Smooth Bolt ENVY (m48)

[WilliamAnderson]

I have had this m48 in my safe for the past 3 years and take it to the range about half as often as I would like to simply based on the fact that the bolt is super frustrating to use. It's never been smooth to operate. It feels like it's binding somewhere. I don't know if this is common on M48 yugo Mausers or what. I have noticed other people on YouTube using ther m48 and I see them shoving their bolt foward and then smacking the bolt handle a few times really hard to get it closed all the way. I have to do the same thing when I use my rifle. I just don't enjoy it the way I should.

Can someone enlighten me and tell me why my bolt has these issues and how I can solve them?

I just want a nice smooth operating bolt...

[7.62x54R]

Never had problem with Mausers sticking.

[WilliamAnderson]

it's not cosmo related.

[knucklehead0202]

both my mosins are smooth as silk and i just gave them a very basic cleaning when i got them. only have 1 98-style mauser that's a Persian and custom sporterized. i HAVE seen a lot of video though of various rifles and these poor guys hammering on them to open and close bolts. bummer, guess i need to buy some more rifles to see if i get one that does this... definitely in need of a very thorough cleaning and perhaps a lapping job.

[OpenSightsOnly]

I have had this m48 in my safe for the past 3 years and take it to the range about half as often as I would like to simply based on the fact that the bolt is super frustrating to use. It's never been smooth to operate. It feels like it's binding somewhere. I don't know if this is common on M48 yugo Mausers or what. I have noticed other people on YouTube using ther m48 and I see them shoving their bolt foward and then smacking the bolt handle a few times really hard to get it closed all the way. I have to do the same thing when I use my rifle. I just don't enjoy it the way I should.

Can someone enlighten me and tell me why my bolt has these issues and how I can solve them?

I just want a nice smooth operating bolt...

Disassemble the bolt, take the firing pin assembly out, put the bolt body back and work it. Any resistance or bind? In other words, locking lug contact friction.

If not, try this - http://www.gswagner.com/98bolt/bolts...leevelock.html

If that does not help, you may want to use some lapping compound on the cocking piece, need to tear apart the firing pin assembly, put it back together, screw that with the bolt body.

Once you have bolt body in the barreled receiver, work the bolt handle, up and down, or open close routine.

See if that helps.

In my case, the bolt sleeve lock fixed the issue, about two hours worth of gently hand filing the spot, fit and test, and a three servings or Macallan 18, lol!

Let us know!

[Sailormilan2]

A lot of the smoothness from military surplus rifles comes from the fact that they have been used so much. Like being in a war. M48s were never used in a major conflict, so they didn't get used as much. So, essentially, they aren't broken in. Which just takes a lot of cycling the action.

[Palimino Stripe]

A lot of the smoothness from military surplus rifles comes from the fact that they have been used so much. Like being in a war. M48s were never used in a major conflict, so they didn't get used as much. So, essentially, they aren't broken in. Which just takes a lot of cycling the action.

Weeeelllll, not exactly. There is some truth to that- but the real scoop is as follows:

When M48's were being made, Yugoslavia was recovering from WWII. Their country was essentially in ruin for a time. That being said- many of their skilled workers (who made the famously smooth Yugo M24 bolts; which later became 24/47's) were completely displaced or outright killed. A lot of patience, skill, & craftsmanship went out the door inlight of "let's get our country back up & running ASAP!"

Hence M48's can typically have stiff bolts; It's not a cosmo problem & it's not an ammo problem. The cure? Get a M24/47

-Palimino

[knucklehead0202]

part of the reason i didn't rush out to grab an m48, i've heard similar stories. my dad bought one that cycled decently, but was a far cry in accuracy compared to the turk he had before. contrast was very depressing so he got rid of it. then he got swede mausers, which pretty much remedy any problem you could possibly have.