Guys,

I've got an Israeli .308 Mauser action that I've been working on. I ground off the loading flange, drilled and tapped it, and welded on a bolt handle. But the Leupold standard base overhangs on the back of the rear bridge on the camming surface that the bolt handle crosses to unlock the bolt lugs. Do you guys just grind the base back? Is there a smaller base that fits without doing this? Is it because it's a shorter large ring in the .308 cal?

Thanks,

Steve

Sounds as though you drilled the holes in the bridge too far to the rear.

Doug,

It could be, but I used the Wheeler Eng jig, followed the instructions, and the holes are equidistant from the front and rear on the fore but not the aft bridge. On the shorter Mausers, like the M24, what's shorter? Are the bridges the same length and just the ejection port is shorter?

Steve

Recontour the back of the base if it won't otherwise affect the ability to lock down the ring.

Clemson

Clemson,

Yes, I'll do that. Thanks.

I've had the same problem with the same equipment. Just ground off back of rear base. The wheeler eng. jig is cool and works pretty well, you've just got to be very careful.

I like to recontour the rear bridge to accept FN type two piece mounts on the Mausers I work on. The trick to using the Wheeler jig to drill for FN type two piece mounts is to remove the locator pin after you've drilled the front two mount holes and reposition the jig all the way forward before drilling the rear mount holes. By doing so, the mount is far enough forward on the rear bridge to not need any grinding. Also, it covers up the open space where the stripper guide was. Just bear in mind that if you do so, you may not be able to use a one piece mount later.

My jc higgins model 50 fn mauser with luepold 2 piece I had to file a little corner off the rear base so the bolt would clear. I have another FN that fits perfect and then another that the rear holes are way to far back. I used Redfields 2 peice base on that one. The redfield rear is centered not a reverseable.

I gotta break down and try some talleys next.

I had the same problem with Leupold two piece mounts on a JC Higgins Model 50. I also filed the lower corner off of the base just over the extractor cam on the rear reciever bridge. Not much, only 1/16 inch or so. It works fine now.

Thanks, all,

I'm glad I'm not the only one who's run into this. It looks like the amount of filing that I'll need to do is pretty minor.

Steve

quote:

Originally posted by skl1:
Doug,

It could be, but I used the Wheeler Eng jig, followed the instructions, and the holes are equidistant from the front and rear on the fore but not the aft bridge.
Steve

Ah yes, the Wheeler drill and tap jig, my favorite Ouija [weegee] board.

I am going to use mine today.
My first question for the Ouija is, "Is my Mauser short?"