Yugo 24 to 7mm-08 kitchen table build - follow my folly!

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lockedcj7

New member
The subtitle might as well be, "I don't have any idea what I'm doing but I'm going to do it anyway!" I am pretty handy, I love resurrecting things and I'm always looking for an excuse to buy more tools. Heck, I built a Jeep from a grease stain but I digress...

I am not a gunsmith and this thread probably belongs somewhere else but I thought this was a good place to start. I've had a Yugo 24 barreled receiver hanging from a rafter in my shop for years and finally decided to do something with it. The previous owner clamped it in a vice and tried removing the barrel with a pipe wrench so it was already buggered. Aside from the bottom metal and follower spring, it was stripped so I'm not harming a collectible.

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I also have a heavy taper barrel in 7-08 that just so happens to be threaded for a large ring Mauser. It's been wrapped in brown paper for roughly the same number of years and has some surface rust on the outside. I seem to remember that it's a Lilja or Shilen but it's not marked and I'm not positive. Anyway, the chamber and bore are pristine.

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The plan is to build a safe rifle out of these meager beginnings. (I know enough to check headspace or have it done). It will probably be cheaper to just buy a rifle but where's the fun in that? I have these parts and I hate to see them go to waste. I also have some walnut that might make a good stock.

First question - After I acquire a bolt assembly, does anything need to be done to the face to make it fit the 30-06 sized case head?
 
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The Yugo 24 was 7,92mm aka 8mm Mauser, 8x57, etc., so, the standard boltface is already the right size for the .30-06 head size.

Good Luck on your project!

I would suggest, if you' ve never made a stock before, that you practice on cheap(er) wood than good walnut.
 
Since it's pre-threaded for the LR Mauser, it's likely a short-chambered barrel.
If so, you'll need a set of gauges, a T-Handle, and a 7mm-.08 finish reamer to ream the chamber to correct depth ( or a gunsmith to do the above...)

Keep in mind that while it's a large ring, it's an intermediate length action (should still feed 7-08 I believe) so be sure to get the correct bolt
 
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Thanks for the replies. The walnut I have is still standing and won't be dimensionally stable for 10 years, or so, even after I cut it down. It might make a rifle stock when I retire but I still have a long way to go. Plenty of time to practice, or think better of it.

tobnpr - I appreciate the advice. I am having a hard time locating a bolt assembly and I'm reluctant to buy one of the few stripped bolts I've found for fear of not being able to find the rest of the small parts and the cost.

I was able to separate the old barrel from the receiver and verify that my barrel will thread right on. The new barrel is short-chambered. This was meant to be a budget build but now I'm considering a complete Mauser action since it would just make everything easier and I would have a nicer finished product.

Like this, for starters:
 
If it belonged to me I would remove the old barrel and then check the case head protrusion. I would expect the case head protrusion would be .110. I know, everyone is soooo confused but when replacing the barrel I would also check the case head protrusion from the replacement barrel; if the case head protrusion is .110" no chamber work will be required.

And then there is the bolt; I have no fewer than 30 Mauser 98 type bolts. 25 of the bolts will not change the length of the chamber from the shoulder of the chamber to the bolt face. If you know how to measure the length of the chamber I could send you a bolt that would fit. Most reloaders purchases a bucket of bolts and hope one fits. And then there is the fit between the receiver and barrel; Make sure the barrel gave seats on the 'C' ring.

F. Guffey
 
Starting out with a military rifle will be a lot more work and be more expensive than just getting a commercial action and screwing the barrel into it. Since you will be buying a bolt as well, it could be much easier and cheaper to just pick up a commercial Mauser or one that has already been sporterized.
 
Make sure the barrel gave seats on the 'C' ring.
Click to expand...

I'm not sure what this is. The take-off barrel has a c-shaped ring on the breach face. Do need to worry about trying to replicate that with the new barrel?

On a related note, I have located a complete Yugo 48A and my internet research tells me that I should be able to stick my barrel on it and use it (with some stock changes) as-is. I hate to butcher a C&R gun but I don't think there is anything special about this one.
 
I'm not sure what this is.
Click to expand...

The barrel on your receiver is screwed into the receiver. When the barrel is screwed into the receiver it stops when the face of the barrel contacts when it contacts a 'C' looking ring. The 98 barrel has tow contacts with the receiver. One is the face of the barrel and the other one is at the end of the threads, it looks like a shoulder.

