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| I've heard that trick before, I think it was originally from the old military manuals supplied with 98 Mausers. In my case, it was easier to just grab the other rifle. |
| | | Posts: 2788 | Location: gallatin, mo usa | Registered: 10 March 2001 | 
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| The 98 is designed to work by mechanics, not speed. If your's let the cartridge come up in front of the extractor, then it definitely isn't fitted perfectly. If it can do it a low speed, it can do it at any speed.
Is your's an original factory chambered rifle or was it converted by someone? |
| | | Posts: 2036 | Location: Roebling, NJ 08554 | Registered: 20 January 2002 |
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| I won't hunt with an action that won't top feed. The amount of bevel it takes to correct this is minimal.
[ 06-29-2003, 06:13: Message edited by: Nickudu ] |
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| This rifle is an old Whitworth Express rifle I've had for a long time, never had a problem. The gun just barely will take a third shell into the magazine and i think that may have been part of the problem. After it did that I put the same shell back in, and it worked perfect. It seemed like as soon as the bolt moved the cartridge it popped up out of the magazine. I don't have a clue why, and it may never happen again. It seems like if you hunt enough, something strange will happen sooner or later. |
| | | Posts: 2788 | Location: gallatin, mo usa | Registered: 10 March 2001 |
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| Your gun is simply out of timeing by a bit, it is a standard length action that was opened at the Factory and needs tweeking, polishing or some feed rail, extractor or ramp polishing or work..It would have never happened with a proper rifle..If a Mauser fails it is human error every time....we changed something and/or did it wrong.
From your description it appears they removed too much off the rail where the first round lies and when pushed forward slowly the round makes a little jump and a jingle and does not come up under the extractor...
A Mauser, regardless of its faultless reputation, will fail if improperly "fixed" from its original 8x57 design...better know your stuff when converting and factories have a tendency to let stuff get by them, however this is rare in a Whitworth.... |
| | | Posts: 42180 | Location: Twin Falls, Idaho | Registered: 04 June 2000 |
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| That is exactly what the thing did, the case popped up and missed getting caught by the extractor. I haven't been able to make the rifle do it again either, I was looking down at the rifle and saw it happen, almost like the cartridge wasn't held completely under the rails, which is what you're saying happened. |
| | | Posts: 2788 | Location: gallatin, mo usa | Registered: 10 March 2001 |
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| quote:
Originally posted by jstevens:
After years of hunting the first failure was with a CRF rifle. Just proves what I've known for years, you can't work the action on a rifle gently- good thing it wasn't a cape buffalo.
I had the exact same think happen in Zimbabwe in '94. I will never forget it. It was an Impala ... a darn big Impala.
Only failure I have ever had with a hunting rifle. I still believe in the merits of the CRF. Just food for thought ... or argument. |
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| Alph,
You are correct, no argument here, I did not explain my self clearly... however,I do know that the Mauser 98 works best with the original caliber that the "particular action" was built around by the factory, in the beginning...The Whitworth is an FN and I did overlook that...I like the FN action, but it is not as good a action as a good Mod.98 IMO, nor is any other action IMO.... |
| | | Posts: 42180 | Location: Twin Falls, Idaho | Registered: 04 June 2000 |
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| DeHaas mentiones that the 1917 Enfields are designed so that the claw will actually pop over the rim, so that if you drop one in and jam it forward it will catch and feed. Although I know this is probably possible, I have even seen mausers forced to catch a round, how hard is it on the extractor? Is it likely that it would break?
Red |
| | | Posts: 4740 | Location: Fresno, CA | Registered: 21 March 2003 |
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| Last night I was bored and after a few beers, I tried for an hour to get the rifle to do it again-guess what- it never happened again. I had some dummy shells made up for dry firing, loaded three in the magazine, did it over and over , slow, fast, didn't miss a lick. May have just been a case of Murphy's damn law. |
| | | Posts: 2788 | Location: gallatin, mo usa | Registered: 10 March 2001 |
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| quote:
Originally posted by jstevens:
Last night I was bored and after a few beers, I tried for an hour to get the rifle to do it again-guess what- it never happened again. I had some dummy shells made up for dry firing, loaded three in the magazine, did it over and over , slow, fast, didn't miss a lick. May have just been a case of Murphy's damn law.
