The M48 comes with an excellent Timney trigger. This one was set to break at just above three pounds and did so without any noticeable creep.
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The 6.5-248 Norma existed for many years as a wildcat and made a name for itself in long-range competitive shooting. The cartridge, which is a necked down .284 Winchester, is now standardized and is offered in a variety of loads by Nosler. Click here for the Gun Test Article >>Click here for the Hands on Video >>The all-metal floorplate is sculpted with the letters NC, for Nosler Custom. One of the rifle’s interesting design features is how the stock transitions from the flat surfaces in the action around the floorplate to the rounded shapes in the grip and forend.The M48 comes with an excellent Timney trigger. This one was set to break at just above three pounds and did so without any noticeable creep.The rifle comes with a two-position safety. Note the sizable ports cut into the body of the bolt. These will direct gasses down and away from the shooter’s face in the event of a catastrophic cartridge failure.The bolt release is easy to engage, making bolt removal simple. Note the sculpted lines on the bolt shroud, which mimic the lines in the upper portion of the receiver.The M48’s bolt has a two-lug design and a plunger-style ejector.Another view of the ports cut into the body of the bolt.Disassembling the bolt on the M48 for maintenance is an easy matter. Simply grasp the bolt in one hand, the bolt shroud in the other, and give it a half twist.The bolt shroud, along with the firing pin and spring pull right out should you need to service the rifle either at the bench or in the field.When the bolt is in battery, the large ports in the bolt body rotate down to face into the magazine well to help direct gasses safely away from the shooter’s face should a cartridge suffer a catastrophic failure.Nosler went to great lengths to give the M48 the look and feel of a classic sporting rifle. There’s nothing “tactical” or “target” about it. The contour of the barrel and the rounded profile of the muzzle proclaim the M48’s hunting DNA.Another view of the well-built one-piece metal floorplate on the M48.The M48’s action has a thick recoil lug that snugs perfectly into a recess in the stock. The bedding of the action and the fit between the action and the stock are indicative of the high level of craftsmanship that went into the construction of the rifle.The magazine floorplate release is located on the inside of the trigger guard.Knurling around the bolt knob is both stylish and functional, providing a good gripping surface for the shooter to work the bolt. The bolt handle is also scalloped to help it clear the ocular bell on the scope.
John B. Snow is Shooting Editor of Outdoor Life, where he oversees the publication’s firearms and shooting coverage. This includes gear reviews, features on technical innovations, stories on shooting techniques and general hunting coverage with the occasional fishing story thrown into the mix.
