Yugo 48 or K31 first?

[crowbait]

Should I buy a k31 or yugo 48 first?
I seem to always wait until the cream of the crop is snapped up. What do you think we will NOT see in the near future?
I read over on swissrifle that they think
more K31's will be released by the swiss government early this year. How long does the
import process take? I want a k31 that is in excellent condition and would be willing to wait a bit longer for a nice one. The dealers
I talked with at the last gun show said all the cherry ones were gone. Is this true?
I would also like a excellent condition Yugo
48 or 48A. Buy the mauser now or grab the k31 while they are still around? Thanks crowbait

[rob1]

The Yugos have been around for a little while, from the numbers that are advertised there seems to be a pretty large supply of them. The K31s have only recently become available, and I have no idea about numbers. If it were me, I'd probably go for the Swiss, then pick up a Yugo. Then you can pick up a......

['TUDE]

K31.
About 580,000 were produced from what I can find out. Out of that number , figure the amount still in use in Switzerland via their own CMP.

They are also a great value when you consider the quality of rifle you are getting.

[GDYankee]

A few considerations --

1. K31 is SWISS. Yugo is, well, a Yugo.
2. K31 straight pull bolt is cool, not to mention fast and unbelievably smooth.
3. K31 is among the most accurate standard production military rifles ever made, right up with the Swedes and Finns.
4. K31 is SWISS. Yugo is a Yugo.

5. That all said, K31 7.5 ammo is at least .25/rd. You can get the 8mm corrosive surplus for that Yugo at around .07 rd. This is not a small consideration depending on how much you want to shoot it.

Final thought: I have never seen a "bad" condition Swiss K31, although there may well be some. Some have better exterior appearences than others. All seem to have nice bores.

[faldoc]

I just got my K-31 in today, and I love it. The metal is in great shape: bluing slightly worn in spots, but the action is slick, and the bore is blindingly shiny, and sharp. No corrosion or rust anywhere in this 58 year old gun. I got a walnut (I think) stock, and I am in the process of refinishing it. It looks great. I highly recommend it. I got a select at AIM, but I understand there is little difference between the shooter and the select. Have you seen the Yugo at a gunshow? They are rough. I think I am happier with a very good K-31 than a new Yugo. Check out Cruffler.com for their review of the K-31. I have heard rumors that newer K-31s are on the way in, if you want to wait.

[markmckee]

Yeah, what GDYankee said! The cool factor of Swiss firearms is rather high. Rumors are that future K31 releases are in the works but why wait? At these prices I'd grab a good "shooter" now. I bought a very nice K31 from AIM as my range gun so that I could park my pristine K31 in the safe (bought from an earlier release about 4 years ago). And I wouldn't hesitate to grab another, that's how addictive they are! Got me so stoked that I added a K11 and 96/11 to the collection (as much as I looove K31s the K11s are mondo cool).
That being said I also have a nice collection of K98's, VZ24s and other Mauser variants. I love them as well but in my opinion they just aren't in the same league as the Swiss arms. One thing's for sure, you won't be disappointed in either choice. Good Luck!
Mark

[awp101]

How can I put this delicately?

Get the damn K31!

A Mauser by any other name is still a Mauser. If you can find a dealer at a show you'll see "bad" is a very relative term with these rifles.

I passed on a walnut stocked K31 when I bought my first because the walnut was so dark it looked like a cosmoline storage area.

Turns out, my "light colored cosmo free stock" was beech and therefore lighter than walnut anyway. I had no idea at the time they used two different woods for the stocks. Other than slightly less bluing wear on the one I picked and the wood differences between them they were both in 80%+ condition and 85-90%+ bores. The walnut was probably 10 years older than my beech which would explain the difference in wear.

faldoc- when was your rifle made? Up until 1946-47 the stocks were walnut after that they were beech.

Did yours have a tag under the buttplate?

