Yugo Mauser (M48) Accuracy

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Kiss.Ferenc

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Hi,

I'm wondering if I can get some advice about what to do with my M48 Mauser. I bought this one off of Marstar and what I liked about it was that for the money I was getting a new unissued Mauser with the reliability and accuracy of the original to back it up (or so I thought). I intended to use it as a deer gun when I get into hunting, I'm still young and my eye sight is pretty good so I just wanted to use the iron sights on it. But ever since I’ve taken it to the shooting range I have run into a giant stumbling block with this gun, I can't hit s**t with it.

I know the first increment on the ladder is 200m on the Mauser and I have it set to that but the bullets just wiz above any target that I shoot at. On the 80 and 100 meter ranges I am forced to aim into the ground ahead of the board to get the bullets to shoot center. I wasted $100 on a scout scope and mount for the Mauser hoping this would correct it but I didn’t like what I got off ebay for my money. The mount kept shaking itself loose even with loctite and the scope had too narrow a field of view. The magnification was too weak even though it was a variable power I could barely see the target on the highest power.

What’s frustrating is that I have shot K98s and they didn’t seem to have this problem, at least not as exaggerated as it is with my M48. I have spent a lot of boxes of ammo just trying to feel this gun out and I don't feel comfortable with rifle that I can shoot accurately. As it is right now this gun is useless to me.

Has anybody fixed these accuracy issues on their Mausers before? and was it this far out of whack (+/- 15") I am considering putting a taller front sight blade on the Mauser but I'm not sure it will help with it shooting this far off, (right now I'm basically using the top of the sight hood as the sight). My final option is just to pay a gunsmith to drill and tap this gun for a scope mount and bend the bolt, in which case I might as well just have bought a new hunting rifle it would have cost the same.
 
If you want a hunting rig you may as well sell it and buy a Stevens 200 plus a scope for the same price. Not to say you can't hunt with a mil surp (I do hunt with my enfield). The Stevens will simply make a more effective hunting platform. It wont look as cool, but you also wont care as much when it gets banged up (and it will get banged up).
 
Strange I've owned a M48BO from marstar for over a year now and shot it at several occasions with Winchester and yugo '54 ammo in both cold, warm and misty/drizzel conditions, although the military rounds gave me a large grouping, the winchester manufactured gave me a 4 inch grouping at 100 yards.

This might be a stupid question, but how did you set your rear sight?
The front blade should only control your windage.
 
What I can say is that the gun is precise but its definitely not accurate. The rear ladder sight is set at its lowest possible level, 200m. I have no problem with windage, the rounds are all dead center on the paper target its just that they are retardedly high. Ive only shot new S&B 190gr ammo, when I aim consistently in the same spot at the ground I can land the rounds within a 3 inch grouping at 100 yards, I just don't like aiming at the ground.
 
As you already mentioned, it sounds like you need a taller front sight. Has anyone else shot this gun? What is the POI for them? It's possible that it could be your shooting style. Try making the front sight taller with something like tape or modeling clay, then you will know how much taller your front sight needs to be for your shooting style. I would encourage you NOT to irreversibly modify this milsurp firearm. As another poster suggested; get a Savage or Stevens 200 with a scope for hunting, & sell the Mauser to someone who will appreciate it for what it is.

George
 
Kiss.Ferenc said:
Ive only shot new S&B 190gr ammo, when I aim consistently in the same spot at the ground I can land the rounds within a 3 inch grouping at 100 yards, I just don't like aiming at the ground.
Click to expand...

I have a M48A. Have tried various types of ammo including S+B 196 gr.
Every different manufacturer of Ammo produces a different point of impact.
That S+B stuff is HOT!!! Really hammers my shoulder. My rifle shoots 6 inches higher with S+B than it does with 170 gr RN Remington factory stuff.

If you dont hand load, try some North American made 8mm. Much milder
 
Get a taller front sight (M98 Brownells) and a Mojo rear peep sight with aperture pack (worked great for moose and paper).
Thats what i did with mine when i had one.

I know you said your shots are grouping center but is there any vertical stringing? If so your front and lower bands may need to be tightened up
 
J996 said:
Get a taller front sight (M98 Brownells) and a Mojo rear peep sight with aperture pack (worked great for moose and paper).
Thats what i did with mine when i had one.

I know you said your shots are grouping center but is there any vertical stringing? If so your front and lower bands may need to be tightened up
Click to expand...

LOL. Poor guy's already using the top of the hood to aim off.

1) Gunsmith. Hopefully there will be a "D'OH" moment that will cost you 50 bucks and we can all laugh about it together after you've enjoyed a day of trouble free shooting.

2) Pictures and/or video. We might see something you don't.

Good luck.
 
Mmm, generally North American ammo is mild so the M48 will print a bit low - suitable handloads or the S+B should be pretty much on target. These are quite accurate rifles generally - maybe post some pics so that we can have a better idea of what may be the problem.
 
Make your front sight taller as mentioned. lots of milsurp have the same issue (mosin). Do something that can be undone with no sign of ever being there if you want to keep it nice.
 
