Interarms Mark X 7 Mag Ejection Problems

[louies]

Hi, Looking for some input on a Interarms Mark X in 7 rem mag. Rifle was made in 1976 and I picked it up a while back, just getting it set up now. The rifle appeared to be unfired and cosmeticly perfect condition. First problem was an epoxied front action screw, from the factory best I can tell. Sucked getting that out. Replaced screw , one issue solved. Feed rails razor sharp, ripping up brass real bad. So i stoned and smoothed sharp corners. Rifle had a chipped extractor and would not eject shells. So I replaced extractor. Took a lot of trial and error to fit a new standard ejector for a magnum case , but now it feeds real smooth and ejects most of the time.

The problem now seems to be that a 7 rem mag case is larger than the right side bolt lug raceway on rifle. Cases want to jam or hesitate sometimes because they can not cleanly get out, Extractor and ejector work great when compared to other 98s and model 70s i have. It looks like metal needs to be removed from corner were upper corner of lug raceway meets ejection cut on reciever. For comparison an 06 size case would not have this problem because the case size is smaller then the raceway and clears action.

Looking for some input on this and rifle is also a little hard to cock , similar to a old savage 110.

 

[Riomouse911]

Is the extractor holding the case long enough for it to be popped upwards-outwards when it hits the ejector? This may be one place to look, the edges of the extractor groove and the spring tension.

Some of the Interarms Mauser actions don’t have a little clearance cutout inside the top of the action that allows the extracting case to get an angle up-out attitude as it is pulled from the chamber and is extracting (right before ejecting). If not there, it’s possible that the case will pop out from under the extractor hook and flop back into the action instead of popping free and over the side. This could also be a help to you if that little cutout isn’t there.

The regulars in the THR gunsmithing forum could probably help more than I. Hopefully they have an answer.
Good luck with your issue.

Stay safe.

 

[Alaskan Ironworker]

Cant help with the ejection problem, but you can smooth out the hard cocking on a 98 mauser quite a bit by polishing the cocking cam. Put a bit of flitz or some other MILD abrasive on the cam and work the bolt about 1000 times replacing the flitz every hundred cycles.

 

[louies]

Riomouse911 and Alaskan Ironworker Thanks for the replies.

I'm going to try and post some pics when I can, but for now I am trying to be descriptive as possible. I really took my time fitting the extractor and did a lot of research. I checked the different brands of ammo cases. Sammi specs for 7 rem mag extraction groove is .475 -.02 . Win was .460, Fed .465 and Hornady .470 so I fit the Win case to the extractor to just hold case on bolt face. The test was that a loaded round will hang on bolt face, with bolt out of gun in any direction and not fall off. This is with THE FIRING PIN ASSEMBLY REMOVED FROM BOLT of course. The original extractor was chipped and would not do this and would not eject at all. Now it is pretty good, but last case in mag is iffy at best. I have read old posts on gun boards were people had similar issues with belted magnums in the Mark x action and gave up on a fix, even after a Gunsmith was involved. I'm not passing this problem on to someone else. I want my boys to be able to use the rifle. Hopefully when I get this figured out this will help others with same issue.

The firing pin spring is also at least one coil longer than 3 other 98s I compared it to. Would a shorter spring reduce cocking effort needed ?

Thanks

 

[louies]

Thanks

 

[Alaskan Ironworker]

A shorter spring would reduce cocking effort required for sure, but to me thats what makes a mauser; If the primer is good, a mauser will set it off through ice or mud, no matter what brand the primer, assuming there is proper protrusion and headspace.

 

[Mr. Zorg]

I don't have one in 7 Mag but my .264 Winchester Magnum Interarms Mark X rifle hasn't given me, or a hunting buddy I loaned it to for a hog hunt, one bit of trouble at the range or otherwise.

I picked up an unfired Zastava .300 Winchester Magnum rifle last year, but I haven't fired it yet. After a partial detached retina event (fortunately in my weaker eye) in November 2018 that I'm still chasing complications from, I've taken a break from firing any rifles with .30-06 Springfield or higher recoil levels, for now anyway. My stronger eye is just as old and same mileage level and if that happens in that eye, I'd really be in a world of hurt. But I can post pics of the actions of those two rifles for you though if you think it might be helpful.

 

[louies]

Again , my thanks for all the replies.

Alaska Ironworker, it is hard to explain the bolt lift, except to say it is like an old Savage 110. I have a model 1930 fn 98 made about 1946 in a 35 whelen, which had other kinks I recently worked out to do with feeding, but it takes half the effort to cock and does have a shorter spring by one coil. The interarms also seems to lack proper heat treat of primary cocking cam on back of receiver. It gets dented from closing bolt briskly. Not the fn.

The whelen was shaving brass off cases horribly and the Smith that did the work years ago never fixed it correctly, I let it sit for years , then recently got some time to get to it. Some factory ammo would come out of mag and jam the case rim against the corner of chamber. I made a special tool to reach through the action and put a radius on the corner. What a difference. That and a little feed ramp filing and polishing feed rails, it will feed anything I put in it real smooth.

But the bolt face on my non magnum 98s have a different style extractor then a magnum one. The magnum has a much , much larger radius on bottom face of extractor. From my research FN did this in commercial actions and it is common for them to be wrong. My understanding is it is made that way possibly in case someone does not load from mag and tries to force extractor over a hand chambered round. If the extractor pinches the case too much ,
accuracy suffers and feeding is difficult, especially the last 1/4 inch of bolt travel as the case is cammed under extractor fully and snaps in place.

