Mauser bolt, major headache

[romulus]

I'm looking for help in getting the safety unstuck. It's stuck at 9 o'clock and I can't move it back. Is there a way of taking down the bolt assembly and freeing up the safety? Thanks in advance.

 

[cslinger]

The easiest thing for me to tell you is to go to www.surplusrifles.com This site will have pictures of the bolt take down and do way more justice than my off the top ramblings on how to take the bolt down.

I do, however, have a warning. The firing pin, which is about four inchs long, is under extreme spring pressure but does not appear to be so during take down. Make sure you are pressing into a firm surface, where eye protection and make sure it is pointed in a safe direction. I fired mine into the side of a Sentry Fire Safe, where it stuck! Just be careful.

Chris

 

[dakotasin]

...and i fired mine into my thigh, which did not feel good...

 

[dfariswheel]

One problem with surplus Mauser's is replaced or worn parts can cause a condition where you can't get the safety on, or it takes force to get it on.

The problem is caused by mis-matched or worn parts allowing the cocking piece to sit too far forward.
The cam on the safety simply can't get between the cocking piece and the bolt shroud to cam the cocking piece back.

The "fix" is to interchange the sear block and cocking piece until you find a combination that holds the cocking piece back far enough, or to SLIGHTLY stone the cam surface on the cocking piece to allow passage of the safety.

You have to be careful stoning the cocking piece, since the parts are case hardened, and anything over a very slight amount will break through the case coating, and ruin the part.

 

[Clemson]

If the safety is stuck in the 9 o'clock position, it is in the "FIRE" position. I assume then that the bolt must be out of the gun. You will have to recock the mechanism to be able to lift the safety to the 12 o'clock position for reassembly in the rifle. Hook the sear over the edge of a workbench and pull the bolt down so that the cocking piece is pulled toward the rear of the bolt. When it is fully at the rear, you should be able to flip the safety flag up to the 12:00 position. Do this only on a sturdy bench or the jaw of a vise -- not on the dining room table or the den coffee table. (Ask me how I know.)

Clemson

 

[cslinger]

not on the dining room table or the den coffee table. (Ask me how I know.)

Geez. Do we all have a Mauser bolt horror story?

 

[P95Carry]

Do we all have a Mauser bolt horror story?

Probably Chris - probably!

 

[romulus]

Thanks for the replies.
Clem, actually the bolt was initially out of the rifle. I was able to recock it as you describe, but I still can't lift the safety to 12 o'clock. Maybe it is a mismatch as dfaris says?

 

[spacemanspiff]

btdt. first time i disassembled my mauser.

took a while to figure out, but eventually got the safety back where it needed to be.

 

[Clemson]

It is certainly possible that you got a strange part. The really confusing thing, however, is that the safety is in the 9:00 position. Normally the problem comes when someone has a safety in the 3:00 position and cannot lift it to 12:00. Typically the problem then is a tolerance issue where the safety cannot get under the edge of the cocking piece to cam it back. Why don't you try disassembling the bolt by going through this sequence:

1. Cock the cocking piece by pulling it back as described above.
2. Hold the cocking piece in position by inserting a penny between the cocking piece and the shroud.

3. The safety should flop loosely up to the 12:00 position if you flip it up.

If the safety won't move, your bolt shroud is rotated out of position. Press the button next to my thumb in the photo, and screw the shroud IN so that the base of the safety is directly in line with the root of the bolt handle. Now try to move the safety. It should move freely between the 9:00 position and the 12:00 position. Leave it in the 12:00 position and remove the penney. Put the bolt back in the gun and you are good to go.

Clemson

 

[Clemson]

So Romulus, did you manage to get it fixed?

Clemson

 

[romulus]

Clemson,
I probably won't get to it till the weekend - I get home from work late (80+ mile commute each way) and head straight for the sack.

Thanks for the pics, they're great help. I'll let you know how it goes.

Thanks again everyone