Mauser bolt question

J

Joe Portale

New member
Okay guys, I know we have been through this before, but bear with me.

I want to rebuild a Mauser 98 action that I have in a smaller caliber. I am leaning towards a 6mm PPC, 223 or similar small cartridge. All the others that I have built have been cartridges based on the 30.06 cartridge, .243, 308, etc.(same base diameter as the 8mm JS).

Can someone give me a mental jump start on how to adapt the extractor claw and bolt face rim. Is it a matter of adding a metal to these areas and trimming to fit? Or would it be simpler to locate a commercial Mauser bolt and modify it to fit the 98 action? I have poured over the Kuhnhausen book and a couple others and don't see any references.

Thanks!
 
Isn't the 6mm PPC the same rim diameter

As the 7.62x29 Soviet round? I know there were a lot of barrel conversions to the latter sold for the '98 Mauser not too long ago, and the way I understand it, the difference in rim diameter was handled merely by some judicious tweaking of the extractor claw.

Now, the .223 is a horse of a different color, it's a lot smaller in rim diameter...
 
Brownells, www.brownells.com is selling a new Mauser extractor. it's a blank as far as the claw is concerned. Much longer than the standard one that has to be welded up and recut. You just fit it to the cartridge you're using. George
 
You will probably have to build up the little lug on the bolt face opposite the extractor as well, to allow the extractor to capture the round correctly. This can be done with an inert gas welder to avoid pitting. The locking lugs and the rest of the bolt have to be in a heat sink (heavy copper jaws in a vise will do) to make sure they don't get too hot. You probably will also have to adjust the ejector track in the bolt for the smaller base diameter. I really don't see this as a DIY job unless you have a fair amount of equipment and experience.

Jim
 
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