spitzer bullet ammo was designated with an "S" Some say the "I" for Infantrie, (.323) and "J" for Jaeger (hunter, .318"), some say the I is supposed to be a J, some say the J is supposed to be an I, and its misreading German script, some say other things, it gets very confusing.

The main thing is, in agreement, however, German 8mm Military rifles made after WWI will have the larger bore diameter. Your Yugo, made after WWII, will also have the now standard larger bore diameter.

Any ammo you are likely to run into will also be the larger .323" diameter, .318" 8mm ammo still exists (I'm pretty sure :confused:) but you'd have to hunt it up special, I think. Not that I ever specifically looked, but I've never seen any casually, and I've seen a lot of ammo over the years.;)

Take apart your bolt and clean it, see if that doesn't solve the "stuck" safety. STIFF is not the same as "stuck" Some of them are VERY stiff.

If your M48 has the metal disc with the hole in the stock (mine does) you have all the tools you need to take the bolt completely apart.

Good luck, let us know how it goes, and how we can be of further help!
 
Wow! Hey thanks for the info guys!

I tore the bolt down yesterday and didn't see any obvious signs of crud or dirt. Cleaned it with some Hoppes #9 just in case and put it back in. No dice...

I'd say it is stuck rather than stiff because it wouldn't move even after I used a pair of pliers (with the teeth wrapped in cloth of course) to try and move it.

Also, is it just me or are the sling points on the wrong side of the gun?
 
Also, is it just me or are the sling points on the wrong side of the gun?
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Depends, can't see it from here....:D

The sling loop on the rear barrel band should be on the left side, that way when slung the bolt is facing out (and therefore not poking you in the ribs).

I think the rear band can be installed backwards so the loop is on the right, so if yours is that way, it is on the wrong side.

As to the safety, what is your planned use for the rifle? If it is just for range trips, I don't think I would worry about it, I never use the safety then anyway. It is only loaded if I am going to shoot it, and if I am not I unload, the safety never comes in to play.

If you plan on hunting with it, that is a different story, and you should get it fixed. Can you take some detailed photos and post them, maybe it is something obvious to someone who has used Mausers for years a new user might not notice.
 
Mauser safeties are "tricky".
Fine touch with a file/stone/cratex for both material removed and angle.

The M48B has more stamped parts than the "A" (48 is all milled). These are commercial and not military rifles built solely for export, changing to stamped parts reduced costs. Intermediate length action like the 24/47.

Order a couple of spare safeties as it may take more than one attempt to get it right.
 
The sling loop on the rear barrel band should be on the left side, that way when slung the bolt is facing out (and therefore not poking you in the ribs).
Click to expand...

Or dig into your back.

Left side (opposite side of the bolt handle) is correct. Its their system. Mauser K98, VZ24, Yugo 48, and all the others are done this way, I believe its a carryover from the models with straight bolt handles, where it becomes REALLY important to keep the bolt handle from puncturing you when the rifle is slung.

Note how US military bolt actions, the Krag, Springfield and Enfield (none of which had the straight bolt handle) all use a center bottom sling mount.

I tore the bolt down yesterday
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How far did you tear the bolt down? Did you disassemble the firing pin assembly? or just remove it from the bolt body??

Stripping the firing pin assy is straightforward, but does require a little muscle.
I can walk you through it, if you need help...

I'd say it is stuck rather than stiff because it wouldn't move even after I used a pair of pliers (with the teeth wrapped in cloth of course) to try and move it.
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You were trying to move the wing safety, right? Was the bolt assembled or disassembled when you tried? Meaning, was there spring tension on the cocking piece when you tried to move the wing, or was it just the bolt shroud with the safety wing in place and all other (major) parts removed???

I'm not saying it isn't stuck, but like I said earlier, stuck, and too stiff to move easily are different.

Try this, with the rifle EMPTY (check), and then check again! And the bolt cocked, take those padded pliers and pull BACK on the cocking piece, so it clears the safety (its a bit awkward holding everything, but you can do it)

With the spring tension off the safety wing, it SHOULD flop freely from one side to the other when you move it. If it does, then it is just really stiff when under tension. IF it doesn't move freely with tension off it, then brother, it is stuck! ;)

The safety cams the cocking piece back slightly (out of contact with the sear) when applied. IF the leading edge of the cam surface of the safety is too "square" (not sloped right) no amount of finger pressure will get it to "start" under the edge of the cocking piece, and without that "start" you aren't going to move it.

Same result as being stuck but a different cause, and a different fix.
 
44 AMP

I had the bolt torn down to the firing pin assembly but chickened out going any further. Bolt was assembled when I tried to move the safety. Withthe bolt assembled and out of the gun I could move the safety by depressing the spring tension on the cocking piece. It took a fair amount of force but the safety moved freely after that point.

I feel I didn't describe that very well... :confused:
 
ok, so its just VERY STIFF, and not stuck.

The usual method for stripping a Mauser 98 bolt is this,

Bolt in the rifle, cocked. Put the safety ON (middle position wing straight up)
Remove the bolt from the rifle, press in the little button on the bolt shroud to unlock it, and unscrew the firing pin assembly from the bolt body.

To tear down that assembly, use the metal disc in the buttstock. Put the firing pin in the hole, and push the bolt shroud down (further compressing the firing pin spring, this will take some effort), WHEN you have the bolt shroud pushed down far enough to clear the cocking piece (on the back end of the firing pin), HOLD IT THERE and turn the cocking piece to the side, it will unlock from the firing pin. Then EASE off the spring tension, (and keep your face OUT of the way, in case you slip! Everything will now come apart easily. Reassemble in reverse order.

Hope this helps
44AMP
 
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