Mauser small/large ring?

[Blackfork]

Anyone got a simple explanation of how to tell small ring and large ring Mausers apart? I've got a K98, two Argentine 1891 Carbines and a 1909 Carbine.
Thanks.

 

[rbernie]

There are a handful of easy ways:

• Measure the front receiver ring, i.e. the front of the receiver where the barrel screws in (small ring = 1 1/4", large ring = 1 3/8")
• Measure the spacing between the trigger guard/action screws (7 5/8" for small ring and intermediate Yugo large ring, 7 7/8" for all other large ring)
• Look for the raised rib on the bolt and the shroud/flange on the cocking piece
• Look for gas ports on the left side of the receiver jujst behind the receiver ring

There are probably other ways, but these are the easiest. The '98 and '09 should be large ring and the '91s are small ring.

 

[cracked butt]

Look for the raised rib on the bolt and the shroud/flange on the cokcing piece

I have a Czech made K98 that doesn't have the bolt guide on it, yup its a large ring mauser. The Czechs also made a model 98 known as the 33/40 that was a model 98 with a small ring receiver/barrel. The exceptions in this case do not necessarily disprove the rule.

The turk 38 is a full length 98 receiver that will have an outside diameter consistant with a large ring 98, but is threaded for a small ring barrel.


Another to add:

Large ring mausers will usually (see turk m38) have a 3rd safety lug on the bolt. The only pre-98 that I'm aware of that has a safety lug is some of the spanish '93 mausers that use the bolt handle as the safety lug.

 

[rbernie]

FN made a bunch of post-'98 small ring commercial actions. They were true small rings in dimension, but with the '98 gas venting and bolt upgrades.

Weird.

But in *general*, the action screw spacing and gas shroud combination will identify all variants for what they are.

 

[Blackfork]

Thank you guys.

I knew somebody would know.

 

[dfaugh]

One other obvious thing (and someone can correct me if I'm wrong)...But, I believe all small rings are "cock on close", while the large rings are "cock on open". This is true of the ones I have, but I only have 1 small ring, and a couple large rings for comparison.

 

[rbernie]

That's a true statement, unless the rifle has had a cock-on-open conversion performed upon it.