mauser feeding

[mjbgalt]

i have a sporterized mauser k98 that i bought this week. it is chambered in .30-06.  the magazine follower does not push up correctly...or something like that, because the cartridges get stuck in there and the bolt slide over them, not picking them up.

any ideas?

-Matt

[jack19512]

Are you referring to a weak magazine spring?  If so you can order a new one.

[mjbgalt]

no, the magazine follower sort of gets "stuck" and i can smack the bottom of the rifle and it will feed correctly again.

[mjbgalt]

it also feeds my .243 cases just fine.

[rockbilly]

If you are shootring reloades, check the length.  There is also a possibility the spring is weak.  Thake the mag apart and streatch the spring, then try it.  If it is better, order a new spring.  While you have the mag apart, give it a good cleaning and check for burs. Make sure the follower is positioned in the right direction, and bend the top front end of the spring up slightly.

[mjbgalt]

they aren't reloads but they are FMJ 150-grain loads and the pointy end gets stuck in a groove that runs the whole way around the inside of the magazine. not sure what to do about it...i guess just not use this ammo?

-Matt

[Mikey]

It used to be that the 62mm case of the 06 was just a couple of hairs too long for the 57mm length magazine well of the Mausers and you could only load 3 rounds into the mag so it would feed.  Round nose bullets may feed better but I would run this past the gunnut69 in the gunsmithing forum and see what he might suggest.  HTH.  Mikey.

[mjbgalt]

that's how many cartridges i was loading- 3.

still not sure...i think the pointy FMJ has something to do with it.

-Matt

[S.S.]

That is not an unusual problem with that conversion.
The 06 is too long. A round file to the front of the Magazine
box to make a little "ramp" in the box mag may help.
There is simply not enough room for the bullet to move foreward
out from under the "Lips' of the mag.
If you reload, load to the shortest possible OAL. 

[mjbgalt]

thanks guys.

this rifle is a "Gew 98" and I have another newer surplus mauser in much better condition that is a standard K98...i ran the '06 shells through its magazine and had no issues...

more mysteries...

-Matt

[mjbgalt]

used my .243 dies to push the bullets in the .30-06 cartridges about 1/4" deeper into the cases. they fed right through the mauser.

the whole problem was, indeed, length.

thanks guys!

-Matt

[S.S.]

I have seen that problem quite a few times
One fella was using his rifle as a single shot until he started
loading his rounds shorter.