heavy_mech
RKI- Reasonably Knowledgable Individual
While I wouldn't bet my life on it, that sure looks like an aftermarket trigger.
What has been done to my bolt?
- Thread starter jbjorn
- Start date
Muncher 1953
Senior Member
I’m away from most of my rifle stuff for comparison, but:
-the color of the trigger guard & trigger contrast quite a bit (likely replaced, maybe aftermarket) but not recently, in pic 3 you can see a wear mark on the trigger from the edge of the hole in the guard. so its been cycled a bit.
-profile of trigger is close to original, maybe a bit fatter
-the position of the trigger in the bow at rest makes me think its aftermarket, a stock trigger sits closer to the center of the bow (not IN the center, but closer to the front than this one) the angle of the pix makes it hard to see. sporting triggers typically have a much shorter range of motion, and sit closer to the rear of the opening.
-in the 3rd shot of the sear, is that engraved writing on the lower side of it? (Down the hole.) The shape of what we can see is ‘original style’. This bit may be a different shape if aftermarket.
Given the mod to the cocking piece, the info about that given by others, I’m leaning towards aftermarket trigger.
If you removed just the 2 main action screws & trigger guard, you’d know for sure. Have you dry fired it? (best to use a snap cap) What does it feel like? A standard model 98 trigger has a long mushy initial pull, maybe 1/4”-3/8” of motion, while the sear spring is compressed, then becomes quite firm til it trips, maybe 1/8” more, as the sear moves down off the cocking piece. In the early phase, its just that small spring at the front of a standard trigger you feel; in the last stage, its the firing pin spring (as large as an entire ball point pen) that you pull against. A sport trigger has a much shorter range of motion, lighter final pull, trips before you expect. Mechanically a sport trigger assembly has a larger body & more parts overall, requires removing some wood in the stock to fit, hidden. A standard trigger looks like the video, a Timney aftermarket looks like this:
www.midwayusa.com
many many Mausers have been modified this way, then they became more “collectible” (+$$$) & guys reversed some stuff like stocks & bolts that are seen from the outside.
-the color of the trigger guard & trigger contrast quite a bit (likely replaced, maybe aftermarket) but not recently, in pic 3 you can see a wear mark on the trigger from the edge of the hole in the guard. so its been cycled a bit.
-profile of trigger is close to original, maybe a bit fatter
-the position of the trigger in the bow at rest makes me think its aftermarket, a stock trigger sits closer to the center of the bow (not IN the center, but closer to the front than this one) the angle of the pix makes it hard to see. sporting triggers typically have a much shorter range of motion, and sit closer to the rear of the opening.
-in the 3rd shot of the sear, is that engraved writing on the lower side of it? (Down the hole.) The shape of what we can see is ‘original style’. This bit may be a different shape if aftermarket.
Given the mod to the cocking piece, the info about that given by others, I’m leaning towards aftermarket trigger.
If you removed just the 2 main action screws & trigger guard, you’d know for sure. Have you dry fired it? (best to use a snap cap) What does it feel like? A standard model 98 trigger has a long mushy initial pull, maybe 1/4”-3/8” of motion, while the sear spring is compressed, then becomes quite firm til it trips, maybe 1/8” more, as the sear moves down off the cocking piece. In the early phase, its just that small spring at the front of a standard trigger you feel; in the last stage, its the firing pin spring (as large as an entire ball point pen) that you pull against. A sport trigger has a much shorter range of motion, lighter final pull, trips before you expect. Mechanically a sport trigger assembly has a larger body & more parts overall, requires removing some wood in the stock to fit, hidden. A standard trigger looks like the video, a Timney aftermarket looks like this:
Timney Featherweight Deluxe Rifle Trigger Mauser 98 Safety 1-1/2 to 4
Timney Featherweight Triggers are precision machined and hand-fitted to provide a crisp trigger pull. They feature a lightweight alloy housing with...
www.midwayusa.com
many many Mausers have been modified this way, then they became more “collectible” (+$$$) & guys reversed some stuff like stocks & bolts that are seen from the outside.
Here is another picture of the trigger in profile, showing the placement of it when loaded. When the trigger has been pressed, it will fall back a bit with gravity when pointing the barrel up.
There is no engraving on the sear, it was only a bit of dirt.
So if I remove the 2 screws shown below on the second pic I can remove the trigger guard and get a better look at it?
There is no engraving on the sear, it was only a bit of dirt.
