Hi all, I've seen a couple of these on Gunbroker and auction arms.
Has anyone ever handled one or shot it?
I'm wondering if the action was bored out to allow the round to chamber and if the front locking lugs have any contact or is it just the rear lug that locks it up? How strong would this be for bolt thrust?

I saw one article online about the shear strength on M-98 lugs being 14,000 pounds with a factor of saftey of 2.
So if both the front lugs weren't doing anything and assumeing the rear lug is about the same size, then it should be able to handle around 7000 lbs of thrust on the rear lug?

Maybe a 20 or 12 bore slug gun on an M-98. It could be interesting. Keep loaded length to 3". Maybe fit a Mossberg box magazine to it to have 2 rounds in the box? Maybe I should do this with my action if it turns out the front lower lug is cracked.

Thoughts?

http://www.deerstalker.com/mauser_action.htm

http://www.auctionarms.com/search/displayitem.cfm?itemn...ser%2012ga%20Shotgun

I haven't seen one of these for several years, but my understanding is that they are not very safe due to amount of metal removed to fit a 12 ga round. Again, it has been several years, and I might be wrong. Hopefully someone far more knowledgeable than me will answer your question.

I've got one of the Remo guns. It's pretty much the same as the Geha but with a nice Orbendorf style stock. You can forget about making a slug gun out of them. There is WAY too much metal hogged out and the bolt face is a seperate part.

That said, it's a neat old gun.

quote:

Originally posted by billhilly66:
I've got one of the Remo guns. It's pretty much the same as the Geha but with a nice Orbendorf style stock. You can forget about making a slug gun out of them. There is WAY too much metal hogged out and the bolt face is a seperate part.

That said, it's a neat old gun.

Billhilly - Does yours still have ANY front locking lugs? I have read a lot about them but never seen one in person. Seems like I read that the Remo guns were modified to lock solely on the root of the bolt handle. Is that true or false?

AC,
It does have lugs on the bolt, just no recesses for them to lock into. It locks up on the rear bolt lug only. The inside of the receiver was hogged out to fit the 12 ga shell and I guess that took care of the recesses. Also, it’s a push feed (sort of).
The recoil lug has a chunk milled out of it for a spring that holds one shell in the magazine and when the shell in the chamber is ejected, it kind of ‘jumps’ up into battery. There is a curved guard that bolts on to the left side of the receiver that keeps the shell from ‘jumping’ all the way out.
I’ve fired AA target loads and # 7 ½ Wally world specials in it with no problem so it does work with 2 ¾ inch stuff (I was afraid it was 2 ½ only). I wouldn’t shoot any heavy stuff in it because of the way it locks up and it’s so light I’d be afraid the stock wouldn’t take it. It’s got a seriously tight full choke and patterns like a rifle. All and all, it’s a cool old relic of the 20’s.

Here’s some pics. I don’t have my camera so cell phone pics are as good as it gets.

if anyone is interested, i have 1 for sale--pm an offer.

They are as safe as any bolt action shotgun. They have a seperate bolt head. It is from firing the gun without a bolt head that gives it a bad rep.
Good luck!

The older editions of "The Bolt Action Rifle" by Frank DeHaas covers the Geha in detail. I see them for sale now and again, and always thought they'd be fun loaded with buckshot for hunting deer in thick cover. You could put peep sights on it easily, but the cost of gunsmithing would soon exceed the value of the gun.

Another one of those "maybe later" projects.


Okie John

billhilly-

Thanks for the explanation and the pics!!

I had always wondered about them, as over the years there have been conflicting reports about their safety with high-base loads.

Even the NRA warned against them at one point in time. Apparently they have had one or more in their collection for many years, but I don't know what, if any, testing they may or may not have done.

It is refreshing to get a report from someone who owns and has actually used one.

Alberta Canuck,
If you campare shotgun loads there is not much comparison. The 12 gauge heavy hitters pressure with be around 1300 to 1400 psi compared to 50,000 +/- in some rifles.

This is a 12 Ga. pictured, right?

Maybe a 20 gauge would leave enough to get the lucgs something to hold. A 20 Ga. slug does work nicely on deer...

Yes, it's a 12 ga. I don't know if going to a 20 would make much difference. Might noot feed well with the recess for the lugs in the way. Besides, it only holds 1 down and the action feels like crap when cycled. They just had to change too many things to make a 98 a shotgun IMO. I used to thing one of the Gehas would make a good slug gun, then I got my Remo and changed my mind.

quote:

Originally posted by Customstox:
Alberta Canuck,
If you campare shotgun loads there is not much comparison. The 12 gauge heavy hitters pressure with be around 1300 to 1400 psi compared to 50,000 +/- in some rifles.

Yeh, Chic, I had already noted that, and agree it makes good sense.

I do also recall in the old days shotgun shells would sometimes blow out at the edge of the rim when not properly aupported. So I thought this was an appropriate opportunity to ask about HIS actual experience with HIS gun.

Sometimes all the logic and conjecture I can muster still somes up with the wrong answer, so just thought I'd find out from a real user's own words. Nothin' quite like having actually been there.......

quote:

Originally posted by Customstox:
Alberta Canuck,
If you campare shotgun loads there is not much comparison. The 12 gauge heavy hitters pressure with be around 1300 to 1400 psi compared to 50,000 +/- in some rifles.

You need an extra "0" on there.
Check the loading data at Hodgdon's I came up with max loads of 12,000 for 20ga, 13,700 for 12ga 3 1/2 and 11,500 for 3 and 2 3/4", and 11,000 for 10 ga.

I think that a 20 ga slug gun could be fun. I'm thinking of sending my H&R handi rifle off for the extra barrel program and get an Ultra 20 ga heavy barrel fit to it, then use it as a blank for this. I think they are around $70 ish. Unless I can find another 20 ga blank somewhere. Maybe shoot some 900gn cast slugs? like a 600 Nitro short.
I'll have to get one of those wierd *ss bolts on e-bay though.