When replacing the barrel on a 98 type Mauser it is suggested the face of the barrel contact the receiver at the 'C' ring first and then at the shoulder at the end of the threads last. I use a feeler gage to determine how far off the shoulder is from making contact with the front of the receiver ring. I like crush fit; meaning there is no way I can get the barrel closer to the receiver without screwing up the threads. I have been surrounded with mechanics that believed 'if tight is good really tight is better'. When I remove the slack between the threads the shoulder on the barrel makes contact with the front of the receiver.

And then there are Mausers that do not have the 'C' ring. Some Mausers have a slot down both sides, I do not call that one the 'parenthesis' ring but most Mausers made after the war have two cuts. And then there is the 48. The barrel face is different and the receiver is shorter.

And then there were the smiths that screwed up a rifle just north of me, the barrel face had gas cutting on the barrel face and 'C' ring meaning the barrel was seated against the barrel shoulder and front of the receiver ring. And I wondered; how could that happen to a smith with a feeler gage and or depth micrometers?

The rifle was chambered to 257 Weatherby.

F. Guffey
 
And then there is the bolt, there could be a reason it is missing. I was given a complete rifle, all I had to do was pick it up. The smith said he did not have a bolt that would fit it. I looked at the barreled receiver and explained to him someone attempted to remove the barrel with a board stuck thorough the receiver. I explained to him the receiver was twisted and there was nothing for me to do but 'fix it'. I left the shop without the rifle:eek:

F. Guffey
 
I know you didn't ask...
But I have a nearly-complete parts set for a Yugo 24/47, including the bolt and good bottom metal. They're in overall good condition and were removed from a working rifle before I destroyed the receiver (it was compromised).
If you're interested, send a private message.

Parts known missing:
Receiver and barrel, of course.
Stock.
Sling.
One barrel band (w/ sling swivel).
Front sight hood.
Sights.

Parts possibly missing, or possibly separated from the rest and requiring a treasure hunt in the gun room:
Trigger/sear spring.
Action screws.
 
Thanks Frank, I sent you a PM.

I guess I haven't checked this thread in a while but I haven't given up completely. I put the project on hold and got busy with other things.

Just the other day, a buddy at work offered an Interarms Mark X in 30-06 to me for $150. It had a cracked stock but was otherwise in excellent shape. I decided to use it for the project instead of cobbling together parts.

I've got the 30-06 barrel off and the 7-08 barrel on. It will need to be finish reamed and lots more before it's shootable but this is progress.
 
Just as a side note.
The 7-08 and the 7X57 are just about identical if loaded to the same pressures.
Turning it into a 7X57 will be an easier conversion. No action work (feed lips and box) to do at all. Just put in the new barrel and you are ready to stock it.

After it's stocked I recommend making a new bolt handle and welding it on. Then inlet the root of the bolt handle into the new stock. Make it pretty.

Next convert it to a scope-safety.

Next, set it up for a scope.

Lastly install the butt-plate or pad, and fore-end tip and grip cap (if any)

Now you do all your metal work and polish before you do the wood sanding and finish.

When the stock is done take out the metal and do the bluing and engraving (if any)
Last do the checkering.

When you are done if may look like this.


Or this


Or this

Or this

Or this

None of these Mausers were in any better condition when I started than yours is.

I think I can say I improved them some.
 
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Wyo - Those rifles are beautiful. Unfortunately, I don't have the patience, time or talent to build something like that.

I was going to try to fix the crack in stock but it extends through the action and into the forend. It might come out okay but I'm hoping this rifle has some degree of accuracy and a janky stock won't help.

I pressed the "easy" button and ordered a B&C Medalist stock and Timney trigger. I'll post up some pics when I get it put together.
 
I am well on my way to a shootable rifle and I'll get some progress pics up later today but I have some questions for now.

I need to chamfer the chamber mouth, or something, to improve feeding. How much metal can I remove and still be safe?
 
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The chamber mouth should be radiused. Round it out so the radius is about .025" in it's half-diameter. The inside of the shell web (where the primer pocket is) is very deep, so the actual radius is not super critical as long as you don't try to go super deep.
Mausers take the shell deeper than most other rifles and the forward part of the extraction groove come clear up to the breach face. The walls of the chamber exceed the walls of the inside of the case.
 
That's what I figured after seeing some diagrams and cutaways online. I radiused the mouth just a little and polished everything up. The main issue turned out to be a burr under the lip of the extractor claw. It wasn't allowing the rim of the cases to slide up the bolt face and was causing binding.

This is hands-down, the best 5 minute trigger job I have ever done.

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I had to remove a lot of stock material using a dremel tool and then 80 grit sandpaper wrapped around a piece of PVC pipe.

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