Went to a gun show last weekend just to look around and bought one of these on a whim.  I have a K98 Mauser that I want to keep in unfired condition so I decided I needed one to shoot.  I paid $169 dollars for it, which I realize is relatively high, but something just told me to go for it.  I took it home and completely disassembled it and cleaned off all of the cosmoline.  It looks great, has all its blueing, and a beautiful stock.  The bore was very shiny and looked flawless.  Yesterday I finally got around to shooting it.  I used some surplus, 1954 production Turkish ammo.  First I shot at some milk jugs at 50 yards and the bullets were going way over the top of the jugs.  Next I shot at a piece of plywood at about 100 yards.  I noticed the bullets were consistently hitting about 4-6" above and a little to the left of the point of aim.  I noticed that the lowest range marked on the rear sight is 200m.  Does this mean I just have to compensate to shoot targets at 100 yards?  Next I noticed that after about 20 shots my shoulder hurt and I didn't really feel like doing any more shooting.  Then I had to clean the bore again because of the corrossive ammo.  Now I am kinda disappointed.  This rifle does nothing that any of my current rifles can't do better.  It is bulky, not relatively accurate, has moderate recoil, and the only cheap ammo I can find is corrossive.  Should I keep this rifle for it's historic value or sell it to a friend who is willing to pay the same price I paid for it?  I hate to sound whiney, but I just think I expected too much out of this rifle and had a less than satisfying first time out with it.

What did you expect?

It sounds like you got a good one.  A lot of these don't work well with that Turkish surplus ammo.

AIM has some of that IGMAN non-corrosive.  It's not $69 per thosand though. <G>

Dennis Jenkins

Quoted: Went to a gun show last weekend just to look around and bought one of these on a whim.  I have a K98 Mauser that I want to keep in unfired condition so I decided I needed one to shoot.  I paid $169 dollars for it, which I realize is relatively high, but something just told me to go for it.  I took it home and completely disassembled it and cleaned off all of the cosmoline.  It looks great, has all its blueing, and a beautiful stock.  The bore was very shiny and looked flawless.  Yesterday I finally got around to shooting it.  I used some surplus, 1954 production Turkish ammo.  First I shot at some milk jugs at 50 yards and the bullets were going way over the top of the jugs.  Next I shot at a piece of plywood at about 100 yards.  I noticed the bullets were consistently hitting about 4-6" above and a little to the left of the point of aim.  I noticed that the lowest range marked on the rear sight is 200m.  Does this mean I just have to compensate to shoot targets at 100 yards?  Next I noticed that after about 20 shots my shoulder hurt and I didn't really feel like doing any more shooting.  Then I had to clean the bore again because of the corrossive ammo.  Now I am kinda disappointed.  This rifle does nothing that any of my current rifles can't do better.  It is bulky, not relatively accurate, has moderate recoil, and the only cheap ammo I can find is corrossive.  Should I keep this rifle for it's historic value or sell it to a friend who is willing to pay the same price I paid for it?  I hate to sound whiney, but I just think I expected too much out of this rifle and had a less than satisfying first time out with it.

You are correct in thinking it is sighted out to 200 yards. If you want to correctly zero the sights you will have to replaced the dovetail sight with a higher one (about a $15.00 part, search online).

These have the power of .308 and you can get Turk, Romanian, or Yugo plinking ammo for 1/3 the price. Custom stocks available, and you can scope it for not too much. Good hunting ammo is also available from S&B and others. I can think of few reasons not to keep it and shoot it often!

Well I think the main reason for the negative first experience with it was because it was shooting so high I couldn't hit any of my usual plinking targets with it.  I do love the way the rifle looks and feels in my hands.  I think I will buy some S&B ammo and try again.  What kind of accuracy can I expect with this ammo?  I am pretty sure I would regret it if I sold this rifle.  Thanks for the replies so far and I would appreciate any further advice anyone could give.

Accuracy is pretty good with good ammo but once the barrel gets hot there IS no accuracy.  Here is a good group out of my best M48A at 50 yards.



This was with the corrosive Turk ammo, I'm sure with better ammo I could do even better.  But, this group is good enough that I scanned the target and posted about it on the internet awhile back.  

Remember this gun is a half century old, was made just after a time of war, when raw materials were in short supply.  Plus, you are talking about a rifle made for combat, with open sights and a full stock.  So it isn't going to shoot like a PSS or something.  