[faldoc]

Mine has a walnut stock and was made by SIG in 1944. The stock was made in 1944 too, with the stamped serial number of the gun on the 2 pieces. There is a plasticy tag under the buttplate with what looks like a name and Zurich stamped on it, but no address. The more I look at this gun the more I marvel at the workmanship and quality of it. How do they keep it in such good shape with such a great bore? Man, if only the STG kits had bores like these!! I am still working on the stock, though, and I have a coat or 2 more tung oil to get it't sheen up. I posted some pics in another thread:
Pics in another thread (http://www.falfiles.com/cgi-bin/forums/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic&f=30&t=000010)

[crowbait]

I may be a bit slow but it would seem that the K31 is the clear winner of this informal poll. The yugo will just have to wait. If nicer k31's show up in the future I will just have to buy a rack mate for the first.
Faldoc , thats a beatiful rifle . Do you
know if AIM has other walnut stocked ones left?
Thanks for the help gentlemen,take care crowbait

[bushka]

buy the k-31 immediately,and once you buy that first one you`ll be hooked on em!!
most excellent machining,minty bores,no combat mileage,unique,fun,safe,pretty........
i can go on and on.
i currently have a mint k31 ca.1942
that i paid 225.0 for
and i also have the earlier k1911 engineers carbine ca.1924 paid 375.0
the 1911 carbines are supposed to be scarce although they made some 420,000 of them,
i probably got burned on that one but i never see them in stores/shows ever.
skip the yugo and get one of those
persian mausers samco or fac sells
their in mint codition as they were palace guard /ceremony guns.
the only drawback to those is the price,
about 500.0----they have waayyy better quality walnut and the polished blue is
superb whereas the yugo looks like an arsenal refinish.
later , billy

[masman]

i have one question.what yugo mausers have you guys been looking at?the one i got from century a while back looks like a new gun the blueing is 100% the bore glows.the rifling looks as sharp as any new production rifle i have seen and it shoots like a dream.
no flame intended towards the k-31 its a fine rifle but where are you going to find ammo?,and when you do its going to cost.trust me i know a thing about hard to find ammo.i own a mas 49/56 in7.5 french.
crowbait i say go with the mauser now and get the k-31 later.if your serious about getting a swiss at least stock up on ammo.

[faldoc]

Crowbait
I don't know if AIM has any walnut stocked ones left: someone on Swissrifles.com said they are not taking requests for them now, it is the luck of the draw. I have now oiled up the stock and it is nice and shiny.
Click to see it.K-31 with tung oiled stock (http://www.hunting-pictures.com/members/faldoc/K31%20overall%20oil.jpg)

[ February 08, 2002: Message edited by: faldoc ]

[NC_Rebel]

Like billyboy said, shoot a K31 and you're hooked! As said numerous times before, they are new to the C&R market, so for now there are fewer of them than there are of Yugo Mausers. The K31's being sold now are probably the best, cosmetically speaking, that we'll get. That having been said, the butt stocks on all I've seen show water (snow) damage. It's nothing a handy person can't fix up, though. The K31 does have an incredibly smooth action. Shoot one and you'll wish all bolt guns were straight pull. :D

Masman, 7.5 Swiss is made by FMN of Portugal. The Portuguese is a bit under loaded. I've seen it at shows, but it is not cheap. Same goes for military issue Swiss GP11, but it definitely is hotter than the Portuguese.

[law4fun]

may I be the proverbial turd in the punchbowl for just a moment....I have both and would not trade the Swiss for anything. Having said that, Swiss 7.5 ammo is expensive and if you want to go out and just blast, the Yugo 48 is gonna be a lot cheaper, looking at the total picture....
To me, there is no comparison in quality but the 8mm is sure a lot cheaper to take to the rock crusher and shoot bleach bottles with... :D
However, if total cost of shooting is not the primary issue, GET THE K31!!!!!!!!!

[bushka]

the swiss is not a bitch to reload either.
you use 284 winchester brass and full length size in your die set and voila!! new 7.5
the load is in the manuals and to secure top accuracy i suggest using 168grn.bthp match
bullets.after firing first time necksize only
the cases on norma factory shells necksplit
after only 4 reloads or so.don`t expect any
better with the reforms.buffalo arms co. sells formed shells for like 100@ 35$
google will get you there.