So if I remove the 2 screws shown below on the second pic I can remove the trigger guard and get a better look at it?
Attachments
whcoyote
Well-known member
The rifle has four screws in the trigger guard - two large and two smaller. The larger two (one in front and one in rear of trigger guard) are the action screws. They are what attach the trigger guard to the action. Each action screw has three detent cuts in it.
The two smaller screws are lock screws. The lock screw can sit in the detent cut in the action screw to keep it from turning and loosening - but it doesn’t have to. The lock screw has one detent cut in the head. This detent, if oriented to allow free turning of the action screw, will allow removal of the action screw without having to remove the lock screw.
I said above, “can sit in the detent cut in the action screw”. If you are going to shoot the rifle you want the action screws tight. This may orient the action screw so that none of its detents align with the lock screw. No worries. Just check them periodically for tightness. If you are not going to shoot the rifle, turn the action screw tight, then back it off until the first detent lines up with the lock screw. Then turn the lock screw in until it is lightly tight. Do not over-torque them.
So, now that you know, to remove the trigger guard, line up the lock screws so their detents allow you to turn the action screws. Remove the action screws and lift the trigger guard off. To get the action out of the stock you have to remove both bands from contact with the stock - maybe not off the rifle but clear of the stock. Removing the cleaning rod helps.
(Whew!)
The two smaller screws are lock screws. The lock screw can sit in the detent cut in the action screw to keep it from turning and loosening - but it doesn’t have to. The lock screw has one detent cut in the head. This detent, if oriented to allow free turning of the action screw, will allow removal of the action screw without having to remove the lock screw.
I said above, “can sit in the detent cut in the action screw”. If you are going to shoot the rifle you want the action screws tight. This may orient the action screw so that none of its detents align with the lock screw. No worries. Just check them periodically for tightness. If you are not going to shoot the rifle, turn the action screw tight, then back it off until the first detent lines up with the lock screw. Then turn the lock screw in until it is lightly tight. Do not over-torque them.
So, now that you know, to remove the trigger guard, line up the lock screws so their detents allow you to turn the action screws. Remove the action screws and lift the trigger guard off. To get the action out of the stock you have to remove both bands from contact with the stock - maybe not off the rifle but clear of the stock. Removing the cleaning rod helps.
(Whew!)
Muncher 1953
Senior Member
looks good. now to try the bolt swap as suggested above.
Now you are back to checking the ejector/ejector box spring on the left side of the rear ring. The ejector should swing into the slot in the left bolt lug as the bolt head moves back.
If it isn't moving freely, it can stay stuck in the bolt stop box. It could just be grime built up, a weak spring, or a very worn or bent ejector.
You should be able to put your finger in the rear ring and feel it. It should push freely to the left and spring back when you remove your finger.
If it isn't moving freely, it can stay stuck in the bolt stop box. It could just be grime built up, a weak spring, or a very worn or bent ejector.
You should be able to put your finger in the rear ring and feel it. It should push freely to the left and spring back when you remove your finger.
The ejector swings into the slot in the bolt lug when the bolt head moves back. It is not stuck in he bolt stop box. I have dismantled and cleaned it thoroughly to no avail. Weak spring - could be. But it does push freely to the left and spring back when I remove my finger. As for being worn or bent - it is a bit hard for me to tell, since I dont have a "good" one to compare with. But here is a couple of pictures of it.
The only thing I can think of that could be the issue is that it for some reason does not protrude as far into the slot in the bolt lug as it should. But I dont see what could potentially cause that. Since the ejector is guided into the slot in the bolt I dont quite understand how the spring could be the issue. Perhaps if the end of the ejector was so worn that it didnt contact the spent casing sufficiently, but it doesnt look like it?
Attachments
As for the bolt - I have tried a different bolt in the rifle now. It functions normally when dryfiring with both bolts. The only difference was when I pull the trigger with my bolt (with the filled in gap), the trigger gets "limp" afterwards. So that if I would point the rifle upwards the trigger would fall towards the back, and if I point it down, the trigger falls forward about half an inch. It is not under spring tension. But when I use the other original bolt, the trigger stays firm after firing. So it seems that when the sear is allowed to go up into the cutout after pulling the trigger, it gets reset. But with my bolt that does not happen. Apart from that i see no practical difference.
I have not been able to try cycling the second bolt with a cartridge yet to test the ejection.
I have not been able to try cycling the second bolt with a cartridge yet to test the ejection.
