How much clearance is standard between the bolt and the action on the old Mausers? How much is too much?

I am working on my first Mauser build and I am using a K.Kale action. I have tried to go as cheap as I could on my first one so that the screw-ups will not be too painful. The bolt that I am using has quite a bit of slop to it.

Buck,

By design.. when the bolt is all the way back, it should more or less FLOP around... but when in battery, should be tight as a drum....

close tolerance is great for modern bolt guns, but the mauser is a battle rifle, meant for crappy environments.

jeffe

What makes it tight when closed? I am lapping the locking lugs now. Should I have the Bolt sleeve and firing pin installed on the bolt? I had taking those off to make it easier to turn the Bolt.

Buck,

Buck maybe this site can help.
http://www.mausercentral.com/action.htm

I use only the bolt and apply pressure from the front.

KEY ISSUE is a little goes a long way on a Mauser. You don't want to cut through the surface hardening.

nevermind.. thank z1r for the data

That will only square the torque shoulder to the threads, NOT to the bolt bore.

z1r, you are right. What Jeffe linked does nothing for the bolt flopping around. One of the tools is for lapping lugs and bolt face and the other is for the front of the C ring on the barrel side. Try again Jeffe.

Buck, when the bolt is open it will flop around and is meant to be that way. You will not fix that and it is not necessary.

The bolts on every mauser action I've used flibberty flopped around. Nothing to worry about.......and yes, that is a technical term.

quote:

Originally posted by Bill Soverns:
The bolts on every mauser action I've used flibberty flopped around. Nothing to worry about.......and yes, that is a technical term.

Yes it is a technical term but I don't think you are allowed to use such language as "flibberty" on this forum. At least not until the kids have gone to bed.

quote:

One of the tools is for lapping lugs and bolt face and the other is for the front of the C ring on the barrel side.

I read his second question as wanting to know about lapping the lugs. No longer worried the "flibberty flop" except if he needed to install the sleeve before he did the lapping. Squaring would be the next step.

quote:

Originally posted by z1r:
That will only square the torque shoulder to the threads, NOT to the bolt bore.

You are right, I'll stick to my original post on the matter,and if Chic and Bill agree with that position, it has to be right from just about any read. thanks for the support guys.

quote:

Originally posted by jeffeosso:
By design.. when the bolt is all the way back, it should more or less FLOP around... but when in battery, should be tight as a drum....

close tolerance is great for modern bolt guns, but the mauser is a battle rifle, meant for crappy environments.

jeffe

quote:

Originally posted by Customstox:
...when the bolt is open it will flop around and is meant to be that way. You will not fix that and it is not necessary.

quote:

Originally posted by Bill Soverns:
The bolts on every mauser action I've used flibberty flopped around. Nothing to worry about.......and yes, that is a technical term.

Teflon Jeffe, you sly one. You delete your reference to the item that does nothing for the problem and look like you know what you were talking about all along. One out of three ain't bad eh? Gotta keep the edit skills in fine tune.

Thanks for all of the replys.

Buck,