I have a M48 that is a real effort on working the bolt and I read on other sites that this is normal
for the 48's. Will these actions respond kindly to
smoothing work or would it be a waste of time?
I've heard both ways but with this sites wealth of
experence I thought I'd ask. Thanks 3006va

I've got 2 M48's, and they aren't as slick as a DWM, but are better than most K98's.

I don't think that's normal at all. I have one, and in picking it I handled several dozen. None were that way. I would start by taking the barreled action out of the stock and then working the bolt -- you may have a high spot in the action inletting area in the center of the action, causing the action to 'bow' when you torque down the screws. Also take a look at the extractor - sometimes they rub excessively on the right side of the rear bridge / bolt raceway; that problem could be polished away. As a last resort, you could coat the bolt with Dykem or something like it and work it a few times, to see what it dragging.

Several things could cause this, you just need to figure out what.

Good luck
Todd

Could it be that the bolt is a mis-match?
Back this past summer, I compared my 8MM with my brothers, with exchanging the bolts. His bolt was slightly fatter then mine, and would be very hard to chamber a round, whereas my bolt slipped in his rifle with no problem.
With this, I would think the bolt size may be slightly too large for the action. ~~~Suluuq

3006va--

Start taking parts out of and off of the bolt until it stops dragging. The last part you took off was the problem.......then figure out why it wasn't right.

Sounds like the cam on either the cocking piece or the bolt is trying to gauld when it cams against the cam angle at the rear of the bolt body. Try a different cocking piece. Either one may not be hard enough or someone has attempted to polish the cams. Thats a no-no as these precisley fitting cam angles can be distroyed.
Does it have a "gritty" feel when you lift the bolt handle?

Thanks guy's, I was compairing this one to my 48A
and it's alot harder to work. I beleive I can
smooth it. It is a mismatched and there seems to
be two rough spots,one when lifting up on the bolt
(after dry fireing,head space not checked yet so no live rounds yet)while it is cocking and then again when the front one third of the bolt is going in the rear ring(this can be made alittle
easyer by holding pressure of the bolt handle to
the right side).I'll degrease and blacken alittle
and then do a little polishing. I beleive that will get it right. Thanks again 3006va

Take a look at your cocking cam in the back of the bolt; maybe a little judicious application of grease to see if it helps? Don't try to polish it if it's rough -- it's a compound / helical angle. The rear of the front lugs is another place to look. Try a blunt dental pick or similar instrument to make sure the receiver lug recesses aren't full of gunk.

The other hangup is likely the front of the extractor rubbing against the right side of the bolt race. I have encountered that myself.

Rough though it is, my M-48 has become one of my favorite Mausers. It is matching (only one I've seen that way at Dunham's Sports!), right down to the walnut stock and teak handguard -- both numbered. Now that's a dilema, replace to match or keep it matching...

Good luck,
Todd

my 48 has a rough spot from when the extractor spring goes it to the reciever.If you push in on it the bolt closes easier.I thought about tapping it with a dead blow hammer to see if it takes some of the arc out .

[ 01-04-2003, 19:17: Message edited by: jb ]