Kurtc,

I am not sure as I bought it this way.All I know is that it is being replaced, I would like to know what would cause it to do this.

Doug

The flip over the top safety is the original 3-postion mauser. Left-fire, center-safe, right-safe and locked. It is the best ever designed for reliability, but it therefore causes the cocking piece to move a great deal when changing positions. A good smith can stone the rear detents to smooth out the movement, but it will not be as quiet or easy as the FN 2-positon style.

It sounds like someone has messed with the trigger (original or aftermarket) and the sear is not holding back the cocking piece. Have the trigger looked at first, as replacing the safety may not solve your problem.

It depends on what model trigger and safety are on it. Side (trigger locking) safeties are all junk, but they fail for different reasons. Usually some fool tries to adjust it too light. Bolt safeties are always the best, be they wing, FN style or even those awkward M-70 versions.

It has one of the old flip over the top safeties that is snug up against the scope when on safe. I was going to have it replaced anyway because of that and also because it set off safe quite loud, a loud CLICK.

Doug

I assume it has an aftermarket trigger/safety on it, as it would be near impossible for that to happen with an original VZ-24 safety and trigger.

Jerry Kuhnhausen's book "Mauser Bolt Actions: A Shop Manual" has a detailed description of what causes the issue you have. It's often caused by the improper installation of the after-market safeties when cocking piece is modified incorrectly.

Doug, what you are describing is not that uncommon. The original Mauser safety, and aftermarket ones like on your rifle, have to lift the cocking piece off of the trigger sear. You can watch that by engaging the safety and watching the cocking piece move rearward. This is probably not happening on with your rifle. When the safety is on and you pull the trigger, the cocking piece/firing pin moves forward and is caught by the safety. It is no longer being held by the trigger sear but only by the safety. When the safety is released, the rifle will fire.

There are several that can cause this condition. The most common one is that the person fitting the safety took too much material off of the front of the cocking piece attempting to make the safety easier to engage. (Mission accomplished.) Replacing the safety itself will not cure the problem. It will probably require replacement of the cocking piece. Luckily, they are not expensive.

I'm not trying to talk you out of installing a 3 position safety. I'm just pointing out that it isn't necessary and probably won't cure what ails you.

What would cause my rifle to fire when I take the safety off? I am having a 3 pos installed on the rifle after that incident.

Thanks

Doug

KurtC,

Thanks for the advice, I did not know to look at the trigger as well. I will probably just have them both replaced when I send it out for safeties sake. It is a great shooter and I still shoot it and I will until I send it off, I just want it working properly.

Doug