Broken Mauser Safety

Amsdorf · October 20, 2012, 09:35 AM

Received beautiful K98, made in 1941, matching numbers on receiver, bolt, stock, etc. Nazi proof marks intact.

But....the safety "tang" snapped off in shipping. The guy who shipped it to me shipped it with the bolt in the rifle.

Have filed a claim with FedEx. How much has this diminished the value of the rifle?

And, how hard is it to replace the safety? Any suggestions?

Here's a pic.

tobnpr · October 20, 2012, 10:14 AM

Easy to replace, and cheap.
I only own one Mauser, a 24/47, and the safety lever never operated properly. A little home machining in an attempt to get it work only screwed it up worse.

They can be a real pain...

Far as value, I don't see how it would matter...they're pretty universal far as I know, and not serialized- so you'd never know if the broken one were "original" to the weapon, or not.

Amsdorf · October 20, 2012, 10:36 AM

Are you aware of any instructions online? Have been looking through YouTube and so far only videos of bolt take down.

PetahW · October 20, 2012, 02:15 PM

After the bolt's "taken down" & the FP/etc disassembled, IIRC the safety shaft simply slides out toward the rear of the housing.

The tip of the FP needs to be pressed against a piece of wood (military mausers have a brass roundel with a hole in the middle for this use), and the housing pressed forward to compress the mainspring, thus exposing the cocking piece's full length.

The cocking piece then can then be rotated 90-degrees with the fingers to disengage it with the FP's rear lugs, and removed.

The pressure in the MS & housing can then be eased, the old safety shaft removed, the new safety installed, then the housing reinstalled to re-compress the mainspring again while the cocking piece is also re-installed on the tail of the FP.

Have fun.

.

.

Scorch · October 20, 2012, 02:24 PM

I have several German M98 military safeties in my parts box, I can send you one if you like. Like PetahW said, replacement is easy.

Dfariswheel · October 20, 2012, 06:19 PM

Here's an old site that shows 100% disassembly of the rifle and the bolt.

The Mauser 98 bolt was designed to be easily disassembled by the user.

http://web.archive.org/web/201104270...r98k/index.asp

(Give it a few seconds to fully load, bolt disassembly link is on the right side)

James K · October 20, 2012, 08:53 PM

I find it hard to envision the force needed to break that safety off, plus it doesn't look right. Could it be a cast replacement?

Jim

TX Hunter · October 21, 2012, 05:49 PM

Your Right, the amount of force required to do that could potentialy break or stress crack the Cocking Piece and Firing pin. I wonder If that Rifle may have been damaged in Battle and stored like that for years.

October 20, 2012, 09:35 AM	#1
Amsdorf Junior member Join Date: July 24, 2011 Location: Saint Louis, Missouri Posts: 849	Broken Mauser Safety Received beautiful K98, made in 1941, matching numbers on receiver, bolt, stock, etc. Nazi proof marks intact. But....the safety "tang" snapped off in shipping. The guy who shipped it to me shipped it with the bolt in the rifle. Have filed a claim with FedEx. How much has this diminished the value of the rifle? And, how hard is it to replace the safety? Any suggestions? Here's a pic.

October 20, 2012, 02:24 PM	#5
Scorch Senior Member Join Date: February 13, 2006 Location: Washington state Posts: 15,248	I have several German M98 military safeties in my parts box, I can send you one if you like. Like PetahW said, replacement is easy. __________________ Never try to educate someone who resists knowledge at all costs. But what do I know? Summit Arms Services

October 20, 2012, 10:14 AM	#2
tobnpr Senior Member Join Date: August 1, 2010 Location: Tampa Bay Posts: 4,556	Easy to replace, and cheap. I only own one Mauser, a 24/47, and the safety lever never operated properly. A little home machining in an attempt to get it work only screwed it up worse. They can be a real pain... Far as value, I don't see how it would matter...they're pretty universal far as I know, and not serialized- so you'd never know if the broken one were "original" to the weapon, or not.

October 20, 2012, 10:36 AM	#3
Amsdorf Junior member Join Date: July 24, 2011 Location: Saint Louis, Missouri Posts: 849	Are you aware of any instructions online? Have been looking through YouTube and so far only videos of bolt take down.

October 20, 2012, 02:15 PM	#4
PetahW Senior Member Join Date: September 19, 2008 Posts: 4,678	After the bolt's "taken down" & the FP/etc disassembled, IIRC the safety shaft simply slides out toward the rear of the housing. The tip of the FP needs to be pressed against a piece of wood (military mausers have a brass roundel with a hole in the middle for this use), and the housing pressed forward to compress the mainspring, thus exposing the cocking piece's full length. The cocking piece then can then be rotated 90-degrees with the fingers to disengage it with the FP's rear lugs, and removed. The pressure in the MS & housing can then be eased, the old safety shaft removed, the new safety installed, then the housing reinstalled to re-compress the mainspring again while the cocking piece is also re-installed on the tail of the FP. Have fun. . .

October 20, 2012, 06:19 PM	#6
Dfariswheel Senior Member Join Date: May 4, 2001 Posts: 7,478	Here's an old site that shows 100% disassembly of the rifle and the bolt. The Mauser 98 bolt was designed to be easily disassembled by the user. http://web.archive.org/web/201104270...r98k/index.asp (Give it a few seconds to fully load, bolt disassembly link is on the right side)

October 20, 2012, 08:53 PM	#7
James K Member In Memoriam Join Date: March 17, 1999 Posts: 24,383	I find it hard to envision the force needed to break that safety off, plus it doesn't look right. Could it be a cast replacement? Jim

October 21, 2012, 05:49 PM	#8
TX Hunter Senior Member Join Date: February 11, 2010 Location: East Texas USA Posts: 1,805	Your Right, the amount of force required to do that could potentialy break or stress crack the Cocking Piece and Firing pin. I wonder If that Rifle may have been damaged in Battle and stored like that for years.