Yugo Mauser 8mm

[Srbenda]

I have one on order from Wideners.

Anything I should expect?

 

[boule]

Anything I should expect?

To have the following on your next order list:
- reloading press
- dies
- bullets
- powder
- primers
- casings

Otherwise, nope. Yugos are arsenal-finished guns. Fair enough shooters but not that much of a collectible.

 

[Srbenda]

Is 8mm expensive to buy?

 

[boule]

Not that expensive. 340 rounds approx. $100

Nonetheless most Mausers I have seen so far have been a little bit touchy as far as ammo was concerned. Reloads were just so much more accurate than factory ammunition.

 

[Drmsparks]

Wideners has Yugo match ammo (m75 sniper) that shoots awesome!

It's a little more expensive than run of the mill milsurp but well worth the difference.

 

[TripleChris]

M24/47 or M48 series?

Keep in mind these are not identical to other Mausers. The bolt construction is slightly different (Yugo mausers will not take Turkish, German, or any other nation's parts) and many were barely used at all before getting dunked in Cosmoline. Mine is a shooter, it has zero issues with even the cheapest, dirtiest milsurp ammo.

As mentioned the recently made Yugo sniper ammo is the very best surplus you can get. The cheapest is the steel cased Romanian, which is corrosive and dirty but completely functional in these rifles. Also out there is Egyptian 8mm made for Hakim/Rashid/FN49 rifles, I saw plenty of that at gun shows. Its almost as easy to find as 7.62x54R, and about the same price. The older Turk ammo is loaded pretty hot and is now getting scarce, but not long ago you could get bandoliers of loaded strippers of the stuff for cheap.

 

[Srbenda]

M24. What's the difference?

 

[TripleChris]

M24. What's the difference?

Differences in manufacturing history and (IMO) quality. The M24/47 is an arsenal rework from the period right after WW2. M48s were newly manufactured rifles. I have an M24/47 and I think its overall build quality is better than the M48s. Differences are minor, M48s are all Yugoslavian made with some stamped parts (magazine floorplate) whereas the M24 series rifles include foreign made rifles (Czechoslovakia, Belgium, some other places I hear) that were imported by Serbia in the 1920s and 30s and later re-arsenaled.

Either way, a great rifle for cheap. Build quality on these is WAAAAAAAY better than the Soviet made Mosins. I also have a Yugo made Zastava M57 pistol and they too are far superior to the Romanian or Soviet made Tokarevs. The Yugoslavians made really good stuff, with the Czechs and E. Germans they really were the craftsmen of the Communist Bloc.

 

[240 towles]

expect lots o cosmoline

 

[Srbenda]

expect lots o cosmoline

Oh.
Joy.

 

[240 towles]

at least you are getting one of the worlds most tried and true, best bolt action rifles. I heard the yugos work well with surplus ammo, so you should be good for plinking and if you hunt, they make core Lokt and soft point ammo for it. It is a great historical rifle for the purists, or it is easily upgraded for people like me. Really it is one of those rifles that you can't go wrong with. Have fun.

 

[j8064]

You should expect to clean it up well, take it to the range and have a lot of 8mm fun.

My 24/47's don't particularly care for the Romy surplus AIM had for $100 per can delivered a while back. The ammo seems to be noted for hard primers. But all my Mausers eat my hand rolled ammo like candy. You're gonna like your toy.

 

[Garand1957]

Wideners has Yugo match ammo (m75 sniper) that shoots awesome!

It's a little more expensive than run of the mill milsurp but well worth the difference.

The regular Yugo M30 8mm ammo shoots better than the "sniper" M75 in all my Mausers.
Can't get the M30 anymore from dealers but I did buy three 900 rd cases back when

 

[Srbenda]

Is there a good website anywhere with instructions on how to pull apart and clean this thing? It does have a-plenty of cosmoline, and I don't have a-plenty knowledge about this gun.

 

[j8064]

Is there a good website anywhere with instructions on how to pull apart and clean this thing? It does have a-plenty of cosmoline, and I don't have a-plenty knowledge about this gun.

Here's a good site with basic disassembly and reassembly steps. A Mauser is not too complicated.
http://www.surplusrifle.com/yugom48/fulldisassemble/hs.asp

There are as many ways to clean out cosmoline as there are folks on the forum. Which ever method you use, take your time and become familiar with your new rifle.

 

[Markp]

Is there a good website anywhere with instructions on how to pull apart and clean this thing? It does have a-plenty of cosmoline, and I don't have a-plenty knowledge about this gun.

It pulls apart just like any other mauser. It's a piece of cake. Mine shoots great, and I couldn't be happier with it... I have a 24/47.

Mark

 

[Srbenda]

It pulls apart just like any other mauser. It's a piece of cake. Mine shoots great, and I couldn't be happier with it... I have a 24/47.

Mark

Haha. That's like saying that open heart surgery is just like every other one.

I'm an idiot about this stuff.

 

[j8064]

Haha. That's like saying that open heart surgery is just like every other one.

I'm an idiot about this stuff.

Srbenda, may take is you're a beginner. Nothing wrong with that. It's not the same as being an "idiot". There are no dumb questions here - but sometimes dumb answers. The dumbest question is the one you don't ask.

Look at the steps on the site I posted. Take it easy until you're sure you understand the steps. As you have more questions, post away...there are many of us who'll help you through the process.

 

[j8064]

As I said, most of us have our own methods to remove Cosmoline - everything from putting the parts in a bag of cat litter in the trnck of your car on a hot day to brake cleaner and Simple Green.
Here's a basic article:
http://www.surplusrifle.com/shooting/cosmoline/pdf/cosmoline.pdf

 

[Dst]

I'm probably off the main stream with this one, but I happen to enjoy the de-cosmo process, particularly when the gun is obviously "used". I really appreciate taking the time out to clean up a piece of history, and it comes with the added bonus of getting a thorough introduction to a new friend.