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Small Ring Mauser Bolt Face Mod for .223

11K views 25 replies 7 participants last post by  wpflgun 
#1 ·
Has anyone here modified a small ring Mauser bolt to cycle and extract .223? I have a couple of small ring actions, one will be used for a 7.62x39 project and the other I would like to build a .223 backup bolt gun.

I saw a guy on another forum silver soldered a piece of steel to the bolt face, but would prefer something a little sturdier.
 
#6 ·
I used an 1895 Chilean Mauser as the donor rifle. They had extractors that turned absolutely brittle after welding an extension on the extractor tip. I went through three of them before I gave up and took #4 to a knife maker for a proper heat-treat and temper job. That one held just fine. Also had to fabricate an ejector, and modify the bolt a bit to get everything to work correctly.

Just sayin. It was a pain in the ass. I also converted it to cock on open....That was a pain as well. But, when I was done it was a great rifle and shot very well out to 600 Meters. I went with a 1 in 8 twist on mine, 22 Inch barrel.

Regards,
 
#7 ·
I have a similar issue with a mauser I own as well too. It is an 1891 mauser that some did a sporter job on long ago. They screwed up several key areas on this build. The 1891 has a longer threaded barrel shank than other small ring mausers and this idiot just screwed in a standard length 6.5 blank and chambered it in 6.5 carcano. Initially I thought it would be neat to get a deer with a 100+ year old rifle, but after firing it I found it was really unsafe to do so unless I remove the barrel and set it back to where it should be. I'm not real fond of the 6.5 carcano anyways and figured it would be a good canidate for a 7.62x39 barrel. The only problem is the action just barely will keep a 6.5 (which has a slightly larger case head) on the bolt long enough to eject it 90% of the time. The extractor is set up similar to a KP31 suomi and not like a standard mauser. I am also interested in having a thin ring welded in the bolt face to support the casehead and let the extractor keep a grip on the smaller case to eject it well. The other cool Idea I had was to put one of Green mountain octagon 257 blanks on it and chamber it in 250 savage or 257 roberts and keep and eye on chamber pressure. I know a few tricks to help with cases falling off of the extractor on a KP31 build, but the didtances here are much greater.
 
#8 ·
I checked the 7.62x39 round in my 1891 Argie and it fits pretty well, feeds well. Can't check extraction completely, but extractor locks on the rim tight. I ordered a 7.62x39 chamber insert that I will be installing. It is kept in place with loctite and can be removed with a broken shell extractor. It controls and cycles well, just need to solve the overly long magwell issue.
 
#9 ·
I have another option to consider as well. I have one of those Golden State Armory modified Enfield No4's that has been permanently altered, and the thing keyholes, so it is a candidate for transformation. I understand there is someone who makes a replacement bolt head for the .223 round, complete with plunger extractor, have seen a pic and read a little. Don't know where to get one. The Aussies have done this fairly frequently, as I understand it, and it supposedly works well. OPf course, silver solder mods on the bolt head are a possibility as well. Anybody got info on this option?
 
#10 ·
I HAVEA 7.62X39 REAMER IF YOU NEED TO EVER HAVE A BARREL CHAMBERED.

IM GOING TO BE DOING MORE BARREL WORK IN THE NEAR FUTURE. ID LIKE A
7.62X25 BOLT ACTION. IT WOULD BE COOL IF A GUY COULD SHORTNE THE HELL OUT OF A SMALL RING AN MAKE IT FEED FROM A MAG. EVEN A TOKAREV MAG WOULD BE OK.

WISH A 22MAG RIFLE WAS STRONG ENOUGH FOR A X25.

IM NOT A FAN OF WELDING ON BOLTS OR EVEN SILVER SOLDERING. IMO A BETTER BET IS THE CHEAPEST MARLIN OR SAVAGE 223 YOU CAN FIND FOR AROUND $300.

LIGHTLY LOADED 22-250 IS ANOTHER EASIER OPTION IN .22 CAL. BRASS IS NOIT AS CHEAP BUT IN A BOLT ACTION LOADED LIGHT IT WOULD LAST FOREVER.

