Mauserly Musings - actions and aesthetics

[Eleven Mike]

Can we talk about the style and grace of the controlled-round feed? Are there others out there like me? I used to like the Mauser action just because I read that it was strong and more reliable. I've since read that it makes little difference. At this point, I just like that style of rifle because I like it. I have even begun to despise any bolt gun without a non-rotating claw extractor and blade ejector. Oh, I still want an Enfield. They have an aesthetic with an appeal all its own. But beyond that, anything else leaves me cold.

My first gun was a fancy, new, European push-feed tack-driver. But once I started reading about the Mauser, the bug got me, and I had to trade it in on a VZ24. I don't get to shoot often, and I can't get any more rifles yet, but I have this raging lust come over me any time I see a Ruger or a Mauser (or clone). I really started to want a Model 70, for its class, its reputation, its coned breach, its graceful bolt handle. But there's something about its bolt sleeve, aesthetically, that turns me off. And the Winchester-type wing safety that some monster installed on my VZ24 is such a butchery that I'm leary of the Winchester, though I know it must be much smoother in the original.

Rugers I really like. The bolt handle is so perfect, and I like the contrast of the bright bolt with the blued action and barrel. That and the slanted action screw up front.

Am I a lone gunman, or are there others?

 

[Eleven Mike]

Bumping.

 

[Jim K]

The "controlled feed" extractor is fine, but it has one benefit no one ever mentions: it prevents a partial feed from leaving a round in the chamber and then having the bullet point of the next round jam into the primer. If that happens, problems occur shortly thereafter. It is no coincidence that "controlled feed" came along shortly after hard jacket bullets supplanted blunt nosed lead bullets.

Jim

 

[redranger1]

Jim, if you have a partial feed how can a round be in the chamber? And what is a partial feed anyhow? Im not trying to question your intelligence, i just dont understand your explination.

Eleven Mike, i know exactly what you are saying! There is just somethin about that claw extractor that is so much more appealing to me then the push feed. BTW, a winchester model 70 "classic" has the controled round feed unlike the regular model 70's.

 

[Eleven Mike]

BTW, a winchester model 70 "classic" has the controled round feed unlike the regular model 70's.

Yeah, I know. There are some things I like about the 70. I'm not sure why I feel that way about the Winchester. I should like them better than the Ruger, but I don't.

 

[cracked butt]

The controlled feed is something I can do without. The advantages of crf are really overrated, and at times a nuisance- ever tried reloading for a mauser 98 with anything but spitzer bullets? Depending on how the feed rails were machined, they might work fine, or your rifle might jam up solid.

I love the claw extractors though, especially on rifle with coned breaches like 1903s and winchester m70s where you can feed a round directly into the chamber- once again, if you have a long throated 98, you are limited by the magazine length for bullet seating. Another benifit of the claw extractor and fixed ejector system is that you don't have a spring loaded ejector bearing on one side of the cartridge base in the chamber- I kow remingtons do thisand they shoot very accurately despite this, but it seems like one more thing that can stack up against you when making an accurate rifle.

 

[Tokugawa]

The most pleasing mauser to my eye is the 1893-5-6 series, especially the 95 chileno. So sleek, so well made and elegant. The straight wrist, the lovely walnut, and the fine deep bluing combined with perfect wood to metal fit make them more akin to a fine handmade sporting rifle than a mass produced military arm.

 

[critter]

Love the Mausers, especially the M98's. I have about 8-10 of them in various itterations. A real classic indeed!

My favorite is the 1909 Argentine.

 

[plattski]

Browning FN bolts

Eleven Mike,
I share your enthusiasm for the Mauser actions and have fired many rounds through my trusty Ruger 77. Even better though, I am now the happy owner of a fine old Browning Safari built by FN in 1965. What a beauty! The same Mauser controlled feed and durability but constructed with great attention to detail and workmanship. A pleasure to handle and shoot, and while I haven't had it in the field yet as of 2007 it is my go-to rifle for deer, elk and antelope. If you like Mausers you might take a look at the old Brownings. Not cheap but if you look around you can get one for a reasonable price. Makes for a good gun show project and for quality they are a peer of the pre-64 Winchester model 70s. You can't beat a classic!

 

[KurtC]

RedRanger1

With a pushfeed, you can start to push a round into the chamber, then pull the bolt back and start to push a second round. This was a common battlefield occurance with early push-feed Mausers, so the post-1892 models were designed as CRF. Pretty much idiot-proof.

A properly tuned CRF is artistry in motion. Original Mausers and Mannlicher-Schoenauers have magazines, followers and rails that were specifically dimensioned for each particular cartridge. That type of craftsmanship costs a fortune nowadays.

 

[Magnum88C]

Controlled Round Feed is nice, unless you are talking target rifles. Push feed is better for these because it's common to neck size cartridges, and hand feed them in the same orientation each time, a push fee just snaps over the rim. CRF rifles, not so much.

Part of why Mausers are/were so poular for dangerous game, is the controlled round feed it just that little extra insurance, when that next round absolutely, positively MUST be there.

 

[Eleven Mike]

I just thought I'd bump this again, now that the Sooper Bole is over.

 

[GreyMauser]

First thing I do, when building on a Mauser action, is have a Model 70 type safety installed by someone skilled in the things, preferably the maker. When so installed they work better than any of the military or commercial Mauser types, with or without scopes and after-market triggers, and to me, they look great. All this is just my own unsupported opinion, but it makes me happy and I don't mind being a monster+butcher.

 

[Eleven Mike]

The rifle was sporterized by Century, so I'm lucky the safety is my only problem. The problem is that it is VERY rough when I engage it, but it flips off much more easily. The thing sticks way out there, so I can't imagine carrying it around in the woods with a round loaded. Say, when tracking a wounded critter. I don't know if Winchester safeties are that large. The Rugers appear to be pretty small and tuck into the cocking piece when on safe. But I've never handled a Ruger safety.

The friend who traded me the Mauser recommended a gunsmith who he thought was very good with Mausers, and gave me a twenty-dollar bill to have the trigger tuned. The guy did a beautiful job on the trigger (it's now a light single-stage), but when asked about the safety, he saw no problem with it. Maybe he just didn't want to do the job. ???

 

[GreyMauser]

Eleven Mike- I'm looking at a Gentry safety now, installed on a C Daly commercial Mauser. It sticks out 3/8" from the shroud, less from the stock, and that's with the safety in the middle position (safety on, but bolt can be opened). When tracking, I would want the safety lever all the way back (safety on, bolt locked in place). In that position, the lever is 1/8" inside a line drawn back from the ring. Dimensions on a Winchester are in the same ballpark.

I don't have any experience with Century, but I know there are a wide variety of Mod 70 style safeties around. Smiths started making custom safeties for the Mod 70 almost as soon as Winchester started selling it, before WWII. Some are smoother than others, and some do a better job controling gas flow than others. They can be sticky if not fully broken in, and in fact some original equipment Mod 70 safeties need replacement, in my experience.

Long story short, I'd not let the one bad example rule.

 

[Eleven Mike]

Wow, yours has a middle position? Neat!! Like I said, this is a safety installed on a Mauser, by Century of all places, so I will try not to let it color my view of the Winchester.