K98 with a sticky bolt...post cosmo cleaning.

[bennadatto]

Afternoon all!

I recently cleaned the cosmoline out of my new used K98. Before I cleaned the rifle, the bolt opened and cocked quite smoothly, but now that I have cleaned it out, the bolt is fairly difficult to open and cock. After the rifle is cocked, the bolt operates very smoothly (like it did before I cleaned the cosmo).

I have put a fair amount of gun lube on the bolt, shroud, and cocking piece. This made the opening the bolt a little easier, but still not like it was pre-cosmo removal. Has anyone else had this experience? I wouldn't be terribly concerned about a stiff bolt on a mil-surp rifle if I didn't know that it worked more smoothly before I cleaned it.

Some other general observations that may or may not be related: The trigger before I cleaned the rifle had a noticeable two stage feel, and once I reached the first stage, the trigger would stay put in a half-way position if I removed my finger. Now, I can feel the first stage, but the trigger resets if I remove my finger.

Also, after the bolt is cocked and the safety is put in the middle position, the bolt cycles like butter, even more smoothly than after the gun is initially cocked.

These other observations may or may not be related. Have I messed something up????

 

[bennadatto]

bueller?

 

[Robert]

As far as the bolt being tougher to open after cleaning all the cosmo out all I can figure is that the cosmo being a grease must have lubed it up way better than any oil could... but I am really not sure. The trigger should reset from the first stage when you take your finger off. If it is not that would be an indication of some gunk in the trigger keeping it from operating normally. The bolt cycles like butter with the safety in the straight up position because the safety, in that position, is supporting the tension from the firing pin spring not the trigger. The safety MUST be in that position to take apart the bolt as well, unless you want a real pain in the butt. Go here for a good start for the K98 rifle:
http://www.surplusrifle.com/mauser98k/index.asp

 

[dfariswheel]

The sticky trigger was probably old dried grease.
The trigger should be a two stage, and if released, it should return to the forward position.

As to the bolt sticky problem:

Have you reassembled the bolt properly? SURE?

Have you lubed the extractor and collar?
If you removed the extractor or the collar, be sure they are properly reassembled.
DO NOT remove the collar unless you have no choice. These bend and don't fit as well if removed. Unless the collar is defective, leave it in place.

Have you lubed the firing pin and spring with a little grease?
How about the inside of the bolt shroud and cocking piece?

Have you cleaned out and lubed the receiver bolt locking lug area and the receiver inside?

 

[Slamfire]

Put some moly lube in the cocking cam of the bolt and hope for the best.

The cocking cam in the bolt is what it is. The angle can be off, the surface can be rough, or in the case of a match Mauser I owned, I shot that rifle enough that the case hardened surface wore out in the cam. That rifle was always difficult to operate in rapid rifle. Till I got a new bolt.

I have swapped out cocking pieces, and when I have head space gages, swapped out bolts and cocking pieces, to reduce bolt lift. Sometimes you get good results. Sometimes you don't.

I would absolutely never put grinding compound in that cam area in an attempt to polish the surface. There may not be enough case on the surface. Once that case is gone, you are down to soft carbon steel. And you will have galling!

It is what it is.