Mauser question from a tinkerer.

2

219don

Guest
I have an older sporterised military Mauser in 8MM that I bought as a youngster many years ago. I've put a few rounds into targets and deer so I know it shoots my 8MM reloads reasonably well and safely. The barrel was shortened to 24", a ramp front sight installed and it has a Redfield peep for the rear. When I was 17 without a pot to pea in this was a bargain for $60. As I said, the previous owner sporterised it so it doesn't have any collectors value. Just sentimental value to me. The rcvr is marked 1916, Oberndorf, so this could have been a WW-I take home, Whatever. I want to tinker and install a new bolt so I can mount a scope. I bought a Mauser bolt with a handle made for clearing a scope BUT it only fits about 98% into the rcvr. The handle swoops down and contacts the rear rcvr rail before it fully closes. The rcvr rail isn't notched out for the bolt handle as are my other commercial Mauser's. Is it safe to cut away, grind away, a notch to allow the bolt to fully close ? Also, whats the purpose of those small protrusions at the bolt face opposite the ejector clamp. They extend slightly from the ejector slot cut into the side of the bolt. Commercial mauser faces are flush at this place.
Anyone. Thanks, Bill B.
 
you typically have to clearance the side of the tang for turned down bolt handles. strength is not an issue in this portion of the reciever.
 
the numbers do not add up....8 mm mausers have a 23.x in bbl, and 1916/oberndorf......sounds like 6.53x54(?) /6.5x55 swede....no i'm no expert but the dates and the bbl elngth do not sound like an 8mm.
and maybe that is why the bolt does not fit....
mike in co
 
219Don

I can't answer your Q but I have one for you. Did you buy that rifle in Alaska? I sold one just like that to a young fellow many years ago.

just curious.

Ray
 
oberndorf

oberndorf made the best action bar none of the type !
i would have the original bolt handle bent !
but i just like oberndorf action they are grate , good as per64 win
 
mike in co said:
the numbers do not add up....8 mm mausers have a 23.x in bbl, and 1916/oberndorf......sounds like 6.53x54(?) /6.5x55 swede....no i'm no expert but the dates and the bbl elngth do not sound like an 8mm.
and maybe that is why the bolt does not fit....
mike in co
Click to expand...

In 1916 they certainly were 29 inches long, the rifle was known as the GEW 98, it wasnt until the 30's that the KAR 98 came out with a 23 1/2" barrel.
 
Mauser

Be careful about which cal. you rebarrel it too. WW I actions are SOFT !!!!!Most will not register on the "C" rockwell scale. Check Kuhnhausen book " The Mauser Bolt Actions " A Shop Manual...:cool::cool::cool: O.W.L.
 
could you tell us which page mentions any german made 98 actions being soft? ive read the book several times and cant remember seeing that info.
 
p17p14enflield said:
oberndorf made the best action bar none of the type !
i would have the original bolt handle bent !
but i just like oberndorf action they are grate , good as per64 win
Click to expand...


I take exception to your last "Good as pre64 WINCHESTER".

That is untrue. No pre 64 Winchester Model 70 can handle the gas as well as the Mauser 98 pattern.

I have bent a lot of bolt handles, it takes about three times longer to bend and clean up a bent handel than it does to weld a new handle on.

Listen to Butch Lambert. Send your work out to Dan @ accu tig.com. I don't have a tig set up here at my shop, so I have three actions in the box ready to send to Dan.

Any time you have a Man that does this kind of work day in and day out, there is no way a once in a while guy can do the job as well.

Gas welding can't hold a candle to good tig welding.

Look at the cost at the bending blocks and plug. If you don't have a ox/acetylene set-up you will need , the prices just get nuts to set up for bending a bolt. And they never look as good as a new weld on handel.
 
Without going into the merits of either approach, and simply for logic's sake, As to costs: Assuming one is set up for tig welding, when another is not set up for forging, Is not a valid comparison of cost. Cost of a Tig is far greater than the cost of a forging setup, not to mention skills involved. Therefore when making the cost comparison. Compare TIG to forging, not equiped TIG shop to non equipped forging shop. Bill should have his receiver drilled and tapped for the scope and have his safety altered at the same time. But he may be doing those things himself. P,S. In all friendship and kindness, I categorically disagree that forging has more cleanup than welding. I boils down to skill and experience in either case. I have both setups and I prefer to forge because, with the procedures I have developed, it is less work and I prefer the known strength of a forged handle. If a custom handle is desired, I put it on after forging the handle to clear the scope.
 
owlshop,
Mausers are case hardened. You don't check case hardening with the Rockwell C scale. I believe the ones with case hardening problems were from the latter part of WW11. If he is afraid of the Obendorf, I will take it off his hands. It is not a problem to have your receiver recase hardened. A couple heat treat firms are very knowledgeable about the Mausers.
Butch
 
Big Al said:
I take exception to your last "Good as pre64 WINCHESTER".

