K98 Mauser Misfires

LAlineman · November 24, 2011, 04:50 AM

I have a K98 Mauser I,m working on, but Misfires all rounds. I used different types of ammo( Surplus and modern). I checked the Headspacing with gauges and passed with flying colors. The firing pin protrusion is 0.060. which I beleive Min. is 0.055. The 3- pos. safety was indead on the fire Pos. To the Left. I,m stumped ! Any ideas would be greatly appreciated ! P.S. Most of the Primers did have very min. strikes on them. Maybe the firing pin is still too short ?

madcratebuilder · November 24, 2011, 06:42 AM

Firing pin spring?

ksstargazer · November 24, 2011, 08:07 AM

I am with madcratebuilder - get a wolff firing pin spring. That solved all my mauser misfire problems. Also, a good bolt cleaning is prudent.

mapsjanhere · November 24, 2011, 08:13 AM

Safety in wrong would be my guess.

grumpa72 · November 24, 2011, 08:38 AM

K98 makes that rifle 60+ years old and through multiple owners. How many of them maintained it properly? Btw, the firing pin spring is properly called a striker pin for the Mauser.

http://www.gunsprings.com/Rifles%20%...2/mID40/dID424

When I first acquired my Mauser, I bought the Wolff Service Pack and then learned how to strip and clean the bolt.

LAlineman · November 24, 2011, 11:37 AM

Thanks for the info guys, I,ll try a Wolff spring kit !

HankC1 · November 24, 2011, 02:38 PM

I had the same problem on a small ring mauser at one time. I thought was the spring or firing pin too short but soon realized the bolt was never cleaned and awfully dry, After cleaning the bolt and lub the bolt and firing pin a bit, problem solved!

Scorch · November 24, 2011, 04:08 PM

Disassemble and clean the bolt. If that does not cure the problem, check your firing pin protrusion, it should be around .050"-.058". If that is OK, get a new mainspring.

tobnpr · November 24, 2011, 04:26 PM

As others have stated, if the protrusion is correct, and the primer strikes look light, it could only be the spring...

MikeG · November 24, 2011, 06:02 PM

Aside from the firing pin spring, I've also heard of bolts packed with preservative grease inside. Even if the grease doesn't harden with age, the grease will impede the firing pin enough to give light strikes.

LAlineman · November 25, 2011, 02:28 PM

I have taken in all the Great Advise, I installed a new Wolff Striker Spring, Which by the way, was much "longer" than the original. Disassembled the bolt again, and found some crust-crud around the body! Re-assembled,lubed and installed. Going out tomorrow(Sat) to test fire.
I,ll keep all of you informed ! Thanks again, for making this a great forum !

LAlineman · November 27, 2011, 02:33 AM

UPDATE : After changing out the firing pin and setting protrusion to 0.060, also installed a 24# Wolff striker spring, The K98 Mauser fuctioned flawlessly !

40 rds.- No Misfires.

Thanks to all for the Help !

madcratebuilder · November 27, 2011, 08:06 AM

Quote:

UPDATE : After changing out the firing pin and setting protrusion to 0.060, also installed a 24# Wolff striker spring, The K98 Mauser fuctioned flawlessly !

40 rds.- No Misfires.

Thanks to all for the Help !

Good deal. Pretty common problem on these. Crusty crap in the bolt body and tired springs. If you shoot some of the east European surplus you find very hard primmers to boot.

James K · November 28, 2011, 07:38 PM

The 98 Mauser has a safety feature to keep the rifle from firing if the firing pin breaks when the bolt is not fully closed. That involves two small lugs at the front of the firing pin that fit into cuts in the inside of the bolt. Unfortunately, those cuts tend to be places that fill up with grease and dirt and either keep the firing pin from moving forward or slow it down. So careful cleaning of the inside of the bolt is often necessary, not just the usual "dip it in gasoline" cleaning.

Another thing that can cause misfires is the presence in the bolt of small discs of brass from "pierced" primers. The real cause of "pierced" primers is a light mainspring that allows primer metal to force the firing pin back and extrude through the firing pin hole into the bolt. A few rounds fired under those conditions can leave that primer brass in the bolt and slow or stop the firing pin.

Jim

November 24, 2011, 04:50 AM	#1
LAlineman Member Join Date: October 28, 2009 Location: Los Angeles, Ca. Posts: 82	K98 Mauser Misfires I have a K98 Mauser I,m working on, but Misfires all rounds. I used different types of ammo( Surplus and modern). I checked the Headspacing with gauges and passed with flying colors. The firing pin protrusion is 0.060. which I beleive Min. is 0.055. The 3- pos. safety was indead on the fire Pos. To the Left. I,m stumped ! Any ideas would be greatly appreciated ! P.S. Most of the Primers did have very min. strikes on them. Maybe the firing pin is still too short ?

