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cruddie

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This is for the experts/gunsmith crowd. What is the procedure for a Calibre change on a M48 shooter grade rifle to a .308/7.62x51. Does the extractor and bolt have to be swapped out? Or is it just a barrel swap,headspace adjustment and good to go? I'm only doing this because I don't reload and surplus .308/7.62 is in "abundance" compared to 8mm. Thanks in advance Gentlemen
 
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Easy to do. Barrel needs to be threaded to fit the rifle. Chamber has to be cut. Fitting to set the headspace.

If you get a used 308 Target rifle barrel, you could set the barrel back 2" to get a fresh throat and also contour the barrel to fit inside the wood.

The Mauser is the second easiest barrel to install. Savage is the easiest.
 
You may run into issues feeding from the magazine though, I know Israeli Mausers have a spacer in the magazine.

Honestly if your intent is to rebarrel it I would recommend selling the rifle and buying something like a Israeli (or Chilean, or Spanish etc.) Mauser already in 7.62. It will likely cost less when all is said and done and the rifle will be worth more that way.
 
You may run into issues feeding from the magazine though, I know Israeli Mausers have a spacer in the magazine.

Honestly if your intent is to rebarrel it I would recommend selling the rifle and buying something like a Israeli (or Chilean, or Spanish etc.) Mauser already in 7.62. It will likely cost less when all is said and done and the rifle will be worth more that way.

They have a arsenal installed curved metal (steel) spacer welded in that also extends the feed ramp as well as shortening the mag box on the Chilean ones.

Yeah, just sell your m48 and buy one already set up for .308/7.62x51mm, it is a way better way to go and after spending $300 or more for a barrel and $150-$200 to remove and install and ream the chamber plus $50 more to modify the magazine to feed properly you will be no better off and your Yugo M48 will not be worth much more than what you originally paid for it.

Plus you are not ruining it as a military original rifle.

I have one of the non sportered, excellent Chilean M98 1912-61 Mausers that was military arsenal rebarrelled to 7.62x51mm nato by them in the 1960's on one of their 7x57mm Austrian Steyr built 1912 model Mauser that is exactly what you are looking for.

These excellent quality M98 short rifles have a brand new military installed 24" barrel in 7.62mm/308 with a arsenal shortened and reworked magazine to feed 7.62x51mm/.308 win.

They generally came straight from the Chilean military storage after rebuild to 7.62mm and I doubt many were used or shot by them when converted before they sold them on the surplus market as the bore and barrel finish on lots of them (including mine) look perfect and still new.

Austrian Steyr made 1912 model Mausers are fair superior to Yugo ones in quality of build, I would put them right up with pre-war made Oberndorf and DWM Mausers.

If you do not rebarrel your one I may be willing to let my one go as I have not shot it in years and it now just sits in my safe.
 
I have one of these Chilean mauser,s from A member up here ^and it is excellent in all ways , I am 99% sure it HAD a brand new barrel when I got it , shoots like a dream and has a style of its own - highly recommend, -
 
Yugo receiver/barrel thread are the same pitch as a Mauser, but the thread profile of a different barrel has to be changed on a lathe to fit a Yugo receiver.
Found that out on a shot out 8x57 commercial Yugo receiver mated to an unused 7x57 FN barrel.
Good thing the gunsmith was a friend. He was cursing like I never heard him do before.

Check near the end: page 504
https://archive.org/stream/Bolt_Action_Rifles_3rd_Edition#page/n505/mode/2up
 
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There are some decent Israeli 98's in .7.62/.308 floating around. I have some. My Israeli go to rifle shoots cast reloads and Norinco copper washed quite nicely. Be sure to stock up on surplus/Norinco or whatever 7.62x51 you find at a reasonable price.

Those of us who are old enough will tell you that we watched the "endless" supply of .303, 30-06, 8x57, etc. will dwindle to nothing a way too soon. But what do we old guys know...:p
 
Ha ha ha
I think all gunsmiths are similar in that respect... :)

Yugo receiver/barrel thread are the same pitch as a Mauser, but the thread profile of a different barrel has to be changed on a lathe to fit a Yugo receiver.
Found that out on a shot out 8x57 commercial Yugo receiver mated to an unused 7x57 FN barrel.
Good thing the gunsmith was a friend. He was cursing like I never heard him do before.
 
Just wondering, I have a exc condition israeli 98k 308 barrel and lots of israeli parts. Is the receiver thread on
a yugo the same?
 
I heard (and have seen the pictures) that some of the Chilean Mauser converts are simply re-bored barrels with a chamber insert installed as well, I believe it was the 1912 long rifles.

Anyone know anything about this?
 
Does the Isreali barrel have a front sight on it? Indexing the barrel with the proper head space may really throw off the front sight alignment.
 
I heard (and have seen the pictures) that some of the Chilean Mauser converts are simply re-bored barrels with a chamber insert installed as well, I believe it was the 1912 long rifles.

Anyone know anything about this?

Yes, I have examined in detail many of both the short and long Chilean Model 1912 Steyr rifles and the long barrel (29") converted 7x57mm rifles have re-bored original 7x57mm barrels with a chamber insert silver soldered in to match 7.62x51mm. These should be watched after shooting a lot of full power loads as the gas will eventually erode the silver solder joint.

The shorter 23.6" barrel model 1912 Steyr ones have excellent and brand new USA supplied, surplus 30-06 Springfield barrels slightly shortened and re-chambered to 7.62x51mm and fitted with a exterior re-profile to match the original Steyr 7x57mm barrel.

This is one of the re-bored 7mm long barrels sectioned to show the chamber insert -

c5b.jpg
c15.jpg
 
Yup, those were 03A3 Springfield barrels that were used on the Chilean short rifles. A .30-06 barrel can be converted to 7.62 by shortening the breech end and re-chambering. That's exactly what the Italian military did when they converted thousands of their Garands to the 7.62 Tipo 2 configuration.
 
Thanks for the advice CGNers. I even called Bits of Pieces and got a rough quote of $700 for the job. I liked the feel and grip of the german mauser with the swept bolt handle and thats the only reason this came up. I guess a wtb add for an Israeli conversion is the best option.
 
I think Numrich Gun Parts sells 98 trigger guards that are short blocked to .308 if needed or alter your own........Harold
 
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