That is untrue. No pre 64 Winchester Model 70 can handle the gas as well as the Mauser 98 pattern.

/QUOTE]

the engineer is as good on them as per 64 winchester made befor the 70's
and meny were better made that a lot of sporting rifles made till mid 1990's

as for bending it just perfrance of mine and look good when done correctly with a forging block and froms
Click to expand...
 
This is a welded on Mauser bolt handle.
DSCF0029.jpg



This is a welded on Mauser type handle on a Remington clone.
DSC02327.jpg


Butch
 
p17p14enflield said:
Big Al said:
I take exception to your last "Good as pre64 WINCHESTER".

That is untrue. No pre 64 Winchester Model 70 can handle the gas as well as the Mauser 98 pattern.

/QUOTE]

the engineer is as good on them as per 64 winchester made befor the 70's
and meny were better made that a lot of sporting rifles made till mid 1990's

as for bending it just perfrance of mine and look good when done correctly with a forging block and froms
Click to expand...



Then Sir I'm willing to disagree with you as to the gas handling of the model 70 pre-64. The bolt shroud does nothing to keep the gas out of the shooters face. That is why you do not see and exact copy of the pre-64 shroud on any of the model 70 clones. Modifications to the pre-64 model 70 has included venting hole on left side of the shroud, and a bracket welded on the shroud behind the vent hole. Many model 70's were altered by none other than the late ROY DUNLAP for competitive shooters on the NM and Palma teams.

As to likeing the looks of the forged handle over the welded on handle, I suppose that's a matter of taste. I think the bottom side of the handle is just plain ugly after forging. As to the strength of a forging over a tig welded on bolt handle, I'll have to give you that point. Seeing all the high pressure the bolt handle is subjected to on opening and closing.


Back in the days when people silver soldered bolt handles on or even the furnace welded handles of the Remington factory guns that came off in your hand, even using the 3.5% nickel rod and gas welding beats the heck out of those methods.
Click to expand...
 
Butch, I have a nearly identical handle you show on your Mauser ready to send to Dan, I need it installed on my 1922 M-2 Springfield action. I hope my rifle turns out as nice as your Mauser.
 
big Al

i never made a coment on design ! the m98 Obendorf manufactre one are the best hunting/ milatry bolt action ever made !

ever bolt action after as just been cost cutting this includes my beloved per64's and 1917 enfield's , pattern 14 , and any other actions

benchrest action not included (as they are made for defrent reasons) :)
 
p17p14enflield said:
i never made a coment on design ! the m98 Obendorf manufactre one are the best hunting/ milatry bolt action ever made !

ever bolt action after as just been cost cutting this includes my beloved per64's and 1917 enfield's , pattern 14 , and any other actions

benchrest action not included (as they are made for defrent reasons) :)
Click to expand...



How true, How true!:)
 
lefty o and butch L

Kuhnhausen book with its general cautions on what is out there. Durning the late '60 & "70 I pulled barrels on 1000+ mauser with the greater part being pre 1920s . When you pull the barrels and check the locking lug area in the actions and they are setback , they are most likely soft. The GEW actions were small ring mausers with large ring threads. I have seen them where people have purchased threaded and short chambered barrel and screwed the in when the shank was short and they buldge the front receiver ring. Most of the mauser actions made after 1930 are pretty good ecept for the Spanish mauser (La Coruna) made in the "40s . In the '70s Interarms ( 10 Prince St. in Alexandria Va) Had lot of 1909 Argentina rifles in 7.65 and they ran 30-06 reamers in them . They and Potomac Arms got a lot of them back with lug setback from shooting standard 30-06 (150 Gr.) ammo. In 30+ years I have seen everything from look new to stuff so pitted you wouldn't want to shoot it. O.W.L.
 
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