Kiss.Ferenc said:
Hi,

I'm wondering if I can get some advice about what to do with my M48 Mauser. I bought this one off of Marstar and what I liked about it was that for the money I was getting a new unissued Mauser with the reliability and accuracy of the original to back it up (or so I thought). I intended to use it as a deer gun when I get into hunting, I'm still young and my eye sight is pretty good so I just wanted to use the iron sights on it. But ever since I’ve taken it to the shooting range I have run into a giant stumbling block with this gun, I can't hit s**t with it.

I know the first increment on the ladder is 200m on the Mauser and I have it set to that but the bullets just wiz above any target that I shoot at. On the 80 and 100 meter ranges I am forced to aim into the ground ahead of the board to get the bullets to shoot center. I wasted $100 on a scout scope and mount for the Mauser hoping this would correct it but I didn’t like what I got off ebay for my money. The mount kept shaking itself loose even with loctite and the scope had too narrow a field of view. The magnification was too weak even though it was a variable power I could barely see the target on the highest power.

What’s frustrating is that I have shot K98s and they didn’t seem to have this problem, at least not as exaggerated as it is with my M48. I have spent a lot of boxes of ammo just trying to feel this gun out and I don't feel comfortable with rifle that I can shoot accurately. As it is right now this gun is useless to me.

Has anybody fixed these accuracy issues on their Mausers before? and was it this far out of whack (+/- 15") I am considering putting a taller front sight blade on the Mauser but I'm not sure it will help with it shooting this far off, (right now I'm basically using the top of the sight hood as the sight). My final option is just to pay a gunsmith to drill and tap this gun for a scope mount and bend the bolt, in which case I might as well just have bought a new hunting rifle it would have cost the same.
Click to expand...

I thought the M48 had a bent bolt ?
 
KF, those things were set up to shoot POI at 300m from the lowest position on the rear sight. Now, north american ammunition is loaded to 38000 psi, in deference to the so called multitude of 8x57 rifles with .318 bores. In Europe, they indicate on the ammo box with a suffix which bore diameter the ammunition is for.
When you use European ammunition, you should be about 17cm high or 8 1/2 inches at 100m. They used either a J or an S suffix.
Now, some of those rifles seem to be set up for longer POIs. I've seen a few with very low front sights. Much lower than the standard sight normally found on mausers chambered in 8x57. On the other hand, I have one with an extremely high front sight and it looks quite out of place. It does shoot to POA at 100m though.

Maybe someone with more knowledge than I have could confirm a recent rumor going around my area. The rumor has come about just because of the circumstances described on the first thread. Some do and some don't shoot high. Some rifles are way off, and the elevation measures to about 600m. Some shoot to POA and some are bang on at 300m. The 300m rifles are the most common by far. From what I can glean from the internet, 300m minimum setting is the common factory setting.

KF, when you took the rifle apart to clean the cosmoline out of the stock, DID YOU PUT ALL OF THE PARTS BACK IN? There should be a metal spacer for the rear trigger guard screw. It is there to stop the unknowing from over tensioning the rear guard screw. It's like the old mistakes many of us made 40 years ago are reocurring. I'm in no way saying you didn't put the spacer back in. I'm just suggesting it may be the problem. The mauser was basically pillar bedded, remove the pillar and it does unusual things. Unlikely but there may also be a problem with the fore stock being warped. There should be some fore end pressure, so be careful if you remove any material.

The stocks on the these rifles are unusually thick as well. It just could be that your spacer is to short. I have fixed this problem with a piece of aluminum/titanium arrow shaft that has been cut to the proper size. It's not an uncommon problem. Small, scrap pieces of arrow shaft can be picked up at most outdoor stores that make up custom length shafts for their customers. A 10cm length will make up 10 or more spacers.

There really isn't enough information. The fact that the rifle groups well pretty much eliminates a lot of things. High front sights are difficult to find. You may have to make one up yourself.
 
bearhunter said:
KF, those things were set up to shoot POI at 300m from the lowest position on the rear sight.

You are correct bearhunter. Most will do exactly that with full power 8X57JS.
There are old German manuals that instruct the shooter to hold low at ranges closer than 300. The Germans were taught to aim at enemy belt buckles.
Click to expand...
 
I've never fired mine with iron sights, but now you have me curious and I'll have to try it sometime. Mine has ZRAK turret mounts and Zeiss 4X scope and I can tell you that it is a tack driver with commercial 8 mm hunting ammo. Slaps everything in a neat 1 inch group at 100 and right around 2 inches at 200 yards( if I do my part).
Al
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goldidig said:
I've never fired mine with iron sights, but now you have me curious and I'll have to try it sometime. Mine has ZRAK turret mounts and Zeiss 4X scope and I can tell you that it is a tack driver with commercial 8 mm hunting ammo. Slaps everything in a neat 1 inch group at 100 and right around 2 inches at 200 yards( if I do my part).
Al
376283664.jpg

376283678.jpg

376283690.jpg
Click to expand...
Beauty!!
 
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