IM CONSIDERING A 6MM BR LOADED LIGHT ON A SMALL RING ACTION MAYBE ON A M6.5X55 M96 SWEDE ACTION .

I SEE ALL KINDS OF RECIVERS FOR SMALL RING ON GUN BROKER DIRT CHEAP BUT VERY FEW BOLTS.. IS THERE A SOURCE FOR SMALL RING BOLTS ANY WERE ??
 
#13 ·
I saw somewhere that some Aussies had used a No4 Enfield for a .223 in which they removed the bolt head completely and fabricated an extractor and plunger ejector to fit on the shortened bolt. I believe all the had to do with the bolt after that was to shorten the firing pin. Then they threaded the barrel to screw in past the normal spot and mating it up with the shorter bolt. The then had an AR orMini-14 mag fitted in the new shorter chamber.
INTERESTING.
I SHOULD JUST BUY A COMPLETE RIFLE THAT GOES ABNG AN GO FROM THERE. YOU SEE THME PRETTY CHEAP FROM TIME TO TIME.

I HAVE ALWAYS WANTED A PISTOL CALIBUR RIFLE I COULD SHOOT CAST LEAD IN. SOME THING THAT COULD BE LOADED DIRT CHEAP AN SHOT FOR FUN .

THAT BOLT FACE IS A ISSUE. ILL HAVE A LOT OF 308 BRASS SOON ONCE MY 6MM WILD CAT GETS UP AN RUNNING MAYBE A SHORTNED CASE OPENED UP TO 35 CAL WOULD BE DOABLE. THE 444?????? IDEA OR A 444 RIMLESS MARLIN WOULD BE A EASY CONVERSION ON ONE OF THESE JUST LOAD IT AT SPEEDS TO BE CAST LEAD FRIENDLY. HMMMMMMM EVEN A STRAIGHT 444 MARLIN WITH THE RIM MIGHT WORK OK JUST OPEN THE BOLT.
 
#15 ·
Mauser bolts all measure .700 inch diameter shank. Lengths do vary. That also includes the Com 88 manlicher style bolt. Bunches of those single-stack-feed actions floating around for cheap... less bolts or bolt heads and no FFL. Perhaps a serious gunsmith guy might consider a radical mod of say a '91 Argentine or '89 Turk/Belgium bolt body for their pistol caliber Com '88 rifle conversion(s). Or carve a special Com 88 bolt head for their rare caliber project.

VD in AZ
 
#17 ·
Thanks Sprat,
I have the drawings for that bolt head saved. I think that they are also posted here on gunco. My thoughts are that a simplified version for a smaller case head diameter can be machined. That "bolt head is actually an insert plug for the bolt face. It uses a pistol-like extractor.

Speaking of Mannlicher type rifles... The Italian Mannlicher-Carcano rifles have a bolt face recess the same size as the 7.62x39mm AK case head. The AK ammo fits the Italian clip nicely too.

VD in AZ
 
#18 ·
IM DAMM TEMPTED TO TRY A MEXICAN MAUSER IN 444 RIMLESS MARLIN.

I HEAR ALL THE STORIES ABOUT THE OLDER PRE 98 MAUSERS NOT BEING SAFE WITH 308 WIN AN OTHER HIGH PRESSURE ROUNDS BUT i CAN FOND VERY LITTEL ON ANY THAT HAVE ACTUALY FAILED?????????

IS THERE A SAFE PRESSURE LIMIT TO BE FOLLOWED WITH THE EARLY MAUSERS????
 
#19 ·
First of all, if you have a Mexican Mauser, don't do anything to it. It has some unique parts are really rare, the bolt in particular.

The pre-98 mausers are a mixed bag as far as safety goes. Some of the early ones' heat treating was suspect. Swedish Mausers are the best, as the Swedes insisted that their superior steel be used. The model 1893 Turkish Mausers were nearly all re-arsenaled and converted to 8x57 Mauser, a high pressure cartridge for sure. The were re-heat treated as part of the process, and a notch was taken out of the receiver to allow for loading the longer cartridge. Also, there were many small ring Mausers manufactured post-1898 to mor stringent specs, such as the 1916 Spanish Mauser, an 1893 based rifle.

