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Mauser Misfire Problem

trstone
I have a problem with my 98K: At the range today, I was trying to get the scope sighted in. The rifle discharged the first cartridge, but on subsequent tries I got nothing but misfires. I'd pull the trigger, and I'd hear "CLICK!" The primers on the cartridges were only very slightly dimpled, which I KNOW can't be right. The bolt was (presumably) disassembled and then (equally presumably) reassembled by a gunsmith who put a new bolt-handle on for me, and I wonder: is it possible in the reassembly that the firing-pin assembly wasn't screwed in far enough? Is this something I can fix myself, or should I take it to a gunsmith?

Oh, and if it helps: The cartridge that was discharged was only very lightly dimpled too.
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Comments

11 comments

Date Votes
  • p3skyking
    If it was a surplus weapon, I'd say take the bolt apart and clean the grease out of it.

    If it's a sporterized job, you need to disassemble the bolt and see what the problem is. The tip of the firing pin could be broken off. Grease COULD still be in there. The mainspring COULD be bound in some fashion although I have never seen a Mauser spring do that. The spring COULD be broken.

    All is mere speculation until the bolt is disassembled. It is not hard at all provided you set the safety prior to removing the bolt from the weapon and have a suitable slot to rest the firing pin to disassemble.

    "What's it all mean Mr. Wizard?"
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  • Mobuck
    It's possible that the bolt is not fully closed. It can be caused by the process of bending or welding the handle. It could be contacting the edge of the receiver or the stock. The previous post was correct about the clean up. The handle job also can prevent the bolt shroud from screwing completely into the bolt body.

    Mobuck
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  • Rhonda
    Is the safety still on the bolt? If so, does it work properly? If not, Thats a good indication the bolt is not locking into battery properly which will cause a misfire. Could be the handle is not allowing the bolt to seat, could be the bolt body was warped if the handle was replaced or forged which will cause the striker to drag and misfire.
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  • leeblackman
    I had the same problem with a mauser, turned out that the back part of the bolt that holds the firing pin wasn't screwed in all the way, needed one more turn in.
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  • trstone
    I took the bolt apart, following instructions I found on the 'Net. No real grease to speak of, firing-pin not broken off or peened up, spring unbroken and in fine shape. The thing is, I have NO idea as to how many turns the rear assembly should make in reassembly; I counted seven or eight, and at the end I heard "click", and couldn't turn it anymore owing to the rear assembly snugging up against the back edge of the bolt-handle. I didn't have any way of testing the firing-pin strike down in my basement, so I guess my next step is to take it to a smith and hope the problem can be fixed...

    Any guesses as to how tough this is going to be to get fixed?
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  • richbug
    Push in the small detent button that is on the front end of the bolt shroud and rotate the shrould 1/4 turn until the firing pin assembly stops moving. How much firing pin is protruding from the bolt face?

    My border collie is smarter than your honor student.
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  • kimberkid
    I have an un-issued Yugo M48 Mauser had the same trouble, I had torn it down when I first got it to clean the cosmoline out of it and was sure all was clean ... first time to the range, just like you, light dimples on the primer, about 1/3 of mine were "duds" (but they fired fine in my Turk Mauser) ... anyway, I dis-assembled the bolt again, set it in the sun (it was a hot day), and wouldn't you know ... more cosmoline! I used a nylon 30 cal bore brush to make sure all the crap was out and haven't had any problems with light dimples since ... Evidently I didn't do that great of an initial cleaning job ... but it looked good!

    ===========================
    Chance favors the prepared mind [8D]

    kimberkid@cox.net
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  • wundudnee
    kimberkid, I did the very same thing. Same problem.

    ....................
    Old? First you forget names; then you forget faces; then you forget to pull your zipper up; then you forget to pull your zipper down.
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  • trstone
    Okay....I dismantled the bolt as far as possible, brushed everything out that I could reach, then soaked everything in kerosene for a half hour or so, blew out the bolt with compressed air, soaked it a bit more, blew it out again, then lightly oiled everything and reassembled it. I screwed the---what is it called? Bolt shroud?---in as far as I could. I don't know what else to try, but I haven't tested it yet. If it fails, I guess I'll try shimming the firing-pin forward a millimeter or so....
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  • Rhonda
    As the firing pin "threads" into the cocking piece I doubt you will be able to shim anything. You said the gunsmith put a new bolt handle on for you, correct? Was it a weld-on? If the handle was not under cut properly to fit the receiver, the bolt will not properly lock, and the gun will misfire. Is the bolt shrould at the 12:00 position when the handle is locked down? What type safety was put on the gun? Is it working properly or dragging? Think the problem is more than to much grease!
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  • trstone
    It was a weld-on---the smith cut the old handle off and put on a new one. Very clean and professional job, or so it seemed. And you're right about being unable to shim---it just occurred to me last night that that couldn't be done. The safety is the same old safety it had originally, and it still works. As far as I can tell, the shroud is as it should be when the bolt is closed. So, as I see it, I have three options here:
    (A) Get a machinist to cut a groove into the base of the bolt-handle
    so I can give the stupid bolt-shroud another turn;
    (B) Lengthen the firing pin;
    (C) Order a replacement bolt---God only knows if this is possible for
    a 98K---and (assuming it is) start from Square One, and inform
    the smith who did the first replacement job about what's happened.

    I thought that gunsmiths who did handle-replacements knew about these kinds of hazards, but it seems like I was wrong. I'm just stunned that somebody who could do such a smooth, professional job of replacing the bolt-handle would overlook such a critical detail, and leave me with an expensive lamp-stand....
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