Are these pits too deep to save this Mauser?

30 October 2003, 04:04

Recoil Rob

From my 1935 Chilean. They are no deeper than the "MAUSER" stamping and are the only ones on the action.

Is this one worth saving for a custom project or not? Would they be ground down or filled with weld?

30 October 2003, 04:14

jeffeosso

these are fine... I would do it a matte finish hot blue, NOT rust blue
jeffe

30 October 2003, 04:16

TC1

quote:
Originally posted by jeffeosso:
these are fine... I would do it a matte finish hot blue, NOT rust blue
jeffe

Yea, but can they be fixed? Not my rifle but I'm interested

Thanks,
Terry

30 October 2003, 04:23

Chargar

Those pits are too deep to be polished or ground out without removing too much metal. However, they can be filled by welding and then polished down. This is not the job for the local auto body shop, the person doing this must know what he is doing so as not to soften the receiver. This is speciality shop work.

30 October 2003, 04:27

Scrollcutter

The pitting on the action is borderline. You do get to a point of diminishing returns. Cost versus value. It would be "way" cheaper to start with a good action.

30 October 2003, 05:37

Recoil Rob

PODR! (Point Of Diminishing Returns), that's what I'm interested in. Probably better off selling the gun whole (all the numbers match) to a collector and starting over.

Thanks, Rob

30 October 2003, 05:59

<Long Shot>

Is it possible to bead-blast the action and pitted areas, then fill the pits with several applications of Gun Kote, sand flush, then refinish the entire action with Gun Kote?

30 October 2003, 07:21

z1r

If the pits truely are no deeper than the crest and lettering then you can remove them. You would likely have a custom surface ground anyway.

Here is a pic of a VZ24 action with the markings removed from the left rail:

That is lint on the left hand side of the receiver not scratches.

If you are not sure about the depth of pits though you may want to hold out for a better action. It all comes down to how much you want to spend or how badly you want to use that particular action.

30 October 2003, 08:03

Scrollcutter

The lettering can be recut if that is a consideration.

The pits appear (in the photograph) to be deeper than the lettering.

30 October 2003, 08:19

Recoil Rob

The wonders of digital photography! Here's a close up and it looks that the pit may be deeper than the lettering.

I'll look for a better action.

thanks to all,

Rob

30 October 2003, 10:06

scot

If you can stand to use one of the spray and bake "finishes", you can fill them with glue. Bead or sand blast it. Fill the caverns with JB weld. Polish with backed sandpaper, then lightly blast. Spray and bake. It would be fine for a beater. Not the makings of a high quality rifle though.

30 October 2003, 10:38

Recoil Rob

Thanks Scot but I have plenty of "beaters" don't need another.
Nope, this was to be the basis for a good custom rifle, I'll keep looking.

Thanks, Rob

30 October 2003, 11:14

Mark

I think I have posted this elsewhere, but the filling and GunKote treatment works quite well. Rob I know this isn't what you are wanting to do, but for interested others I'll say it looks quite nice. I used stuff called autobody glazing compound, it comes in an elephant sized toothpaste tube and you fill it, then lightly sand it, then finish. Does a great job of hiding pits and what I used it for, which was someone engraving their name on the side of the receiver.

30 October 2003, 12:05

Atkinson

I wouldn't waste my time on that gun..the pits are too deep and actions are cheap, get a good one without any pits is my suggestion...sell that one. Also I hate to put heat that close to the receiver ring...never know!

30 October 2003, 14:34

Customstox

I believe you will find that the pits are below the stock line, that is why they got there, under the stock and water accumulated. Build the rifle, the stock will hide them. They will not diminish the strenght or the looks of the rifle. For $50 I will not tell your friends they are there.

30 October 2003, 15:30

Clark

Some problems can be TIG welded over [$5], like where I slipped when grinding off the charging hump of this VZ24.

31 October 2003, 03:26

Recoil Rob

Actually Chic, the two major pits are above the stock line.

Just curioius as to what kind of money would it add to the job to have it welded and ground correctly.

Rob

31 October 2003, 04:06

Customstox

Rob, I would not weld on the front ring. Surface grinding will take that one out and leave you with a good product. It is difficult to grind on the rail portion as you normally grind in the direction of the axis and the radius of the wheel may not allow you to get all of the pit out or get that close to he front ring. The person grinding may be able to turn the action at 90 degrees and free up the fixture so that the opearator could then turn the action by hand and leave the wheel stationary. I have some photos around here somewhere of the surface grinding set up and will post them here if they can be located. The rail certainly has enough metal to withstand grinding but if it was me I would want the Oberndorf stuff to stay there so minimal grindng would be best. Ask a welder if he could hook up running water to the front ring and let it pass through on a slow stream to keep that portion cool as he welded that area. John Hackley did that on an incredible rifle he built some years ago. What hd did do was to run the water slowly and he set the action in an uphill manner so that water had to pool in the front ring before it spilled out the loading port. BTW, John had a color case company in Missouri before his untimely death to cancer. He really knew what a person could do with metal.

I would surface grind the front ring and then do a minimal on the rail so I could save the lettering. You will want to surface grind anyway so the $65 to $100 for that operation is not an additional expense. Surface grinding will also clean up the stripper clip hump on the rear so you can put commercial mauser bases on the action. I see the cost here as just in the welding. It is important to get someone that knows what they are doing. Reheat treating is a good thought at the end of the day in any circumstances.

[ 10-30-2003, 19:11: Message edited by: Customstox ]