What are the odds, but more recently I got a Firearms Co. alpine mauser in 7 rem mag as well, made on what looks like a Santa Barbara 98 action. Looks a lot like a Parker Hale. Guess what, same damn thing, extractor cut wrong and will not hold a case on bolt face during extraction. It dumps it back on to the follower.That one is going to sit for a while.

Mr. Zorg, Sir, Really sorry to hear about you're eye, I truly hope the best for you!
I would greatly appreciate a few pics of those areas on those rifles and I if you have an empty case lying around could you see if it will hold case on the bolt face with the bolt out of gun , especially as you rotate and move the bolt around. If you use a loaded round, the firing pin assembly must be removed from bolt first. I AM SORRY to speak to you, like you don't already know this, I am just covering my butt. PLEASE do not be offended. I mean no disrespect

The older I get the more I realize that ignorance is truly bliss. Why worry about a problem that you do not know exists. I see so many people doing things the wrong way, or just inefficiently and they have no clue. They just adapt best they can and get by some how. The problem with getting wiser is your're now aware that it is not correct and burdened with correction.

My problem is, my boys will most certainly use these rifles and I owe it to them and whomever gets them after that to fix these issues now. The fact that I am aware makes it my burden.Maybe by doing my part now, someone will not have to tell a story about " the one that got away". Just Maybe.

All your help is greatly appreciated!

 

[Mr. Zorg]

No disrespect taken, I'm happy when anyone considers safety especially while performing troubleshooting activities.

Later today I'll see what I can do, when Mrs. Zorg is up and about and busy working from home downstairs. I know I have some fired .264 Winchester Magnum empty cases around, but there was some substantial decluttering and cleaning last week before her parents came to visit over Labor Day Weekend so it might take a while but I *should* be able to locate some at some point, if not today, over the weekend. I *think* I have some purchased fired empty .300 Winchester Magnum brass somewhere as well.

I appreciate you wanting to ensure the rifle(s) are in good shape not only for your own use, but the next generation.

You could drop a line to the current exclusive USA importer, Zastava Arms USA, and see what light they may be able to shed.


https://zastavaarmsusa.com/product/sporting-rifle-lk-m70/


I'd like to see a pic of the barrel showing the cartridge marking of your rifle just to see if the font style of the characters I'm familiar with seeing on factory Interarms Mark X and Zastava LK M70 rifles. You can send that pic by PM if posting it's a pain. There's certainly a lot of things going on for a rifle supposedly unfired since it left the factory including your action screw issue.

 

[louies]

Mr. Zong,

It is gone be latter tonight until I can get those picks. Good idea about the importer, I assumed they would not deal with me since the rifle is from 1976. I did try Remington because of the 798 they were making , importing , not sure what the deal was with Zastava . Talked to fairly knowledgeable CS rep . Told him I was looking for a magnum extractor and he said they had no parts and no way of getting them.He recommended Numrich , but I had already checked and they had none. Even entertained a cz550 extractor, but they are not the exact same, close, but the cz is longer. So I fit a brand new standard mauser extractor myself. Needed to remove about .025 based on that bolts counter-bore. My model 70s are different then the 98s. The 70s apply more tension to the case rim to hold case on bolt face. But their extractors are weaker and more springy. They give a lot more so fitment is less critical. Anyways I'll be in touch latter.

Thanks Again

 

[Mr. Zorg]

Zastava Arms USA has been offering parts for several months now, and not just bolt action rifle parts, but here's a link to those.

https://zastavaarmsusa.com/products/parts/parts-bolt-action/

Interarms went belly up not long after the series of Balkan conflicts began in the 1990's. But new production Zastava LK M70 bolt action rifles continued to be imported to the USA as complete rifles and / or barreled actions that were stocked here by Charles Daly, Remington, KBI USA, CAI, USSG, and now Zastava Arms USA. I might have missed an importer or two in there too. Plus numerous preowned Zastava bolt action rifles have been imported by numerous firms as well, both military and sporting configurations, and sporting configurations using "Intermediate" length actions originally designed specifically for the 8X57mm JS cartridge but also adapted to other ?X57mm and 308 Winchester family cartridges as well as sporting rifles incorporating the LK M70 sporting action chambered in cartridges from the 22-250 through the 308 family, various ?X57mm cartridges, the 30-06 family & 270 Winchester, 7X64mm Brenneke, 264, 300, & 458 Winchester Magnum and 375 H&H Magnum. So chasing down parts, even scope mounting parts, can be less than straightforward. Fortunately ATM Zastava Arms USA appears to be supportive toward making parts available.

 

[louies]

Mr, Zorg
Here are a couple pics of bolt face. The extractor on the bolt is the new one I recently fit on bolt. The original one is on the left. Notice the chip halfway up on radius. I'll bet some one forced the extractor over a hand chambered round that chip was the end result. One thing I tried to do was to break all sharp edges, original was knife sharp were it met the case groove.

I tried to first relieve pivot points on the back side of original extractor in order to move extractor closer to opposite side, but could not gain enough to matter. The extractor collar itself seems to be the limiting factor after other areas are cleared from contact with bolt body ahead of collar. One thing I did notice though is the extactor will pivot much smoother if the only contact points are the rear of the extractor and the collar.

Anyways I tried some new brass tonight and the empties do eject well but they hit hard on the point of the receiver in first pics.

 

[louies]

Thanks

 

[louies]

Thanks