November 24, 2011, 08:13 AM	#4
mapsjanhere Senior Member Join Date: August 6, 2009 Location: Albuquerque Posts: 2,832	Safety in wrong would be my guess. __________________ I used to love being able to hit hard at 1000 yards. As I get older I find hitting a mini ram at 200 yards with the 22 oddly more satisfying.

November 24, 2011, 04:08 PM	#8
Scorch Senior Member Join Date: February 13, 2006 Location: Washington state Posts: 15,248	Disassemble and clean the bolt. If that does not cure the problem, check your firing pin protrusion, it should be around .050"-.058". If that is OK, get a new mainspring. __________________ Never try to educate someone who resists knowledge at all costs. But what do I know? Summit Arms Services

November 24, 2011, 06:42 AM	#2
madcratebuilder Senior Member Join Date: November 2, 2007 Location: Northern Orygun Posts: 4,923	Firing pin spring?

November 24, 2011, 08:07 AM	#3
ksstargazer Senior Member Join Date: December 28, 2004 Location: Flint Hills of Kansas Posts: 316	I am with madcratebuilder - get a wolff firing pin spring. That solved all my mauser misfire problems. Also, a good bolt cleaning is prudent.

November 24, 2011, 08:38 AM	#5
grumpa72 Senior Member Join Date: April 5, 2009 Posts: 487	K98 makes that rifle 60+ years old and through multiple owners. How many of them maintained it properly? Btw, the firing pin spring is properly called a striker pin for the Mauser. http://www.gunsprings.com/Rifles%20%...2/mID40/dID424 When I first acquired my Mauser, I bought the Wolff Service Pack and then learned how to strip and clean the bolt.

November 24, 2011, 11:37 AM	#6
LAlineman Member Join Date: October 28, 2009 Location: Los Angeles, Ca. Posts: 82	Thanks for the info guys, I,ll try a Wolff spring kit !

November 24, 2011, 02:38 PM	#7
HankC1 Senior Member Join Date: April 4, 2005 Location: Ohio Posts: 531	I had the same problem on a small ring mauser at one time. I thought was the spring or firing pin too short but soon realized the bolt was never cleaned and awfully dry, After cleaning the bolt and lub the bolt and firing pin a bit, problem solved!

November 24, 2011, 04:26 PM	#9
tobnpr Senior Member Join Date: August 1, 2010 Location: Tampa Bay Posts: 4,556	As others have stated, if the protrusion is correct, and the primer strikes look light, it could only be the spring...

November 24, 2011, 06:02 PM	#10
MikeG Senior Member Join Date: April 2, 2002 Location: Falcon Colorado Posts: 256	Aside from the firing pin spring, I've also heard of bolts packed with preservative grease inside. Even if the grease doesn't harden with age, the grease will impede the firing pin enough to give light strikes.

November 25, 2011, 02:28 PM	#11
LAlineman Member Join Date: October 28, 2009 Location: Los Angeles, Ca. Posts: 82	I have taken in all the Great Advise, I installed a new Wolff Striker Spring, Which by the way, was much "longer" than the original. Disassembled the bolt again, and found some crust-crud around the body! Re-assembled,lubed and installed. Going out tomorrow(Sat) to test fire. I,ll keep all of you informed ! Thanks again, for making this a great forum !

November 27, 2011, 02:33 AM	#12
LAlineman Member Join Date: October 28, 2009 Location: Los Angeles, Ca. Posts: 82	UPDATE : After changing out the firing pin and setting protrusion to 0.060, also installed a 24# Wolff striker spring, The K98 Mauser fuctioned flawlessly ! 40 rds.- No Misfires. Thanks to all for the Help !

November 28, 2011, 07:38 PM	#14
James K Member In Memoriam Join Date: March 17, 1999 Posts: 24,383	The 98 Mauser has a safety feature to keep the rifle from firing if the firing pin breaks when the bolt is not fully closed. That involves two small lugs at the front of the firing pin that fit into cuts in the inside of the bolt. Unfortunately, those cuts tend to be places that fill up with grease and dirt and either keep the firing pin from moving forward or slow it down. So careful cleaning of the inside of the bolt is often necessary, not just the usual "dip it in gasoline" cleaning. Another thing that can cause misfires is the presence in the bolt of small discs of brass from "pierced" primers. The real cause of "pierced" primers is a light mainspring that allows primer metal to force the firing pin back and extrude through the firing pin hole into the bolt. A few rounds fired under those conditions can leave that primer brass in the bolt and slow or stop the firing pin. Jim