Comparing Apples to Oranges
Hey guys! I would like to pick up an inexpensive Mauser to do a little hunting with this fall. I've been looking at M-48's and M24/47's. The only differences I've noticed is one has a turned-down bolt and the other is straight. Anybody out there favor either one over the other? [:p]
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turn down 0 -
Yup, if you ever think you'll want to sporterize and scope it, get the turned down bolt.
Also, if you aren't stuck on a Mauser, have you considered one of the various model Mosin Nagants?0 -
Markus...not sure what you mean by "inexpensive" but rather than a Yugo why not a great Swedish mauser? The Swedes are lighter, fire the great 6.5x55 round and IMHO much better made. Yes, you will probably pay more for a Swede than a Yugo but in the end you will have one of the best battle/hunting rifles ever made. And the rifle will always be worth at least what you paid for it. And it has been my experience that Swedes out of the box are tackdrivers so you won't be going wrong in the accuracy department. If you scan the GB auction side and do some shopping you can find some good Swedish buys. Good shooting! 0 -
Straight or turned down, neither one will clear a commercial receiver scope mount without forging the bolt handle or replacing it. Maybe with some real tall rings, but you would never get a decent cheek weld on the stock.
The M48 will probably have less wear. By the time they went into production, they were more or less made obsolete by the semi autos. Most were never used, just packed up in cosmoline and stored.
It also has a better bolt to breech face fit. The barrel breech face has a cut for the extractor to fit into, thus encasing more of the base of the cartridge.0 -
quote:Originally posted by gary wray
Markus...not sure what you mean by "inexpensive" but rather than a Yugo why not a great Swedish mauser? The Swedes are lighter, fire the great 6.5x55 round and IMHO much better made. Yes, you will probably pay more for a Swede than a Yugo but in the end you will have one of the best battle/hunting rifles ever made. And the rifle will always be worth at least what you paid for it. And it has been my experience that Swedes out of the box are tackdrivers so you won't be going wrong in the accuracy department. If you scan the GB auction side and do some shopping you can find some good Swedish buys. Good shooting!
While I agree with everything you just said, the Swede mausers cost significantly more AND 6.5mm Swede surplus ammo is both scarcer and more expensive than 8mm Mauser at this time. So that could be a good reason not to go that route.
To answer the question above, the M48s and 24/47 guns are more or less the same gun, with one slight *possible* difference being a slightly different stock on the M48s. The M24/47s were pre-war model 24s rebuilt AFTER the war (in 1947). The M48s were built even later, until the mid-1960s. Most of both were locked away in cosmoline for long term storage, anticipating the next "big" war.
That war never really came, and by the time of the Yugoslavian civil war, WWII era bolt action rifles were obsolete. Consequently all of these beautiful new, or refinished and in many cases like new Mausers were dumped on the surplus market dirt cheap. (And you can still get them fairly cheap. . .$175 for a like new pre-war Mauser built pre-War by hand?!).
The M48s have turned down bolts. MOST of the 24/47s have straight bolts, but there are a FEW around that have turned down bolts. Obviously, you can have the bolt handle turned down or replaced, though I'd agree that its far easier to just get one with a turned down bolt to begin with.
In either case, its fairly easy to remove the rear sight assembly drop in a scope mount there, and put a forward mounted long-eye relief pistol (ie "scout") type sight on either one, if you want SOME magnification.
Many believe that the 24/47s actually represent the better guns, as they are build on pre-War receivers, from the days of old European craftsmanship. The M48s (particularly the later vintage ones), are built after the rise of the Communist Bloc, and many think the fine fitting and such aren't quite as good.0 -
Boy that 6.5 shoots flat...probably one of the most advanced cartridges of it's day (and still shoots tight groups)! 0 -
Look around and find one of the arsenal refinished M24/47s with new barrels on them. They are by far, IMO, the better way to go of the two you have mentioned. Most of the M48s that I have seen have been real beat up and I wouldn't expect to shoot very well. My M24/47 has a like new bore and shoots just the same. 0 -
Markus....again, on the Swede Mausers. Take a quick visit to the auction side of GB now and see that, actually, the Swedes are not that much more than the M48's or the 24/47's in price and the quality is certainly very much better. With some smart shopping you can get yourself a fine rifle in a super hunting cartridge. In reality, they are much closer in price than most realize (quite frankly, I was even surprised as how close in price the M48/24/47 are in price to the Swede's). As to the availabilty of ammo, again, 6.5 is very available with a variety of vendors and you can shop for price. IMHO, and I have several M48's and 24/47's (and lots of Swedish Mausers), my Swedes are far and away better rifles and better shooters. But if you are the 8mm game, I would agree that you should go with the 24/47 with the new barrel althought most, like the Swede 1896, are straight bolt. One of the best hunting rifles I have is a Swede 1896, all matching, with a gunsmith turndown bolt to clear the scope. Have less than $200 in the rifle and $100 to the smith. When I am gone my family can sell it for more than I have in it and I got to use it for free! Can beat that! Good shooting! 0 -
The M48 has a curve bolt handle and the M24/47 is straight. As for sporterizing, it is hit and miss due to the action length. The m48 and some M24/47 is intermed length action which is about 1/8" shorter. But if you are using the military stock, there is little problem. As for sights, you can change the front sight to a taller one and file down to the 100 yds or what you want, but the is sights out the call mojo and really not bad for the cash.
But to your question, the M48 would be my choice. It would be fast for follow up shot. I have both and like the M48. I even made a target rifle out of the M48 yugo. Shot a size of a dime all day.
Rob0
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