"Like New" Yugo M48 Mausers?

st1264

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These seem to have popped up lately from TradeEx (sold out) and Weimajack. Here's a few pics of the condition. I have one coming but haven't received it yet. They appear to have sight hoods, cleaning rods, slings, ammo pouches and to be in 'near new condition'. What do you guys think? Anyone buy one from TradeEx or Weimajack from this batch (or wherever they have popped up)?

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This guy seems to have gotten a brand new, #'s matching rifle... I don't know the history on these but he has the original set screws intact too. Looks like a beautiful piece.

Well, here it is, in all it's gooey glory! I snapped a few pics with my phone, not the best but it'll give you all an idea of what they look like. First off, a big hat's off to TradeEx! The boxes were taped up real nicely, it arrived very quickly considering the long weekend, oh yeah....the rifle is pretty nice too! ;)

So this is just the unpacking:

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Double boxed!

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And drum-roll please!

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I'll start off by saying I'm no expert on anything, but this is BY FAR the greasiest mil-surp I've ever bought! It's not greasy either, I should stop saying that, it's like glue. Super glue, that's semi-malleable. That paper that's stuck to the end of the stock I suspect is now part of the rifle! Seriously though, I'm sure if I cleaned it up it'd be a brand new gun! Numbers matching, the bluing is superb, the grain on the stock is beautiful, honestly the couple pictures don't do the stock any justice at all. The only thing I could see that was a little marked was the bottom of the mag. I forgot to take a picture of the sling and ammo pouch, but they're nothing fancy, definitely used. All in all, I'm very happy I jumped on these!

Now I'm faced with a serious problem. I bought this with the intention of having a really nice shooter, but it's almost too nice! I shoot my guns, always have, but this may end up being my first "collectable". Hmmmmm....... :HFU:

(I got these pics from the board, if the owners of the pics would like me to not use them, please PM me and I'll edit my post. Mine is not in yet to take pics. Thanks.)
 
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Hey st1264! I don't mind the pics being posted at all! Just wish I had a better camera, haha!

I still haven't gotten around to cleaning it, but the next couple days are clear, so hopefully I'll have a few "cleaner" pics I'll post up in a few days!

Let's see your pictures fella's, I know I'm not the only one who got a nice example! ;)
 
They look good, but like the Irish contract #4's the real value is in the unfired NIW greasy examples. These don't look unfired to me, even those 2 in the wrap have miscolored handguards which I would guess is some level of refurb.
 
They look good, but like the Irish contract #4's the real value is in the unfired NIW greasy examples. These don't look unfired to me, even those 2 in the wrap have miscolored handguards which I would guess is some level of refurb.

So did they refurb the guy's rifle with matching #'s and throw it in grease or is it indeed, an original rifle that may or may not have been fired? Seems like a lot of guessing involved here. I bought a $479 shooter grade M48 at CT and it turned out to be a beautiful rifle after I cleaned it up, with a brand new bore. Definitely pleased with what I got. I'm sure the 'like new' M48 I'm getting will definitely be nicer.

I don't know if these are refurbs or not, but I think a lot of these just hit storage as other rifles took it's place in the former Yugoslavia. I spoke to a Serbian co-worker the other day and showed him the pics of the 'like new' M48's and he said it was one of the rifle models he used while in the army until he was done his service in 1981.

Nice rifles but my VZ24 still impressed the hell out of me, for less money. Czech's built theirs like a tank.

I don't expect to get a surplus rifle and win the lottery like it's worth $2000 or something, but I can't see anyone losing money on them if they're in this kind of shape for $595. Stores are selling the 'good condition' M48's without most of the accessories for $500-550.
 
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As an update, I helped my buddy unpack 6 at the shop today, all from tradex and all sold as excellent unissued. Of the 6 that were ordered at random selection for store inventory, 5 were m48's and one was an m48B. There were no plain A models in this batch.

The B model has a renumbered walnut stock that was fairly rough and the floor plate had an old lined out number.

One of the m48's has a renumbered elm wood stock. Otherwise very nice.

Two m48's looked to have been non-refurbs in excellent shape, one had an elm stock and the other had a beech stock. I kept the elm stocked one for myself.

