M91 Mauser Receiver Fix

[4575wcf]

Hello. I have an M91 Mauser receiver somewhat more deeply pitted than Jerry Kuhnhausen recommends using in "The Mauser Bolt Actions- A Shop Manual". I pulled the original barrel from this receiver and it was one of the tightest, if not the tightest to break loose I have encountered. The recoil lug sustained a bit of distortion. My question is, how about turning .03 or so off the receiver to clean up the pits, and shrinking a piece of 4130 Aircraft tubing on to match large ring M98 OD and reinforce the recoil lug at the same time? Would this add adequate strength for a cartridge within the pressure limitations of the action? thanks in advance

 

[john.k]

It wouldn add any strength .....be purely cosmetic.........as I recall ,the reciever ring isnt very thick ,but due to the projected area ,is still strong enough in tension...........the big risk with pre 98 Mausers is a case base blowout ......and as you are shooting cast ,this will not be an issue.

 

[1yesca]

next time you may try machining an undercut in the barrel just in front of the rec. the barrel will come right out after that and if the barrel is still shoot able machine a shim to make up for the removed metal . but at some point its just not safe to use

 

[MilGunsmith]

Remember that whatever work you do must still be safe for a future owner. You way say that you are only going to shoot low pressure cast loads, and even mark it that way, but someone else may get the rifle and want to shoot full power ammo in it. Think wisely about any receiver modifications. It may be your children or grandchildren that have future possession of this rifle.
No, before everyone jumps on the bandwagon about doing whatever and not worrying about lawsuits etc., my fulltime job is as an R&&D Gunsmith for a DOD test facility. I have made all sorts of interesting projects to test ammo and weapons. I have seen blowups both intentional and unintentional, plus multiple malfunction investigations. I can say that over 90% of the malfunctions were caused by "Operator Headspace" or a "Loose Nut Holding The Trigger". So stupid stuff happens, no matter what is taught or how it is labeled.

 

[john.k]

Ive never concerned myself with future owners ......they can take the same risks as I took ,and inspect the gun for safety and soundness exactly the same as I did.........I had a gun blow when I was a kid,when a friend loaded a 30-06 with shotgun powder and told me to fire it ......he thought it was big joke ......either that or he was trying to kill me.

 

[MilGunsmith]

Ive never concerned myself with future owners ......they can take the same risks as I took ,and inspect the gun for safety and soundness exactly the same as I did.........I had a gun blow when I was a kid,when a friend loaded a 30-06 with shotgun powder and told me to fire it ......he thought it was big joke ......either that or he was trying to kill me.

The problem is that not everyone will do a proper inspection, or know what too look for. The modifications can be so subtle that without a drawing to compare against, they wouldn't be found. Everything that we modify or test here gets cut up with a torch when we are done. There is no visible way sometimes to know that a receiver was exposed to hundreds of rounds of high pressure ammo and might blow up on the next standard round fired. We are currently testing 80000psi and higher rounds. Not everything fails immediately or catastrophically. We have set back bolt lugs to maximum HS dimensions with only 20 rds.

 

[1yesca]

Ive never concerned myself with future owners ......they can take the same risks as I took ,and inspect the gun for safety and soundness exactly the same as I did.........I had a gun blow when I was a kid,when a friend loaded a 30-06 with shotgun powder and told me to fire it ......he thought it was big joke ......either that or he was trying to kill me.

i hear what you are saying and yes let the buyer beware ! tell the law becomes parts of it along with the courts ! then its what the judge or the jury has to say . but that's what gun shows are for a swap meet for getting rid of junk !

 

[john.k]

Caveat Emptor.

 

[MilGunsmith]

I torch cut three pistol frames and slides yesterday that had maybe a 100 rds each on them because of the experimental ammo that had been run thru them. Looking at them both visually and by Mag Particle, there was nothing visibly wrong, but we couldn't take the chance of them being used again and failing.

 

[1yesca]

I torch cut three pistol frames and slides yesterday that had maybe a 100 rds each on them because of the experimental ammo that had been run thru them. Looking at them both visually and by Mag Particle, there was nothing visibly wrong, but we couldn't take the chance of them being used again and failing.

it nice to know there are some out there that understand right / wrong , safe / dangerous , and being libel for you actions !