I am completing a M98 mauser project in .223 remington. The only sticker is the magazine. I tried a magazine kit but it did not solve the problem with the littel 223 cartridge. Does anyone have a work-around this feeding problem?

also..since this project is a poor man's benchrest gun..I need to figure out how to get the trigger down to less than 1/2 lb. any ideas or suggestions.

Just curious why the 223 and not something like a 22BR? I've never tried to make a 98 handle a 223 nor do I know of a trigger that will adjust down that far for a 98. Possible swapping springs. But I doubt the trigger geometry would allow it. My mkx style and Boyd triggers won't go that low with the spring backed all the way off.

.223--lots of cheap ammo to practice with or buy. The only thing left to do on this project is mount a scope, mod. the magazine..(I have a single shot follower in it right now), get the trigger right, and see if I can speed up the lock time. Seems the usual crop of adjustable triggers won't go that low...same experience here. Barrel is 1 in 8 twist. 21" long straigt 1.20" diameter. Just thought someone on here may have tried the same thing. No point re-inventing the wheel if I don't have to

Try a Timney Featherweight. I don't know how low they'll go, but its somewhat lower than a Sportsman will. And if you need one that gets any lighter, the price increases almost exponentially.

That said, can I see a picture of the boltface and extractor? I've always read about Mausers converted to .222 and .223, but never actually seen one. Also, I know of another guy working on this conversion and I think he's using a Ruger Mini-14 magazine to make it a repeater.

Hi Jason,

The bolt face was redone..looks like an original .223 case head bolt now. I don't see how to post a pic on here. what is the trick to doing that.
I have a timney...about 2lbs. is the lower limit for it. Just haven't seen a commercial trigger advertised for the mauser 98 that fits the benchrest bill...would be great to find a 2 oz trigger like a jewel! I know mausers are not the in platform for benchrest rifles, but hey I'm having fun. when I figure out how to post a pic here I'll post one of the bolt face and the rifle

quote:

Originally posted by Robert McLean:
Hi Jason,

The bolt face was redone..looks like an original .223 case head bolt now. I don't see how to post a pic on here. what is the trick to doing that.
I have a timney...about 2lbs. is the lower limit for it. Just haven't seen a commercial trigger advertised for the mauser 98 that fits the benchrest bill...would be great to find a 2 oz trigger like a jewel! I know mausers are not the in platform for benchrest rifles, but hey I'm having fun. when I figure out how to post a pic here I'll post one of the bolt face and the rifle

You need to get a picture host service to post such as photobucket. If you email me the pics, I'll post them for you.
donmarkey@comcast.net
-Don

OK converting a M98 magazine box to feed a 223.

You have to form a complete new box (insert) from sheet metal. It has to have the feed lips in the rear half. The front of the box will lay inside the front inside of the M98 magazine. You can weld in a cross piece to the rear of the new insert to line up the rear section of the insert. Needless to say some bending and fitting of the feed lips is needed. You can use a Remington M700 follower and magazine spring. The slot in the floorplate will have to be blocked in the rear to keep the magazine spring in the correct place.

I still have some of the last 222 extractors I made up years ago for these type of conversions.
FN remachined 30-06 bolts to accept the 222. This moves back the bolt face recess and shortens the front to rear distance fron the locking lugs to bolt face. Thus a totally differnet extractor.

I did one years ago on a M24 Mexican and used it for quite a while before I bought a Remingotn M700 VSSF in 1994.

Jim Wisner
Custom Metalsmith

thanks for the info Don and Jim. I will send you a photo Don. Jim since you did this before, what kind of trigger or trigger modification did you use?