Assuming heat treat is not an issue, the biggest issues comparing the small ring Mausers is that (1) they have only two locking lugs vs. three in the 1898, and (2) the bolt desaign in the small ring lacks the bolt shroud in the 1898 protecting better from gasses in a failure.

I have a Spanish 1916 in 7.62x51, and feel comfortable shooting NATO spec ammo in it.
 
#20 · (Edited)
Years ago I bought a 45-70 British Enfield remade by Golden State Armory in Calif, as I remember the only thing they did was put on peep sights & change the bolt head. It was a very nice bear brush gun and I wish I never traded it off. I'm sorry I got off topic.
 
#24 ·
here is another article along the same lines , I was going to buy one of these rifles till i saw this web page

1895 Chilean Mauser, Modelo Mauser Chileno 1895, 7.62 Nato conversion
I was aware of this regarding the Chileans, but I think this was only done on some early conversions, not certain. I know the Spanish 1916 conversions were not done this way, as they were shortened, re-bored to .308. and re-chambered. My 1916 came with a pristine bore, very tight headspace.
 
#25 ·
Hello All,

Way back in the mid to late 1990's, I purchased a shitload of 1895 Mauser actions (barreled, complete) from an importer. All of these were Ludwig Lowe manufactured, so no FFL required. They were literally shipped to me, wrapped in brown oil paper.

Some were heavily used. Most were damn near new. All were converted to 7.62x51 NATO.

I have a lot of experience with these, including taking two to the range for a shootout. One was pristine, and the other was beat to shit. We put 2,000 rounds down range that day from each one. In those days, 1200 rounds of Portuguese NATO ammo cost about $85.00.
Both rifles were then sectioned and destroyed to evaluate whether or not there were any significant issues. None were detected, and all of the parts were magnafluxed as well to detect any microfractures. Again, none detected.

Most of these rifles were then sporterized, blueprinted, and re-sold as common sporting arms. Even though they did not require FFL transfer, I did it anyway. Oops, my bad. Sorry.

My cost for the entire process was $92 per rifle, and that included the scope mounts. You can guess what I paid per rifle, and it was not much.

Bottom line. Most of the 1895 Chilean Mausers were converted by Styer, and those rifles did have that forward gap you see in the website listed above. There were a number of rifles done in Chile, and those were less professionally completed. There were markings on the barrel that you could use to determine if the conversion was done at Styer, but I can not find that info anymore... I had 9 of the ones that were NOT Styer converted, and those were rebarreled in 6.5 Swede. It should be noted that not all of the conversions to 7.62 NATO were done with existing barrels. Somewhere in the neighborhood of 22% were just rebarreled. Again, these were marked with very clean, very new markings and had no old proofs on the barrels.

This is now almost 18 years ago, so my memory is not terribly reliable. I decided to post this because there is a lot more to the story than what that website would have you believe.

The last of these that I owned was sold to Mr. Posthumus. He seems very satisfied with that rifles' performance. That rifle was one of the Styer converted barrels, and was a bit more "handled", displaying some pitting on the receiver below the wood line, and pitting on the outside of the barrel as well. The bore was nearly pristine, and that rifle would print 5 shots in a 6 inch circle at 600 yards (which is why I kept it for so long).

The 1895 Chilean Mausers were truly a work of art. If you find one marked as being made in Berlin, and made by Ludwig Lowe, BUT IT. It is a true 1895 manufactured rifle and worth it's weight in something.

Just passing on what I know. Comments welcome.
 
#26 ·
I bought a pristine, all matching Chilean barreled action from Samco when they had them, cost $80 about 2003 or so. It had loose head space, although I had shot it with no issues prior to getting gauges and testing. I wound up trading it along with a spare bolt body that corrected the head space. I figured, why not order another? So I get the box and it is not a barreled receiver, gut a complete stocked rifle, all matching, excellent shape! Apparently, someone had squirreled it away and it accidentally got sent to me. I also bought a 1916 .308 Spanish Mauser and three Swedes from them. I understand what they have left in small ring Mausers is below the quality of what I got back then, so I would check before buying.
 
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