School me about Yugo M48 quality please!

[7.62x63mmUS]

At the beginning of the year I purchased an M48 from Big 5, mismatched bolt, covered in cosmoline, but looked like it would clean up nice. Long story short after I detail stripped and degreased it of all filth like I had done previously with many surplus rifles including a Yugo capture K98 and an M24/47 I try shooting it and it has a wrist busting sticky bolt after shooting on every round. Headspace is fine because I checked it with a field gauge. Been reading around the various internet forums and it seems M48 quality varies greatly from the previous Yugo M24's and M24/47s. I can attest to this as my M24/47 shoots and cycles like a dream. All my K98's even the force matched Russian captures are very smooth cycling. Now my basic question... did M48 quality improve as production continued? If I found an M48A could I expect better quality and improved smoothness?

[Crunch130]

The early M48's were known for having gritty actions, stiff extraction, and stiff triggers. I had a later M48A and it shot and cycled like a dream I polished the stiff trigger out to about 5 pounds.

Crunch

[AK all day]

What year did they start having better bolts? Sorry not trying to thread jack.

[7.62x63mmUS]

What year did they start having better bolts? Sorry not trying to thread jack.

Not a hijack at all, I wished I knew! Is theres a serial number range or something to look for?

[AK all day]

Not a hijack at all, I wished I knew! Is theres a serial number range or something to look for?

All information I would love to find out also, I'm in the market.

[deoxys987]

At the beginning of the year I purchased an M48 from Big 5, mismatched bolt, covered in cosmoline, but looked like it would clean up nice. Long story short after I detail stripped and degreased it of all filth like I had done previously with many surplus rifles including a Yugo capture K98 and an M24/47 I try shooting it and it has a wrist busting sticky bolt after shooting on every round. Headspace is fine because I checked it with a field gauge. Been reading around the various internet forums and it seems M48 quality varies greatly from the previous Yugo M24's and M24/47s. I can attest to this as my M24/47 shoots and cycles like a dream. All my K98's even the force matched Russian captures are very smooth cycling. Now my basic question... did M48 quality improve as production continued? If I found an M48A could I expect better quality and improved smoothness?

I have a 1950 M48, it shoots nice but the bolt isn't as smooth as id like it, hell the bolt on my Mosin Nagant M38 Carbine is smoother than the M48. I wish big 5 had k98s instead of a Serbian reproduction. it shoots nice and I wish I can get my hands on a REAL mauser,

[McNally M.]

How can you tell the year of production? Serial numbers? I thought the Yugo weapons are notorious for not marking production date on their rifles making it hard to determine whether some of their M59 SKSs are actually legally C&R.

[deoxys987]

How can you tell the year of production? Serial numbers? I thought the Yugo weapons are notorious for not marking production date on their rifles making it hard to determine whether some of their M59 SKSs are actually legally C&R.

dillon,63, nally: heres the codes for years on serial numbers

the model 48 was originally introduced in 1943 and discontinued in 1954 and the codes go as follows. they were made in small numbers In WWII

codes:
D=1943 E=1944 F=1945 G=1946 H=1947 I=1948 J=1949 K=1950 L=1951 m1952 N=1953 P=1954. THE LETTER O WAS NOT USED. hope this helps a bunch guys! I had the same issue. my serial # is K618XX so mines 1950! what years do YOU guys have?:D

[CEDaytonaRydr]

The early M48's were known for having gritty actions, stiff extraction, and stiff triggers. I had a later M48A and it shot and cycled like a dream I polished the stiff trigger out to about 5 pounds.

Crunch

Yeah, all of those issues can be easily gunsmithed out of the equation. I have a VZ24 that's a bit of a pig. The floor plate would stick, so I bought a hinged one and replaced it. The trigger was garbage, so I replaced it with a Timney...

