Couple Mausers – Which to Glass?

[GS455]

I know – a potential topic of blasphemy.  
 
BUT I just can’t shoot irons anymore.  Pretty much all I shoot has to have glass on it.   I have many thousands of rounds of corrosive 8mm and only one bolt gun, a Yugo M48 wi ZRAK ONM76B, basically I turned it into a clone of a Yugo Civil War, field-expedient sniper.  Shoots GREAT.  

I have a few semi auto 8mm’s but I don’t like to shoot corrosive out of them.  I’d like to put together at least one other bolt gun to run the corrosive through.  I’m considering putting a scope on a either a Czech BRNO 98/29 Persian Mauser, all matching in VG condition or a Yugo 24/47 also all matching in good condition.  Both have mirror bright bores wi razor sharp lands

Question is, before I just drill & tap either I’m wondering if there was some kind of Sniper I could seek to clone.  No, I’m not interested in scout mount scopes.  Scoping the longer barreled Persian is intriguing and I already have an M48 Yugo glassed.  Also, I already have a MINT museum piece 98/29 I got from Samco years ago (the ultimate wall hanger, safe queen).  I’d have to get spare bolts for either and turn em down.  Is there some pattern Persian that ever came with glass I could seek to clone?

 

[Darrell]

I have no expertise to offer, it sounds like you already have a pretty good knowledge of your topic. But I'm in the same boat, eyes wise. I just can't see the front sight anymore, so I, too, have to have scoped rifles.

[TSG]

The collector in me balks at the thought, but between the two I believe the Yugo would hurt less to see scoped. There's been more of those imported even recently.

[GS455]

I’ll go with a scout set-up here on the Persian.  The Bad Ace mount seems most common

https://www.badacetactical.com/collections/ndt-mount-for-mausers/products/mauser-low-profile-scope-mount

However, when it comes to scout scopes, I’m hoping BDC reticle with FFP.  About the only thing I have turned up is the Hi-Lux LER 2X-7X with 308BDC reticle .

https://hi-luxoptics.com/products/hi-lux-optics-long-eye-relief-2x-7x-riflescope?variant=36901033485

Should be, but I’m not a ballistics guy.  How will the 308 BDC reticle serve with to use with 8mm? (out to 400yds)  Are there any other LER, FFP, BDC scout scopes that could be appropriate for a 29” long, 8mm barrel such as the Persian 98/29 ?

 

[GS455]

Look what I got for Christmas.  A BadAce mount and a LER 4x Burris wi FFP, BDC reticle.  How could my wife have known !!!   It was a very peculiar experience for me to shoot via an LER scope for the 1st time.  Will take getting used to. Initially I really do not care for it at all.   I always thought these set ups look goofy.  Even more so in person.   

BUT I was able to target out to 300yds.   No-go on the 1950’s Yugo M49.  Will need a high-power spring in the bolt.  I was able to get 2-3” groups with 1990’s Yugo M75 as well as that WWII Nazi 178gr MG ammo that’s been around lately.  Actually, I have been VERY pleased with that German stuff.  Was getting at and under 2” with my Yugo M48.  This last trip was pretty cold and I was irritated by the LER scope so I’m sure when I have some patience it’ll do much better.  Plus I forgot a gel pad and after a few boxes of ammo my shoulder was quickly DONE.  

 

Edited December 29, 2023 by GS455

[TSG]

I'm surprised that German stuff shoots that good. Most of the listings I've seen for it seems to imply it's been poorly kept and for collecting only.

8mm Mauser and 308 have extremely similar drop at 400 yards so I'd imagine the BDC reticle works great. I've never even looked through a LER scope so I'm interested how you like it after getting used to it.

[GS455]

4 hours ago, TSG said:

I'm surprised that German stuff shoots that good. Most of the listings I've seen for it seems to imply it's been poorly kept and for collecting only.

8mm Mauser and 308 have extremely similar drop at 400 yards so I'd imagine the BDC reticle works great. I've never even looked through a LER scope so I'm interested how you like it after getting used to it.

Three of us did a massive bulk buy from a well-known collectible reseller. You don't want to know what we paid per round. It's all spotless and clean. Other than slightly aged cardboard on the sleeved boxes it looks brand new

[GS455]

Got her back out today.  Nice 61-degree break from the recent deep freeze.  Using 1990’s 8mm Yugo M75 I was able to zero in with repeatable 2” (+/-) groups.  Could stretch out to 400yd, 12” steel with ease.  I moved over to 1956 Yugo M49 on stripper clips.  Despite overall less than favorable reports, I loaded up on a healthy stash 15 years ago for just under .20cpr.  I learned early on not to run this through my M76 nor any semiautos (another story) so I buried it.  Unfortunately, during the 2010 Nashville floods it sat under water for almost 2 days.  In recent years I’ve had good results with it through my only other scoped 8mm bolt gun, an M48 Balkan Civil War DMR clone under an ONM76B scope.

I tried it a few weeks ago through this Persian 98/29 and got almost 100% fail-to-fire.  I broke down and cleaned the bolt (very dry old cosmoline crud in and about), installed a 22lb Wolff bolt spring and now I’m getting an acceptable light strike from only 1 in 20 rounds (+/-).  2nd strike always goes bang.

Here's what’s pretty killer:  Without a single click adjustment to the scope my buddy and I were reliably able to whack that 12” plate, @ 400yds, time after time with pretty much 8 out 10 hit ratios.  That’s 70 year old ammo though a 90 year old rifle !!!  As another well known member on some other forums says:  “whatta hobby” !

(Still hate shooting through an LER scope, although, it's bright and clear.  Just a PITA to acquire sight pic.)

 

[GS455]

Back to the "Topic of blasphemy (for some). I'm going to clone the 24/47 into a Balkan "Conflict" DMR via a set of ZRAK Swing Mounts + ONM76B scope. And I bought an M48, bent handle, bolt body off eBay and swapped internals wi the 24/47 bolt.

I transferred a BadAce + LER Burris from my 98/29 Persian last night just to see how she shoots today.

Bottom line:

• I can't shoot anything w/o glass anymore.
• I did the same wi a minty-bore M48 that was gathering dust for years and now it gets to go out and play quite often.
• I have two lifetimes' supply of 8mm that I'd just assume not run through my semi autos.
• I like shooting military config "History".
• Oh, and I really REALLY don't care for the scout+LER set up / solution. I was pounded into submission from the hive for even suggesting I would tap and drill the Persian. This is my insubordinate, pushback with a less valuable collectible that woulda/shoulda/coulda worn the hardware I'm putting on it in real life. Actually I've read that 24/47s came in DnT'd or even wearing Mauser / Zrak bases so . . . . .

. . . . and going to enjoy the company of her siblings .  Wish I could add pictures but I guess this forum has maxed out what I'm allowed to post in graphics