Bruised cheekbone from firing 98K Mauser. How to avoid this?

J

Johan762

New member
Hello everybody:

I went shooting today with a friend, firing a Mauser 98K, He got a bruised shoulder, I got a bruised cheekbone. It seems that anytime I pulled the trigger, the stock jumped and hit me on the cheek. After 30 rounds or so, I had to quit shooting because my cheek was swollen from the banging. I had another Mauser (sporterized, or more like butchered stock and barrel, actually) and I never had this problem although that "sporterized" rifle was much lighter and have the same amount of "drop" on the stock's comb.

There was a really nice gentleman next to our bench with a Turkish Mauser and he let me fired it. I was still having the same problem with the top of the butt stock hitting my cheek, although not nearly as bad as with my German Mauser. He told me to position my head so that it is sitting on the part of the buttstock with the lowest drop. The buttstock is so short, however, it did not really work well (very awkward) and I'm still getting kicked on the cheekbone. Can you experts tell me how to properly shoot a 98K Mauser?

I shot Lee-Enfield (three different rifles), Springfield and that sporterized Mauser of mine, never experienced this problem until I shot this particular German Mauser and that gent's Turkish Mauser.

I really really love this particular 98K Mauser (perfect Military configuration, not sporterized, bore as smooth as a baby's skin), and I want to keep shooting it, not just to look at it. But my poor cheekbone........

Thank you all for the help.

Johannes
 
While it's very hard to coach via email, it sounds to me like your not hitting your shoulder pocket with the butt.

Move the rifle to your face, not visa versa.

Try this - while standing, place and hold the rifle on your firing shoulder with your non-firing hand. Raise your firing hand as far up as you can while maintaining the rifle on your firing shoulder. Drop your firing hand straight to the rifle and grasp it like your going to shoot it. The stock should be in the right place.

I would also get a copy of Cooper's The Art of The Rifle.

Let me know if this helps,

Giz



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"I don't make enough money to buy cheap stuff" - Mark Manning
 
Put a foam pad on the stock - held in place with a neopren "sock" or elastic bands. It pads the stock and you can take it off when not shooting. Your face will thank you.

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"A fear of weapons is a sign of retarded sexual and emotional maturity." - Sigmund Freud
 
JOHAN762:
Stand naturally, facing the tgt. Raise the rifle to the cheek, as previously stated, with the firing hand only, pull the rifle back into the shoulder.

The bottom of the stock should be in a small pocket formed by the shoulder and clavical. Keep this pressure while you are shooting.

Keep in mind also, that the felt recoil is greater in a fixed position, bench, prone, than if you are standing or in an actual shooting situation.

HJN
 
That brings back memories of my ol' 50 caliber muzzle loading rifle with crescent shaped "rifle" buttplate. The drop of that stock was so far that the comb struck my cheek like a hammer handle at each shot. LOL

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Be mentally deliberate but muscularly fast. Aim for just above the belt buckle Wyatt Earp
"It is error alone that needs government support; truth can stand by itself." Tom Jefferson
If you have to shoot a man, shoot him in the guts, it may not kill him... sometimes they die slow, but it'll paralyze his brain and arm and the fight is all but over Wild Bill Hickok
Remember: When you attempt to rationalize two inconsistent positions, you risk drowning as your own sewage backs up.
45 ACP: Give 'em a new navel! BigG
 
Those rifles were not meant to be fired from a bench rest position. Try resting the toe of the butt on a sandbag, and leaning the shoulder more into the stock.

Jim
 
Thank you for your help, everybody. I will print out / write down these suggestions and try them the next time I am going to the range. This bbs is trully wonderful. There so many of you knowledgable people who are so willing to help.

Thank you all again.

Johannes
 
You might also be pushing your face a little to far forward, like you would with an AR. I have this same problem when I shoot my Enfield and Nagant M44.
 
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