The last 2 m48's were obviously used with bluing wear, one was for sure a refurb with some m48B parts on an m48 receiver. Both had stock repairs, I would rate them "good", not excellent.

I expect this is pretty representative of the batch. All the leather was unissued, but with stains, verdigris, etc.
 
^ So this batch wasn't all 'excellent' condition. Sounds like Prairie Plinker hit the lotto and others are just playing roulette. One of the reasons why I like to pick through surplus lots to hand pick what I want.

Weimajack's posts seem to be of 'excellent condition' rifles, handpicked from whatever sized batch he has. Very anxious to see mine when it arrives, once the cosmo is cleaned up.


I do remember looking at that sale in Jan/2012 but had no interest in Mausers at that time. This guy looks like he got a real nice M48A, intact even with a bayonet, scabbard and frog!
My M48 A arrived today, didn't expect it, after all it was only six days ago that I ordered it.

I paid the $25.00 for hand select and boy was it worth it!

The rifle looks like new, and the bore is absolutely new for sure.

And yes, there is quite some "sticky stuff" on it, but isn't this half the fun?

check for yourself:


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A special Thanks to Frank from Marstar for selecting this fantastic rifle for me.
 
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Lol. You're showing your age. Marstar last sold m48's in the 2005-2006 timeframe. A little more than 4 years ago. Somewhere I have a 2001 paper catalogue from Marstar when they first listed these. The $350 guns, if I recall, were mismatched. The excellent grade were around today's prices for this batch.

I don't think so.
I own a 48bo, and a couple of 48a's
All we're bought after 2011. The 48a's were cheap.
i can't remember what I paid for the Bo but it wasn't much more.
 
That must have been a second smaller batch from Marstar. When they had these in bulk they were not shipping them in styrofoam boxes like that. And it was way before 2011.
 
Prices in 2016 matter more than in 2012. If you got a #'s matching mint M48 or "A" model 4 years ago, I'm sure it's worth more than you paid for it if $300 was the going rate. I see the 'good condition' ones going for $500-550 in stores.
 
Was never a Mauser fan and kind of scoffed at the seemingly rediculous prices fetched for K98s.
I jumped on one because I can see the end of these and Milsurp rifles in general being available in our not-so-distant future.
I have understood Tradex to have a stellar reputation for at the very least the grading of their stuff, so if it comes in 'good' shape I'll be pretty disappointed. We'll see in a couple of days time.
 
That must have been a second smaller batch from Marstar. When they had these in bulk they were not shipping them in styrofoam boxes like that. And it was way before 2011.

No it was not!
My date is correct.

I still have the rifle. and the bore is absolutely pristine, one of the best rifle bores I ever saw.
Takes very little effort to clean it compared to other rifles.
 
Was never a Mauser fan and kind of scoffed at the seemingly rediculous prices fetched for K98s.
I jumped on one because I can see the end of these and Milsurp rifles in general being available in our not-so-distant future.
I have understood Tradex to have a stellar reputation for at the very least the grading of their stuff , so if it comes in 'good' shape I'll be pretty disappointed. We'll see in a couple of days time.

This message was spread by their fan boys, and if somebody has a different experience, and posts it on their site, it gets deleted rather quickly.
I have not had that great experience with their rating.
Good luck.
 
Well for what it's worth, between today and last week I have personally looked over 8 random rifles from this latest batch. About a third were non-refurb excellent, about a third were refurb I'd rate VG to Exc, and about a third were just Good. One might have been only "fair" with a cracked stock.

I expect some guys will get great guns, other ppl will not be so happy.

I do know p&s and weimarjack go to Hawksbury and hand select their stock, so the odds of getting a gem from those guy is likely higher.

Every gun I've looked at so far had a matching bolt and a nice shiny bore.
 
Well for what it's worth, between today and last week I have personally looked over 8 random rifles from this latest batch. About a third were non-refurb excellent, about a third were refurb I'd rate VG to Exc, and about a third were just Good. One might have been only "fair" with a cracked stock.

I expect some guys will get great guns, other ppl will not be so happy.

I do know p&s and weimarjack go to Hawksbury and hand select their stock, so the odds of getting a gem from those guy is likely higher.

Every gun I've looked at so far had a matching bolt and a nice shiny bore.

Who is P&S? Are they a sponsor?
 
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