Once you learn to give the gun a little kentucky windage (aim just below the target, like you are shooting a handgun) you will love shooting at reactive targets with this thing.  The 8mm round delivers a tremendous wallop and everything from 2 liter bottles to old stereos will bounce in the air and rip themselves assunder at being hit with this gun.  Also, shooting it at dusk is alot of fun with the old ammo that has no flash suppressant in it.  Only a Moisin Nagant M44 has more muzzle flash!  BOOOM!

Hold on to it, I'm sure it will grow on you.  Anyway, for the price, anyone who likes Mausers and doesn't buy one now is going to regret it later when the good ones are all gone.  Make sure you have de-cosmolined the trigger and the bolt, I'll put a link up to a website that will show you how to disassemble and reassemble the bolt.  That way you won't have any misfires with the old ammo. ;)

groups.msn.com/ChucksEDSE683Page/98bolttakedown.msnw

If you have any problems email or IM me.  Happy shooting!

$169 is way too high for a cosmoline special.

I use 1954 Yugo ammo made in Ecuador, good stuff even if it is corrosive. Clean your rifle, no problems. Eric the Ammoman is my friend.

You must compensate. Pretend you are a Yugo National and you are picking off Nazis at 100 yards with your rifle that has a minimum zero of 200 yards.

Your shoulder hurt after 20 rounds?
Ummm, you are a sissy!
You need to work your shoulder a bit. I suggest that you get a double barreled shotgun in 12 gauge and shoot 3 inch slugs both barrels at a time to build up some strength in your arm.

Now you are whining.

What do you expect from a what, 50+ year old rifle made during wartime by 13 year olds, a 600 yard 1/4 MOA target shooter?

Sell it!





Quoted:
I have a K98 Mauser that I want to keep in unfired condition so I decided I needed one to shoot.  I paid $169 dollars for it, which I realize is relatively high...

I used some surplus, 1954 production Turkish ammo.  

I shot at a piece of plywood at about 100 yards...bullets were consistently hitting about 4-6" above and a little to the left of the point of aim.  

Next I noticed that after about 20 shots my shoulder hurt and I didn't really feel like doing any more shooting.

Then I had to clean the bore again because of the corrossive ammo.


Now I am kinda disappointed.  This rifle does nothing that any of my current rifles can't do better.  It is bulky, not relatively accurate, has moderate recoil,

 Should I keep this rifle for it's historic value or sell it to a friend who is willing to pay the same price I paid for it? quote]

www.mojosights.com/98mausers.html

Love my Yugo 48. Mine was made near the year I was born so I expect it to have all the problems I have. So far it's never dissapointed me.

I'll second the mojo sites.  I bought a set for my VZ-24, and it greatly improved accuracy.  I went from being off the paper at 50 yards to in the black (about 3 inch diameter).  You'll get used to the recoil of the 8mm.  Try wearing a jacket or sweatshirt.  That should help too.

Good luck, and enjoy the Mauser.

Brad

type parallax curio and relics in a search engine and check out the yugo m48 forum.  lots of knoweledgeable (?) people there about these rifles.  the turk ammo shoots high.  i have 2 mausers, an m48 and a m48A (and a german k98 on the way).  i love them both.  i've gotten good groups with remington core loct ammo, 3 out of 5 shots in the same hole at 50yds!  i would also keep it in the original wood, if you want a deer rifle, buy a model 700 or use the m48 as is.  i'm unsing mine next week for deer hunting.  $165 isn't too bad a price either.
try different ammo!

OK, I was having a crappy day when I first posted this and was just finding something wrong with everything.  After shooting it again with a clear head and aiming low at 100 yards I was able to keep all my shots in a 1 gallon antifreeze jug.  I wore a thicker long sleeve shirt instead of a tee shirt and the recoil was noticeably softer.  Also the rifle gets better looking everytime I look at it.  Thanks for all the advice; I think I like the rifle just the way it is.

I have a M48A .I love it. Its my representation of Germany rifle from the WAR.Something I can show and teach my son when he's older.Its also in new condition. I bought 2ea cases of the turk ammo. 1941 stuff.Thats 2800 rounds for $140 . I paid $70 a cases.It corrosive.So what.Its cheap and I can shoot till my arm hurts. I use Windex with amonia to neutralize it with after I shoot.I also sometimes fold up a Towel for my shoulder when it starts to bite. Also like you already said its fisrt site knotch is for 200 Meters. I have to shoot low also at 100yds. Now my friend filed his site ramp and front site so it hit dead on at 100 yds. It doesn't bother me .Keep it for history and cheap shooting.War Dawg