help with Timney trigger/Mauser

STEVE M · June 28, 2001, 05:22 PM

George or Jim (or anyone ;with experience), I need help in a hurry. I just put my new Timney trigger (sportsman model) in my 98 Mauser. The cocking piece falls when the bolt is shoved fast, and if the trigger is pulled when the safety is on, and then you disengage the safety is will fire. According to the directions I need to file or grind down surface #9. The drawing is unclear as to what part #9 is.It would seem to be the front of the cocking piece on the bolt (that engages the sear). My understanding of this is that I need to shorten this (front to back) so that it will engage the trigger's sear latter. Is this correct? I don't mind filing and grinding but I want to make sure that I am on the right part, and have the mechanics down correctely.
Thanks, Steve

James K · June 28, 2001, 08:12 PM

The front of the cocking piece is the part to grind; you have to let the sear rise to keep the striker cocked. Be sure you keep the angle at 90 degrees and proceed slowly. Note that if too much metal is removed, you could have problems moving the safety out of the fire position.

But once you grind on it, the cocking piece may be unusable with the original sear, so make sure you intend for the Timney job to be permanent. Mostly those triggers go in OK with no grinding needed, so you might also check the general condition of the rifle and whether its parts are mismatched.

Jim

STEVE M · June 29, 2001, 05:14 AM

I think the parts are ok as far as matching. I had a gunsmith install a Bueller type safety on it and check the rifle over when I first got it. The rest of the installation with easy except for the problems noted. This will be permenant, I see no reason to ever go back to the awful trigger that it came with. Thanks, Jim

stuckatwork · June 29, 2001, 10:39 AM

Steve M,

Before you take a file to anything, make sure that that the adjustments on the trigger are set properly. There should be two allen screws held in place by small nuts. One is travel the other is pull. Look on the instructions and see which is which. Just becasue the instructions say "set at the factory, do not adjust" doesn't mean that someone didn't have a bad day. If your trigger pull is set too light, or the travel adjustment is to shallow, you will get the symptoms your are describing.

I am assuming that this is a surplus Mauser. Have you disassembled the bolt and cleaned away all that heavy grease? I have seen some of the bolts so gummed up with coagulated grease that the safety would not fully engage, the cocking mechanism would not turn and a bunch of other irratants. When replacing the grease in the bolt, I recommend the blue bearing grease made for wheel bearings. It will not harden up with heat and age.

God luck

STEVE M · June 29, 2001, 08:45 PM

Thanks for the help guys. A bit (actually a lot) of filing and grinding and the new trigger is in. I've checked for all of the problems listed in the instructions with no problems. I've got it adjusted down to a nice 2-1/4lb pull with very little take up, it is sweet!
Can you think of any other safety checks that I should/can do before a call this finished?
thanks again, Steve

James K · June 30, 2001, 08:55 PM

Sounds good, but here are three quick checks (with empty gun, of course):

1. With the bock cocked and the safety on, pull the trigger, hard. Release the safety. The firing should not drop.

2. With the bolt cocked and the safety on, drop the butt hard on a solid surface. Do the same with the safety off. The firing pin should not drop.

3. Work the bolt as fast as possible (safety must be off). The firing pin should not drop.

If those tests are OK, I see no problems in that area.

Jim

STEVE M · July 1, 2001, 02:13 PM

Thanks Jim, It passed with flying colors. If you thought I asked questions this time just wait until I start putting on the backup sights ( this is the begining of a sorta-scout project).

June 28, 2001, 05:22 PM	#1
STEVE M Senior Member Join Date: February 7, 1999 Location: TN. USA Posts: 607	help with Timney trigger/Mauser George or Jim (or anyone ;with experience), I need help in a hurry. I just put my new Timney trigger (sportsman model) in my 98 Mauser. The cocking piece falls when the bolt is shoved fast, and if the trigger is pulled when the safety is on, and then you disengage the safety is will fire. According to the directions I need to file or grind down surface #9. The drawing is unclear as to what part #9 is.It would seem to be the front of the cocking piece on the bolt (that engages the sear). My understanding of this is that I need to shorten this (front to back) so that it will engage the trigger's sear latter. Is this correct? I don't mind filing and grinding but I want to make sure that I am on the right part, and have the mechanics down correctely. Thanks, Steve

June 29, 2001, 05:14 AM	#3
STEVE M Senior Member Join Date: February 7, 1999 Location: TN. USA Posts: 607	I think the parts are ok as far as matching. I had a gunsmith install a Bueller type safety on it and check the rifle over when I first got it. The rest of the installation with easy except for the problems noted. This will be permenant, I see no reason to ever go back to the awful trigger that it came with. Thanks, Jim __________________ MOLON LABE! I've joined the 300.

June 29, 2001, 10:39 AM	#4
stuckatwork Senior Member Join Date: March 3, 2000 Posts: 217	Steve M, Before you take a file to anything, make sure that that the adjustments on the trigger are set properly. There should be two allen screws held in place by small nuts. One is travel the other is pull. Look on the instructions and see which is which. Just becasue the instructions say "set at the factory, do not adjust" doesn't mean that someone didn't have a bad day. If your trigger pull is set too light, or the travel adjustment is to shallow, you will get the symptoms your are describing. I am assuming that this is a surplus Mauser. Have you disassembled the bolt and cleaned away all that heavy grease? I have seen some of the bolts so gummed up with coagulated grease that the safety would not fully engage, the cocking mechanism would not turn and a bunch of other irratants. When replacing the grease in the bolt, I recommend the blue bearing grease made for wheel bearings. It will not harden up with heat and age. God luck __________________ These are the words of Stuckatwork. They don't represent the views or opinions of my employers. They aren't that clever.

June 29, 2001, 08:45 PM	#5
STEVE M Senior Member Join Date: February 7, 1999 Location: TN. USA Posts: 607	Thanks for the help guys. A bit (actually a lot) of filing and grinding and the new trigger is in. I've checked for all of the problems listed in the instructions with no problems. I've got it adjusted down to a nice 2-1/4lb pull with very little take up, it is sweet! Can you think of any other safety checks that I should/can do before a call this finished? thanks again, Steve __________________ MOLON LABE! I've joined the 300.

July 1, 2001, 02:13 PM	#7
STEVE M Senior Member Join Date: February 7, 1999 Location: TN. USA Posts: 607	Thanks Jim, It passed with flying colors. If you thought I asked questions this time just wait until I start putting on the backup sights ( this is the begining of a sorta-scout project). __________________ MOLON LABE! I've joined the 300.

June 28, 2001, 08:12 PM	#2
James K Member In Memoriam Join Date: March 17, 1999 Posts: 24,383	The front of the cocking piece is the part to grind; you have to let the sear rise to keep the striker cocked. Be sure you keep the angle at 90 degrees and proceed slowly. Note that if too much metal is removed, you could have problems moving the safety out of the fire position. But once you grind on it, the cocking piece may be unusable with the original sear, so make sure you intend for the Timney job to be permanent. Mostly those triggers go in OK with no grinding needed, so you might also check the general condition of the rifle and whether its parts are mismatched. Jim

June 30, 2001, 08:55 PM	#6
James K Member In Memoriam Join Date: March 17, 1999 Posts: 24,383	Sounds good, but here are three quick checks (with empty gun, of course): 1. With the bock cocked and the safety on, pull the trigger, hard. Release the safety. The firing should not drop. 2. With the bolt cocked and the safety on, drop the butt hard on a solid surface. Do the same with the safety off. The firing pin should not drop. 3. Work the bolt as fast as possible (safety must be off). The firing pin should not drop. If those tests are OK, I see no problems in that area. Jim