I while back I bought a Yugo 8mm mauser and some Yugo 8mm ammo. The cases are stamped with the numbers 11 & 54 and a couple of stars on the case head. I believe I purchased the ammo from Southern Ohio Guns at the sametime I puchased the gun. I have experienced repeated misfires with this ammo in this gun, most will go bang on the second try. My FN 49 does not like these rounds either, with the same type of problems. The bolt of the rifle seems to be functioning ok, the firing pin spring seems to be strong.

Does anybody have any experience with this ammo, does it function in your guns?

Enquiring minds want to know, Thanks.

Larry

Larry, what you have is the Yugo M49 heavy 7,9mm ball ammunition. I bought a sealed case (11-53) and liked it so much I ordered another case and got 11-54.

If it was stored correctly (like my ammo was), it should give you 100% ignition every time in a properly working firearm. This ammo works great in both of my M48 (unissued) Yugos.

That said...... I've had misfires with this (and other ammunition) in my old Turk mauser.

I suspect the "generous" headspace in the Turk allows the cartridge to be pushed forward in the chamber...... instead of deliverying a sharp blow to the primer when the firing pin strikes.

In my Turk, a weak and old striker spring may also be a contributing factor.

Any "hang fires"? Always proper detonation when you put them under the firing pin a second time? Any that simply refuse to go off after two tries or more?

If headspace is correct, and you're getting a good solid primer strike......... then time to dump the ammo.

Yep! What Don said...also if you haven't already, strip the bolt and boil or steam away any old cosmogoo left from long term communist hibernation and relube. That old cosmoline turns to sludge after a while and it or any Boudain could easily interfere with the operation of said mechanism.

Thanks DaMan for the info, I was sure somebody had info. on this stuff. I've had no hang fires, just trouble getting it to ignite. The fact it doesn't work in the FN49 clouds the issue. Guess the next step is to try a new main spring for the bolt, as I've had the headspace checked by a gunsmith.

Those that don't go bang on the first try, almost always go off on the second try. One cartridge went off on the third try.

Macifej, the bolt was inop when I got the rifle, totally clogged with cosmo. Clean as a whistle right now.

Thanks,
Larry

You might buy a box of new stuff and see how it does. It ought to tell you right off whether the problem is the old ammo or the old rifle.

I would suspect that new commerical ammo would work just find as commerical ammo is usually easier to set off as opposed to surplus military stuff. I have a bunch of the yugo stuff and I really want to find a solution with it, if that doesn't happen I'll probably sporterize it and shoot commerical rounds in it.

Not a bad option as I'm a fan of the 8mm as a hunting round. My first deer rifle was a sporterized German Mauser.

I have a couple cases of the 50's Yugo 8mm ammo and had some issues with primer ignition. About 1 in 20 required a double hit and 1 in 50 wouldn't go bang at all, (with a variety of different Mausers). By upgrading to 24# firing pin springs (readily available from Brownell's) I only get about 1 in 30 requiring a double hit and 1 in 70-80 that won't go bang at all.

quote:

Originally posted by Larry Matherne:
I would suspect that new commerical ammo would work just find as commerical ammo is usually easier to set off as opposed to surplus military stuff. I have a bunch of the yugo stuff and I really want to find a solution with it, if that doesn't happen I'll probably sporterize it and shoot commerical rounds in it.

Not a bad option as I'm a fan of the 8mm as a hunting round. My first deer rifle was a sporterized German Mauser.

Very unlikely that anything is wrong with your rifle.

Old military suplus ammo, more than 50 years old, that's not unusual to have misfires. Especially that this ammo was made for the Sarak (Yugo MG 42) with a thick primer cup due to high pressure load.

Thanks to all for your help, especially Matt who provided the spring info upgrade. That is where I'll be headed next. I'm having far more misfires than one in 20 more like 40%.

What Arriba said makes sense also, and would explain why the FN49 doesn't handle them any better than my model 24/47.

mauser 24-47 many good rifle. matter no ammo gone. good weapon club for head of enemy.

quote:

Originally posted by Larry Matherne:
Thanks DaMan for the info, I was sure somebody had info. on this stuff. I've had no hang fires, just trouble getting it to ignite. The fact it doesn't work in the FN49 clouds the issue. Guess the next step is to try a new main spring for the bolt, as I've had the headspace checked by a gunsmith.

Those that don't go bang on the first try, almost always go off on the second try. One cartridge went off on the third try.

Macifej, the bolt was inop when I got the rifle, totally clogged with cosmo. Clean as a whistle right now.

Thanks,
Larry

Those that don't go bang on the first try, almost always go off on the second try. One cartridge went off on the third try.

Hard primers, no doubt.

quote:

Originally posted by Matt Norman:
I have a couple cases of the 50's Yugo 8mm ammo and had some issues with primer ignition. About 1 in 20 required a double hit and 1 in 50 wouldn't go bang at all, (with a variety of different Mausers). By upgrading to 24# firing pin springs (readily available from Brownell's) I only get about 1 in 30 requiring a double hit and 1 in 70-80 that won't go bang at all.

Just put in a #26 wolfe spring which I got from Brownell's and it seems to have been the cure. Thanks again for your suggestion.

regards,
Larry

I have a case of old (circa 1940's) Ecuadoran 8mm. The cardboard cases are water stained. It looks just fine and 95% fires first time.

It all pretty much fires after the second strike.

Taking the bolt apart and cleaning up in solvent is a good idea. Cosmoline turns to tar after a few decades.

I've got some Egyptian 8mm stuff that was put together in the 50's for their FN49's. I bought two cases which came complete with desert sand. They go bang almost everytime in my FN49.

When I got my Yugo Mauser it was covered in cosmoline and I had a time removing it from the bolt, but it was spotless and still gave me the missfires.

Replacing the spring in the bolt fixed the problem.

Thank you for your interest.

Larry

I have some of the 50's Yugo ammo. In a 98 Mauser, I do get misfires, but none when used in my Hakim. You may note that the Yugo primers are set lower and thus the pin strike is not as pronounced. The Hakim may have a longer pin strike. I use Turkish ammo in the 98 Mauser and get no misfires. The Turkish ammo primers are almost flush with the cartridge base.

Thanks Geoff, I hadn't noticed the lower primers are set lower in the Yugo 8mms. My FN49 doesn't like them at all. But my Mauser now does.

This is a little off topic, but does anyone have an extra bolt for an M48 they'd be willing to part with?

Many thanks,

Tim

Have you tried Numrich's, they generally have just about anything. Goodluck Tim.