In my quest for the ultimate lightweight whitetail thumper, i have been playing with some rather drastic modifications. The latest edition features bottom metal that has the mag box reduced in height by some .5". This has led to some interesting problems, notably the trigger. The current solution uses the standard Mauser trigger setup, with the trigger itself suitably shortened, and converted from 2 stage to single stage. While perfectly safe, as you can imagine, the trigger pull is somewhat stout. Taking coils off the trigger spring is not a good solution-tried that, had a few cases of the sear slipping, and the firing pin following the bolt down. Not good. After market triggers (that I'm familiar with, i.e. Timney, Bold) won't work, as the housing is too "tall" to fit the shortened height.
So, any ideas/suggestions?

Yes. Install a German double-set trigger of the type that is inletted and soldered into the trigger-guard. These use a "kick-off" piece that replaces the trigger in the sear piece. When you use these, the set trigger "jumps up" to hit the kickoff, releasing the striker. There should be enough distance between the set trigger extension and the kickoff piece to compensate for the reduced space caused by your alteration.



Then practice with it until you can use the DST instinctively, and you will have not only a light, handy rifle, but also the best of all possible triggers on it!!



I think Brownell's has such triggers.

Thanks for the tip-I'll look into it...

The Dayton-Traister trigger is quite similar in profile to the military Mauser trigger. maybe it would work with some mods.

There is more than one way to turn a milsurp trigger into a single stage. Grinding off the hump is by far the worst soloution, I liked my original better than that. But if you use a bit of silver solder, JB weld or sometihing of that ilk to build up the underneath of the reciever where the trigger hump makes contact it will reduce the pull while maintaining the bit of leverage that the hump provides. That and some judicial stoning of the sear will give a good, very reliable trigger if its done carefully.

Absolutely LOVE my dayton--traister trigger. Out of the box is smoother than my timney and feels better. can predict the sear break.

Pedestal,

Reduced magazine rifles are popular in Europe. Voere of Austria make a few in their 98 mauser line. They have a non-adjustable trigger for a three shot magazine but it goes for about 150. US
I was in contact with D-T and was told that way back when in the golden age of sporterizing mil surps. they made a mauser trigger for a reduced magazine mauser. As of this date there are none available at the company , maybe one will turn up on the auction sites. So I guess its possible to have one altered. If you use the military the floorplate, the release button housing might get in the way of the trigger housing.
I found it easier to put together the parts for a Remington Model 7 with the reduced magazine. Rifle Basic offers the trigger thats a 1/2" shorter and there is a gentleman in NC who cuts stocks for this modification. I got most of the parts after a few years of looking, now just waiting for the extra cash to start.
Anything is possible with the right amount of cash and time for a good metalsmith. Also there is a good article in Gun Digest 2000 about this modification and Dave Westbrook who wrote a book on stockmaking built a 33/40 reduced magazine for his personal rifle, pictured in his book. Hope this helps, good luck.
Bob

For what its worth, I have had two dayton traister triggers break of me..the flat spring seems to stress and snap..

There are some good trigger men that can turn a milsurp trigger into a very usable hunting trigger with out slack and install a trigger stop..They can shorten the trigger also...I think Dennis Olsen could do this..

I would opt for a set of double set triggers..I love them for running shots offhand....just pull the gun out front a bit and touch the trigger...BTW that was what the double set trigger was designed for, according to Jack Belk......I belive him correct on that because they sure do work for that.

Really appreciate the info, folks... I wasn't aware of factory reduced capacity mags-there really is nothing new under the sun, is there. I think I might give the DT unit a look. I hate to invest in the rather pricey double set job from Brownells, on what has been so far a cheap experiment, and find it wont work. Suppose I could always use it on something else if it didn't though....

I replace the sear spring in Mausers with spring of a higher spring index ratio [made from finer wire and thus lower force].

I grind the rear hump off the trigger.



I also mill a place to silver solder an adjustment:

Picture of Mauser trigger modification from McFarland's book on gunsmithing

Picture of a Mauser trigger I have modified, but not ground off the rear hump yet

I always add the take up screw adjustment, but I usually grind a nail to length and put it inside the new spring for overtravel. But in that picture I have drilled and tapped into the spring cowelling on the sear for an overtravel adjustment screw.



I can modify Mauser triggers with no cost but my own effort:

1) take up

2) force

3) overtravel



The results are better than a new Bold or Timeny trigger, but if one violates the instructions, breaks the seal on the screws, and adjusts a Bold trigger, the results are just as good as MY trigger mods.

Clark:
Looks interesting. Where do you get the new spring?

I got 1000 assorted springs for $5 mail order once.
I pick from there for Mausers.

In other guns besides Mausers, I often use a ball point pen spring to replace the trigger spring.