Question about inletting on a rifle

D

Donerstude

Inactive
I recently inherited a Mauser model 98 that my grandfather brought back from WW2. The original stock is long gone, but with the rifle I received a sportified? stock that has been poorly inletted. I do not know if this gun was ever shot with this stock as i received them apart and the stock looks new. When the stock is attached it feels secure and does not have any play but the inletting for the barrel is very rough and quite gouged leaving anywhere from a 1/32 to 1/8 inch of air gap between the barrell and the stock. where the receiver mounts seems to fit tight and secure. Is this rifle safe to shoot? I have tried to research but i have come up empty. I have no experience with this sort of thing. and do not want to shoot an unsafe rifle.
Thanks in advance for any light you might be able to shed on this
 
I doubt it's unsafe to shoot in that stock but can't comment on the action itself. Get a gunsmith's opinion on the action and barrel. Get some lamp black or something to see if the recoil shoulder is making good contact with the stock. If so the barrel channel can be fixed. If really ugly you can get this tool from Brownell's to clean it up and straight it along the barrel. Or a Dremel tool can work.

http://www.brownells.com/.aspx/pid=6796/Product/BARREL-BEDDING-TOOL

If there is poor contact in the recoil lug area get a glass bedding kit from Brownell's.

You could end up with a really nice rifle. If you are going to put a scope on the receiver needs to be drilled and tapped and a new (lower) bolt handle put on to clear the scope. The safety might also need to be changed. Gunsmiths can do this for you.
 
Yeah have a good gumsmith check it out befor you shoot it..It might not even be the caliber you think it is..Be safe and NOT sorry...
 
Thanks for the info, I took it in to a local gunsmith and he confirmed that it still shoots Mauser 8mm and is safe to shoot as is. The gunsmith was surprised at how unmolested the gun was and how good of condition it is. I am now on the hunt for an original Mauser k98 gunstock to restore this gun to its original splendor and am looking forward to firing it. Thanks again for the information.
 
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