Guys,

Have done a fail amount of milling on pistol stuff, but not on rifles. Made fixtures for the 1911 to do that.

What is the correct way to hold a mauser action for milling the rails?

Thanks!

Upside down.

Malm,

OK ... guess I deserved that.

OK to put holding pressure on the side of the rings? Use V block?

Really is a serious question ... ain't done this before and don't want to do a dummy!

How about one of these?

Wheeler Rail Milling Fixture

It does look like something a semi-talented machinist could make fairly easily though.

I think Mark Stratton, who posts here, has a book out with pictures of fixtures holding Mauser receivers.

There is more than one way to skin that cat.

I made one from a block of steel the size of a sandwich, that comes in from above and picks up the bolt lug races. I use that for milling out the welded bolt handle relief. Making it from steel means extra time at the mill to make it.

quote:

Originally posted by mstarling:
Malm,

OK ... guess I deserved that.

OK to put holding pressure on the side of the rings? Use V block?

Really is a serious question ... ain't done this before and don't want to do a dummy!

Actually I was going to continue with my initial reply but had customers show up as I was typing and now they are gone, soooo where were we.

Oh yeah, depending on what I am doing I will use various receiver mandrels, "V" blocks, clamps and my milling vise to hold the action. For rail work, my machine vise sees the brunt of the action. It takes just a few minutes to set it up and get things square. The set up doesn't have to be elaborate, just solid. Good luck.