I've got 4, all 24/47 Yugos. I've sporterized two and will sporter one more. I'm leaving the best one in Mil Surp form. The first one I sportered I had the bolt bent, drilled and tapped, Installed a Timney Trigger, a 3 position safety (don't remember the name, maybe Dewey), and a new aftermarket firing pin spring to improve lock time. I dropped it into a Boyd's Classic Walnut Stock. It wears a Leupold VX-3L 4.5-14x56 Scope in Leupold (Redfield Style) Dove Tail front with windage screws rear mounts and Leupold one piece base. I had it rebarreled with a Shilen Match SS 26" heavy sporter barrel chambered in .257 AI. It shoots. But if I had it to do over I wouldn't chamber it in Ackley Improved. I would use the RCBS improved ream. The RCBS has a little less shoulder angle but from what I have read, and looking at ballistic tables it doesn't give up anything to the Ackley. And it gives less issues with feeding due to less shoulder angle. However, the Ackley looks cooler and I suspect that has something to do with its popularity.
The second one I sportered I did all the things I did to the first with the exception that I had the rear sight and platform (which is sweated on the barrel) removed and I kept the Mil Surp stepped 8x57 barrel on it. It shoots amazingly well, especially for a 70+ year old military barrel. It's killed deer and hogs. I love the 8x57 cartridge, which gives up ZILCH to the .30-06. I dropped this one into a Boyd's Classic Pepper Laminate Stock.
I would recommend the Yugos because you can get them quite a bit cheaper and they are nothing but a shorter 98. The intermediates are perfect for cartridges derived from the 57mm case which include the 7x57, 8x57, .257 Roberts and 6mm Remington. This case has also been necked down o 6.5 as well. My next build which will be on my last Yugo I will sporter, will be a 6mm Remington. I had one for almost 20 years and loved it. I lost it in a divorce and have wanted another one ever since.
Also, if you want a .260 Remington that beats the Creedmoor the Yugo is your ticket. Some will say the Mauser isn't accurate enough for long range. That's partially true, but if you put in the aftermarket firing pin spring it will speed up the lock time. That's a big chunk of the accuracy issue right there. Then when you're rebarreling spend a little extra and have your gun smith blue print the action. Have everything trued up. The mauser is very rigid and is capable of good accuracy. And the longer length of the Yugo, longer than a 700 short Action which you would buy a .260 Remington in, will allow you to seat bullets out there and take advantage of the larger case over the Creedmoor.
After WWII the 98 Mauser was king of the custom world. They were cheap as dirt and a great platform for sporterizing. But after a few years the supply started drying up and as it did the prices began to go up. Now a 98 isn't cheap and they're getting hard to find. I wouldn't sporterize one if I had it. Nowadays that would be like butchering history, sort of like taking one of the WWII Battleships and making a cruise ship out of it.
After the Iron Curtain came down and the Soviet Union dissolved, thousands of Yugos within became available for export. The Yugo became the 98s replacement as a cheap platform for a custom build. However, their supply is now, after nearly 30 years, beginning to wain also and the prices are going up. Eight or nine years back I got my 4 24/47s for an average of around $150 each. Now I see them over $200. That's still not bad for what you get; and that's a good solid platform to build your dream gun on. But I would get one soon before they skyrocket in price.It won't be long and they'll be $300-$400 each. That's about the same price you could buy a Remington 700. It's only a matter of time. It's time to make the leap if you want one.
Last edited by Filaman; 08/15/19.
