Mauser extractor modification?

[Marbo40k]

I have an M48 with what seams to be a bad left feed rail, which, from my understanding, is pretty much un-fixable(or not worth fixing). So I was wondering if instead of fixing the problem directly, if I could work around it in some way.

The rounds on the left side pop up out of the magazine too early to fully engage the boltface/extractor, making it difficult to close the bolt because the extractor has to snap over the cartridge rim. So I was wondering if the extractor could be cut/filed down to about an 1/8" wide on the face theoretically making it easier for it to snap over the rim of the cartridge. Basically making it into some sort of push feed.

Are there any problems with doing this, other than a less reliable extraction?

Any help is greatly appreciated.
Thanks.

 

[rcmodel]

I have always done it when converting 98's for sporter use.

Don't make the hook any shorter though.

Just bevel the front edge of the hook & polish the snot out of it.

BTW: Some 98's were made that way, except for the snot part, and would close on a chambered round.

rc

 

[Marbo40k]

Cool, man. Thanks alot.

 

[shinz]

If this works for you & it well could, then you're good to go. If you still have difficulties you might try something I have seen written up though to be fair, not tried personally, but it seemed to me to have good potential. What it involved was spot welding a tab of sheet metal along the inside of the left hand mag wall & contouring/shaping it to come up under the left hand mag rail, effectively making the rail thicker. Think in terms of mag box lips on removable mag rifles. Most feed problems as you describe are caused by removing too much metal while trying to improve feeding, something that seems to come under the heading of a black art & fraught with peril.
I would be tempted to epoxy the piece of sheet metal in place first up till I had it right & then replicate it more permantly. This way you can undo it if you need to.
Steve