OH BOY!! More Mauser Questions

charlie brown · 07-05-2004, 01:32 PM

Ok, BigBulls, 8mm/06 and Briman....

As you know I have asked for help before on my VZ 24 that I bought last year.

When I bought it, the inside of the barrel was just a very dull gray, almost black actually. Anyway, I scrubbed that barrel with Hoppes #9 and a bronze brush for a good hour, to no avail to getting to the bare metal. So I went and shot a box of factory Rem. 170 Corelokts out of it. Well, after another hour of scrubbing, I got some more of the crap out, but not very much. Finally on 6/5 of this year I loaded some handloads and had a question about the stock.

Well, I cleaned that barrel again after that, and have put at least another 2 hours of scrubbing into it, and I am just now getting to where I can see shiny metal near the muzzle. Also for the first time, I am able to see the rifling near the chamber. Talk about THROAT EROSION!!! The rifling is worn a good 1/4" or so up the barrel before it gets to where the rifling is crisp and even for the rest of the bore. I still don't have it completely cleaned to that point, but I am working on it

Ok, now for the questions...

Should I be able to have a smith check the rifling to see how far out I can seat the bullets, or is there a way I can do this. I have to date shot 30 rounds of my handloads plus that 1 box or Remingtons. I am shooting the 175 gr Sierra Prohunters right now, on top of IMR 4350. I am not sure how big of a bullet that I can get for this to get it as close to the rifling as possible.

Also, one thing that I noticed with the cartridges (even the factory ammo), is that they are catching somewhere on the way into the chamber. When I go to chamber a round, the round catches, and puts a mark in the brass that is about 1-1/4" long. There is no resistance in ejecting the round after it had been fired, and no evidence of high pressure. Could there just be a rough spot on the action??? What can I do to fix this.

Also, I think my firing pin is a little weak. On two of my handloads, nothing happened when I pulled the trigger. I ejected each of those rounds (after about a minute or so), and inspected them. They seemed to have a much smaller depression from the firing pin than the other rounds that went off fine. SOOO...I put them back in and they each went off like normal. HMMMM...what about this???

I think that is all of the questions I have... right now

Any help would be great, thanks guys!!!

Oh yeah, the other post that I made was last replied to on June 8th and titled "replacing a mauser stock," so you can reference the pic of the last group I posted with my load.

charlie brown · 07-05-2004, 01:49 PM

ok, here one of the fired shells, which I scanned. On the lower 1/3 of the case, as it sits in the screen, you can see one horizontal scratch on the case. There is one longer one above that, but does not show up as well.

bigbulls · 07-05-2004, 01:59 PM

Quote:

Should I be able to have a smith check the rifling to see how far out I can seat the bullets, or is there a way I can do this.

Just take an EMPTY fired case with out resizing it and put a bullet in the neck so that it is just sitting in the neck of the case and slowly and gently chamber it. Mark where is sits in the case neck with a scribe so you can see if it gets pushed back in the case farther after you chamber it. You may also think about yanking the barrel and setting back the shoulder and rereaming the chamber so you will have a better throat in your rifle.

Quote:

Also, one thing that I noticed with the cartridges (even the factory ammo), is that they are catching somewhere on the way into the chamber.

I am assuming that this is a scrach from the actual chambering of the round and not a mark from firing the case???????? Does this happen with out firing it? It's kind of hard to tell from the pic. Most likley there is a burr of some kind on the feed ramp somewhere or the magazine box is sticking up into the receiver enough to cause this.

Quote:

Also, I think my firing pin is a little weak.

If that is the original spring and it has seen a lot of shooting over the years this is very possible. Springs will loose their "springiness" over time and become weak. You can get a new spring from Brownells or you could probably find one at one of yor local gunsmiths.

charlie brown · 07-05-2004, 02:03 PM

YES, those scratches are coming from chambering the round and not from the firing, as I have chambered a couple rounds and then ejected them before firing, and these scratches still show up. Thanks for the help, I will do what you said with the bullet and empty case.

Oh yeah, the scratches are not putting any major dents into the case, just scratching it slightly.

bigbulls · 07-05-2004, 02:07 PM

Wtih that being the case with the case

You just need to find out where the burr is and polish it down. It looks like it stops when the case pops out from the magazine box and then feeds straight into the chamber so I would look at the feed ramp first.

charlie brown · 07-05-2004, 02:17 PM

I felt the feed ramp with my pinky, and between the feed ramp and the barrel it self, and I picked up a slew of shavings in beteen. I could not feel anything on the feed ramp itself, and the rounds hang up when there is about 1/2" left to go before the bolt is completely closed. That tells me the burr may be on the opening to the chamber?????? I can't see anything though. I just tried calling the only gunshop in town, and they didn't answer the phone so they must be closed today[&:] Man, can't rely on anybody to work on a holiday anymore

He is usually pretty good about checking things out on guns, especially when there may be a potential safety issue involved. SO... I guess I will keep trying to see if they are open.

bigbulls · 07-05-2004, 02:25 PM

Easy way to check for burrs is with a lead pencil. Gently draw around where you think the burrs are and you will feel them instantly.

charlie brown · 07-05-2004, 02:48 PM

Man, I felt with a pencil, and my pinky again, and I cannot find that burr. I put anoter emty case in the chamber, and it is hanging up somewhere on the "bottom" of the case as it is at about a 10-15 degree angle of parallel to the barrel and stock. The face of the bolt is 1/2" from the rear edge of the front part of the action, and the contact which is causing the scratch is 1/4" below the shoulder of the case. That should put the burr somewhere about 1/2" behing the front edge of the action where it meets the stock. HMMMMM........

8mm/06 · 07-07-2004, 08:09 AM

Amongst all this concern about the scratches and the chamber being dark and the rifling being pushed forward b/c of throat erosion.........How's it Shoot? How was it's accuracy?

If you are getting good groups with it as it is then I wouldn't spend another penny or minute wiht it.

If its not shooting well, then you could actually do as suggested above- set the barrle back- or re-barrell it......whatever you can afford or want to do.

Charley · 07-07-2004, 10:01 AM

Quote:

I felt the feed ramp with my pinky, and between the feed ramp and the barrel it self, and I picked up a slew of shavings in beteen.

I would remove the bolt, and clean the action and chamber VERY thuroughly. Clean the raceways, the locking lugs, the chamber, and blow it dry with compressed air. "Shavings" sounds like gunk in the action. Mausers are designed to work with all kinds of crap in them, so it isn't likely a safety issue.
For the bore, I would suggest switching to a more aggressive copper cleaner, like Sweet's, Kleanbore #10, even Hoppe's Benchrest 9. Ten passes with a brush, then solvent and patches.
Striker spring might be weak, but more likely gunked up as well.Strip the bolt and clean all the old grease, gummed oil, etc.