Now that that's done, I think I'm going to use an old 24/47 barrel and get rid of the counterbored, "sewer pipe" that's on it now. When I'm done, it might be a "mixmaster" but at least it will shoot straight. ;)

[gary t]

dillon,63, nally: heres the codes for years on serial numbers

the model 48 was originally introduced in 1943 and discontinued in 1954 and the codes go as follows. they were made in small numbers In WWII

codes:
D=1943 E=1944 F=1945 G=1946 H=1947 I=1948 J=1949 K=1950 L=1951 m1952 N=1953 P=1954. THE LETTER O WAS NOT USED. hope this helps a bunch guys! I had the same issue. my serial # is K618XX so mines 1950! what years do YOU guys have?:D

Hey deoxys987, do you have any more information on Yogo serial numbers? My M48 has a A70000 number and doesn't fit into the data posted. It has matching numbers. Also it is an early model since the barrel is stamped "M48" without a postscript A or B and the magazine base plate is milled.

Regarding the OP, although I haven't shot my M48 (just bought) the bolt is smooth and functions dummy rounds just fine. The trigger feels refined and comparable to other rifles of this era at about 6 lbs if I remember correctly.

Thanks...Gary

[deoxys987]

Hey deoxys987, do you have any more information on Yogo serial numbers? My M48 has a A70000 number and doesn't fit into the data posted. It has matching numbers. Also it is an early model since the barrel is stamped "M48" without a postscript A or B and the magazine base plate is milled.

Regarding the OP, although I haven't shot my M48 (just bought) the bolt is smooth and functions dummy rounds just fine. The trigger feels refined and comparable to other rifles of this era at about 6 lbs if I remember correctly.

Thanks...Gary

Maybe yours was made later on? They kept them in storage mostly for a war that didn't happen. Maybe yours is a mutt- mix and matched parts?

[SFBA]

Because most of these have not been shot, and appears you may have some tolerance issues, it may need 500-1000 slides to break it in. I used Mobile 1 grease on the contact points and mine is now smooth as butter.

[Crunch130]

deoxys987,

I'd suggest you check out the following website:

http://parallaxscurioandrelicfirearmsforums.yuku.com/forums/84

They've gotten a LOT of information from Branko Bogdanovich, who actually worked at the Zavasta Arms plant as the historian.

I'd be curious where you got the info that they started building M48s in 1943. They were designed in 1948 and went into production by 1950. The 1943 date on the crest is when the Tito government began.

Regards,
Crunch

[corrosively_armed]

I bought one at big 5 several years ago when they first became available. It was in unissued condition all matching like new. Shoots beautifully.

[7.62x63mmUS]

I'm sure a lot are good shooters. I may try polishing compound to smooth up the cock caming surfaces. I have 4 K98's that are all much smoother, including a Yugo rework.

[SKSer45]

Well its called the Pig for a reason. I like mine though, nice strong action, good quality, all milled parts and can shoot circles around mosin nagant garbage. I am in the hunt for an m24/47 now to complete the yugo collection.

[tdyoung1958]

I've found that the best fix for a "sticky bolt" is chrome polish, a drop here and ther and rack the slide back and forth while watching a movie like "Enemy at the Gates" or any WWII Flick

[OpenSightsOnly]

I'm sure a lot are good shooters. I may try polishing compound to smooth up the cock caming surfaces. I have 4 K98's that are all much smoother, including a Yugo rework.



Put the safety in the middle position. That would take the firing pin spring pressure off so you can "work" (lock/unlock) the bolt to see if there is an interference or drag with the bolt shroud and the cam surface of the bolt itself.

If there isnt a drag, then perhaps the sticky bolt issue may be related to ammo.

[DGD73]

You might inspect the chamber for any pitting or scratches also. I bought an Enfield a little while back and didn't notice that there was a little bit of a scratch or something in the chamber, so after firing the shell would expand into that tiny space and it made extracting the case a lot harder than it should have been. After I figured out what it was, I used some JB bore compound and polished it out some and after taking it back to the range, it worked fine.