Just got a mauser 98 a couple of weeks ago and was wondering... when i cycle the bolt, the bolt catches on the magazine when you go to push the bolt forward unless the magazine is loaded. Is this true of all Mauser's, and what's the best way to fix it?

quote:

Originally posted by model7LSS:
Just got a mauser 98 a couple of weeks ago and was wondering... when i cycle the bolt, the bolt catches on the magazine when you go to push the bolt forward unless the magazine is loaded. Is this true of all Mauser's, and what's the best way to fix it?

Thats the built in safety feature of a military M98 to tell the grunt when his magazine is empty and time to reload, in the heat of battle.

You just grind the lump off the follower rear edge if you don't like that.

It really ain't a bad feature for any rifle, especially a DGR.
Just push the follower down to close the empty rifle.

is as described but the other part of your question, not all were set up like that. vz-24's, yugoslavians, at least some of them, some south american models didn't have that feature. the good thing of those, the follower isn't notched on the lh side and hence doesn't ride up as high and is very much quieter and smoot closing the bolt on an empty magazine. the ones notched to provide a hold open feature, the bolt has to actually depress the follower somewhat to get it out of the way after the rear edge is bevelled. if you know someone w/ a welder - that you can trust - a couple spots of weld metal for and aft in conjunction w/the bevelling gives the same feel. granted , is kinda irrelevant in use but in just general handling of the unloaded gun feels smoother.

i dont know much on the history.well for that much dont know a thing. the gun came from a family member and it had been sporterized to 270 win. I just sent it to have it cleaned up nice and i only remember the serial # starting with 23. It has what im guessing is the Nazi Eagle below the Serial #. is there any other markings i need to be looking for?

I ground a bevel on the back of the follower...A nazi era M98 will have a three letter code that tells where it was made [mine has byf, which is the Mauser Oberndorf factory],a date [year of manufacture ] ,and of course the eagle over swastika inspection marks.Give use the markings an we'll tell you more about it.

on the top of the action it has in small print 135, then a larger byf, and below that 44. the barrel is not factory and has no markings.