![[Confused]](images/icons/confused.gif) All I can say is that rifle must be one of the very old ones, or not a "Whitworth Express"(FN) Zestava action, but a Interarms
"Alaskan" action. I have owned several Whitworth Express rifles, and now have two in my gun safe as we speak. I have never seen a Whitworth that was not designed to single load. The extractor is beveled to slip over the rim of a cartridge that is single loaded into the chamber! I'm not sure the Alaskans were so fitted, but all Whitworths were!
If your rifle is a Whitworth, it will be labeled as such, with the word WHITWORTH on the left side, and in an oval on top of the reciever ring, and stamped "Manchester Engalnd". The Alaskans were not labeled as Whitworth, and only reflect CZ, and Interarms Alaxandria, Verginia. The Interarms MK-X rifles were shipped to interarms as barreled actions, and sighted, and stocked here in the USA, while the Whitworth Express rifles where completed, totally, in Manchester.
[ 07-02-2003, 20:51: Message edited by: MacD37 ] |
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| Mine is a Whitworth marked in the oval on top of the receiver ring, says Manchester England, as is my other one. I haven't tried the wood stocked one (it's as original), but mine definitely won't single feed unless I take my finger and push on the extractor hard. This one I bought from a friend, and he stocked it with the synthetic stock, is marked
whitworth, but has no sights and never has had. The other one is the conventional Express Rifle with wood, 3 leaf sights, etc. This synthetic stocked one fits me better, and always shoots 3/4 inch with almost anything. |
| | | Posts: 2788 | Location: gallatin, mo usa | Registered: 10 March 2001 |
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| By the way, my other one will single load, I just tried it, and so will this one before I hunt with it again. |
| | | Posts: 2788 | Location: gallatin, mo usa | Registered: 10 March 2001 |
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| That's a first for me! That is the only Whitworth I've ever heard of that wouldn't single load. It may have had the extractor replaced for some reason. |
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| quote:
Originally posted by jstevens:
I just returned from Namibia the 7th, and I caused a problem with Mauser that I never had before. I saw a big kudu bull suddenly, had no cartridge and trying to slip a .375 in quietly since he was close, I worked it too slow from the fully loaded magazine, the shell popped up and of course the bolt wouldn't close since the extractor wouldn't jump over the rim. I realized what had happened as soon as it happened, took my son's 7x57 and shot the kudu, so all turned out okay. After years of hunting the first failure was with a CRF rifle. Just proves what I've known for years, you can't work the action on a rifle gently- good thing it wasn't a cape buffalo.
Whoever built that rifle opened the rails too wide. If the rails were opened to the right dimension, the shell would not pop up.
This can be fixed with follower modificaitons. |
| | | Posts: 18352 | Location: Salt Lake City, Utah USA | Registered: 20 April 2002 |
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| .[/qb][/QUOTE]Whoever built that rifle opened the rails too wide. If the rails were opened to the right dimension, the shell would not pop up. This can be fixed with follower modificaitons.[/QB][/QUOTE] 500Grains, it is my thought,this rifle may have been re-barreled,from a whitworth chambered for 458 win Mag. This would account for the "NO SIGHTS", and the wide feed rails out near the shoulder of the 375 H&H case. If this is the origenal barrel, the chambering will be engraved, in script, on the left side of the barrel, just forward of the reciever ring. This rifle would have a good set of irons, shortly, if it were mine! ![[Cool]](images/icons/cool.gif) |
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| MadD37- The barrel is marked in script Cal 375 H&H Mag on the left side of the barrel as is my other Whitworth. I believe the rifle was ordered as a barreled action, and I believe the friend I bought it from put the synthetic stock on it himself. I thought about having some good irons put on it, but since I just ordered a Ruger Magnum in .416 Rigby, I doubt that I'll bother with that now, since I have quick detachable mounts and take a spare sighted-in scope with me. I'll have the .416 to shoot before next week is out. |
| | | Posts: 2788 | Location: gallatin, mo usa | Registered: 10 March 2001 |
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| I would not have a Mauser that would single feed a round dropped into the chamber....Paul Mauser designed the Mauser to feed from the box..to modify one weakens the extractor, not a good idea on a DGR or a battle rifle..I agree with Paul...
I actually find it faster to push one down in the box and close the action.... |
| | | Posts: 42180 | Location: Twin Falls, Idaho | Registered: 04 June 2000 |
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