[MG-70]

Consider AMMO and PARTS before you decide -- yeh the Swiss make beautiful guns, works of art, great condition, etc., but when you can't find ammo or parts it's nothing more than a wall hanger.

If you don't already own one or are going to buy only a few milsurps (don't necessarily want "one of each"), then go with an 98Mauser (Preduzece44 "postwar" K98, Russian capture K98, or one of the Yugo M47, M48, M48A, etc.). For a great shooter, ammo that's currently in use in many countries and ("most important" and likely to break) parts available in large quatities, look into a Mosin-Nagant M39. Another good option is a Lee-Enfield No.4MKI sold by Springfield Sporters as well as others.

Happy huntin',
MG-70

[Rifleman44]

I own both.

First, go buy the K-31.

Then go buy another K-31.

Next chance you get, pick up a K-31.

Then get a Yugo.

My 2 cents.

[Landjaeger]

I have one of each.

The Yugo M48 is a great rifle. It is very solid and reasonably accurate. I'd rate the workmanship as being very good, with the fit and finish as being good. (mine came in unissued condition) It's a little rough but it will smooth out with use and/or a bit of elbow grease. Ammo is cheap and plentiful as are parts and accessories.

What can I say about the K31? It is literally built like a Swiss watch! I got a select grade from AIM. Workmanship is the best I have ever seen. Fit and finish is the same. Mine came with about 98% metal finish. The stock shows a lot of dings and dents but is in pretty good shape.

After giving a good cleaning and a light application of moly grease this thing is so smooth and fast it's unbelievable!! It has one of the best stock military triggers I've ever experienced.

Military ammo is available (and very accurate) but it's certainly nowhere near as cheap as 8mm. As was mentioned before, INDEP of Portugal makes ammo for a decent price and it is reloadable. I have made most of my reloads by running WW 284 brass through my Lee full length resizer and fireforming. Accuracy so far has been good but I know I can do better after some more experimentation. Headshots at 300 yds. are no problem with the military GP11 ammo.

Go for the K31 first. (maybe 2, they're cheap!) Both the K31 and the M48 are bargains but the K31 is exquisite! You won't be disappointed.

[faldoc]

AIM's GP11 Swiss ammo is $3.95 for 10 and $168 for 480 rounds. Considering that it is match grade in accuracy (my first 3 round group on the bench at 100 yards was 1.2 inches!!) it is not unreasonable, even if it is Berdan primed. It does kick a bit, about like 30-'06. Link to my K-31:
My K-31 (http://www.hunting-pictures.com/members/faldoc/K31%20overall%20oil.jpg)

['TUDE]

faldoc,
nice wood on that rifle of yours. Please tell us what you did to get it looking so spiffy?

[faldoc]

First, I completely stripped off the old finish with my orbital sander 80 grit, followed by 150, 220, 320. Then stain with special walnut Minwax stain, twice. (Gunplumber uses fine emory to rub in the stain as a slurry which fills the pores.) Then Formby's Tung oil finish (glossy) rubbed in, wait to dry, light rubbing with fine steel wool, followed by one more coat of tung oil, gently rub with steel wool followed by brisk hand rub with cloth. You can use paste wax for a bit more shine. I don't like it real glossy. If you like it glossy don't rub after last coat of steel wool. This has worked for me with several stocks and I like the semigloss look.

[faldoc]

Here is a shot of a FAL buttstock which I posted a couple of years ago which I am real proud of. I used the same technique as on the K-31 stock, only I resanded and reapplied the tung oil many times to really bring out the grain. I went to 600 grit emory on the wood before I was happy with the way it looked. I actually used NO walnut stain on it: it was that dark to start with. Any color you see is from the tung oil. In real life it has a 3 dimensional depth and shimmer as you turn the stock. Kevin Molden shaped it and I finished it. The other one he made for me is not as 3 dimensional but strongly grained and very attractive too. Walnut rules! Sorry it is not for sale.
FAL walnut buttstock (http://www.hunting-pictures.com/members/faldoc/fal%20buttstock.jpg)