This has been pondered many times. But I am curious as to how much a stanrd M98 can be shortened.
I want tom make one in either ,300 Whisper, ,45ACP or 9mm Para.
No magazine.
All I have found on this seems to indicate 1/2" the most.

I know I know I dont HAVE to shorten it more.........but I want to.
So, what do you guys think?
Any links?

Thanks in advance.

shortening an action is a bitch of a job. more than a half inch and the extractor may not function right. figure a nice round figure like a grand to do it

Kuhnhausen illustrates one in his book on Mausers being shortened by 5/8's, IIRC(?).

Yes I have the Kuhnhausen book.

Not gonna cost me anything butchlog, do everything my self and the action is a piece of crap.

Roy Dunlap shows the process very well in his book Gunsmithing. Seems like he shortened one more than 1/2" but I don't have the book here with me to verify. My book is in the shop I will try to check that tomorrow.

Jack Mitchell shows it in his book on a Winchester Pre 64. So if they can do it to a pre 64 an 98 should not be to different.

Thanks Mark and kcscott.
I have both Dunlaps and Mitchell´s books.

Was just fishing for more shortening

Maybe that´s not possible. Extractor and firing pin spring...

One of the problems lies in the lesser length of the mainspring stack after shortening. IMO you could gain even more stack space by also shortening the striker/firing pin in front of the mainspring as well as within its span. This would require relieving the inside of the bolt body up front to allow the mainspring buttress to enter the forward portion more deeply. This can require removing the 98 bolt's internal safety buttresses that prevent the striker from fully falling until the bolt is fully closed, but IMO that's a small price to pay considering all the 98's other safety features.

Also you can shorten the front end of the bolt sleeve to gain another 1/16" or more.

I've run into this problem when shortening an 1891 Mauser and thereby gained some valuable enlightenment. IMO you should be able to shorten it by close to 7/8" or maybe even 1", but you'll have to allow deeper striker penetration into the front portion of the bolt.

And use a stronger mainspring.
Regards, Joe

JD - What was your perception, if any, regards how much the bolt lift effort may have been increased by using the heavier, shorter, main spring?

I have made one in .45 ACP. It even takes a 1911 clip. I built a magazine carrier that is pinned in the M98 magazine space. It feeds well and has not been shortened. It also fits any M98 stock. I have not shot it over 100 yards, but out to there it is very accurate. It is in the MOA range. So far, I am not to sure why I built it, just seemed like a good idea at the time. I enjoy shooting it, but have no idea what I would use it for......Tom

at one time a company called rhineland arms, if i recall, made a kit to convert mausers to 45 acp. it was neat. came with a magazine adapter to hold 1911 mags in the mauser magazine, a barrel that headspaced like a savage and basic instructions. i assembled several for customers and they all fed and ejected just fine out of the full length action after a bit of tweaking.

quote:

Originally posted by Alberta Canuck:
JD - What was your perception, if any, regards how much the bolt lift effort may have been increased by using the heavier, shorter, main spring?

Hard to say since I lapped the cocking cam surfaces, but I would estimate that before the lapping, the effort was increased by ~25%. After lapping, the cocking effort was reduced to the point where the shooter's little finger alone can cock the rifle easily. Imagine a Krag or a commercial Mannlicher-Schoenauer with half the cocking effort and you'll be close, it's astounding just how smooth and easy a little lapping will leave it.

Just keep it off the locking lugs!
Regards, Joe

quote:

Originally posted by Tapper2:
I have made one in .45 ACP. It even takes a 1911 clip. I built a magazine carrier that is pinned in the M98 magazine space. It feeds well and has not been shortened. It also fits any M98 stock. I have not shot it over 100 yards, but out to there it is very accurate. It is in the MOA range. So far, I am not to sure why I built it, just seemed like a good idea at the time. I enjoy shooting it, but have no idea what I would use it for......Tom

Fun!!!!!!!!!!

You can go too short. A fellow over on CastBullets forum chronicled his cutting of an action for a .45 ACP and he went too far as I remember and the fp spring would bind and the bolt would not cock. Unfortunately I don't remember how much he cut out, but it was more than a 1/2".

quote:

Originally posted by J.D.Steele:

quote:

Originally posted by Alberta Canuck:
JD - What was your perception, if any, regards how much the bolt lift effort may have been increased by using the heavier, shorter, main spring?

Hard to say since I lapped the cocking cam surfaces, but I would estimate that before the lapping, the effort was increased by ~25%. After lapping, the cocking effort was reduced to the point where the shooter's little finger alone can cock the rifle easily. Imagine a Krag or a commercial Mannlicher-Schoenauer with half the cocking effort and you'll be close, it's astounding just how smooth and easy a little lapping will leave it.

Regards, Joe

Thanks, Joe! That IS good news. I have read so many articles over the years condemning this and that action for excessive bolt lift effort due to either decreased bolt lift angles in their design, or to a heavy mainspring, or both, I just had to ask.

I once had a truly short "Kurz-Mauser" actioned rifle. It was one of the early commercial mannlicher-stocked carbines that came mainly in 8x54 Mauser and .250 Savage IIRC (the short ones which I believe sold the most in NA). It operated very easily, but it was built to do so from the start, by Mauser. Sure wish I had it back. It would make an awfully sweet .260 Remington IF the magazine was long enough for the heavier bullets.

I once "engineered " myself into a corner when shortening a 91 for 22 Hornet. I made a new cocking piece that was threaded ala Rem, Sako, etc. to give anough spring action.

These alterations are mostly "Lookee what I did"

quote:

Originally posted by Duane Wiebe:
I once "engineered " myself into a corner when shortening a 91 for 22 Hornet. I made a new cocking piece that was threaded ala Rem, Sako, etc. to give anough spring action.

These alterations are mostly "Lookee what I did"

How much did you take out? I've imagined a '93-5-6 done for a .221 as you did with the '91.

Must have been a sweet lookin' little thing.

the top is a 1909 the bottom is a shortened 1909 in 250 Sav.



http://home.pipeline.com/~shoo...nimauser/mini98.html

both beautiful, but a shortened/straight grip/straight bolt/receiver sight in 250 is almost too much to ask for in one lifetime.

quote:

Originally posted by tin can:
both beautiful, but a shortened/straight grip/straight bolt/receiver sight in 250 is almost too much to ask for in one lifetime.

And with a Model 70-style safety to boot!

Out of curiosity, who built it?

quote:

Originally posted by Alberta Canuck:

quote:

Originally posted by tin can:
both beautiful, but a shortened/straight grip/straight bolt/receiver sight in 250 is almost too much to ask for in one lifetime.

And with a Model 70-style safety to boot!

Out of curiosity, who built it?

-so dazzled I missed it. I think there is info on the website richj provided.

I called Gary. He remembers doing it but couldn't remember who did the metal. The seller said Blackburn made it.

quote:

Originally posted by richj:
I called Gary. He remembers doing it but couldn't remember who did the metal. The seller said Blackburn made it.

Thanks,Rich. A very sweet rifle in one of my all time favourite chamberings for western U.S. deer. You are a tasteful and lucky man.

That .250 is so beautifully done I'm committing the sins of lust and envy so bad I need to go to confession and I'm not Catholic. Just gorgeous!

Jerry Liles

Really making me consider taking the M98 action I have downstairs and shortening it. Then maybe a SR....

Definitely do NOT need another project!

Another good article on shortening a Mauser 98 is in the ACGG publication "Gunmaker" summer of 2008 issue # 123 written by guild member and talented gunsmith Steve Nelson.