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View Full Version : Rebarreling a Turkish mauser


Daren Thompson
December 25, 2001, 09:21 PM
I would like to try to rebarreel the 1938 Turkish mauser that i recieved for Christmas. What I need to know is does the barrel just screw out, how do I properly headspace the new barrel, and last will the parts from a German mauser 98 work as they are basiccaly the same gun?

Thanks
Daren

George Stringer
December 26, 2001, 09:19 AM
Daren, parts from a standard 98 will work in the rifle. You need to get a copy of Kuhnhausen's book The Mauser Bolt Actions; a shop manual. It will illustrate and go into detail on how to headspace a new barrel. Your barrel threads will likely be for a small ring Mauser which will limit your choices as to caliber in a prethreaded, prechambered barrel. George

Daren Thompson
December 26, 2001, 08:08 PM
Thanks I will try to find that book

George Stringer
December 27, 2001, 09:06 AM
Daren, Brownells has them. www.brownells.com. George

Joe Portale
December 27, 2001, 09:34 PM
Daren,

You need to check the ID of the receiver barrel shank. The Turk Mausers, if originally chamber for the 7mm have small ring threads in a large ring everything else. The thread and receiver diameter for these is .98"X12X55. You should find a tap that will chase the threads to a 60 degree pitch. The large rings are 1.1"X12X55.

I do not see why you could not by a large ring barrel and have either a gunsmith or machinist chase the threads back to .98. There is a larger selection of Type 3, or large ring barrels available.

The barrel will turn out. But you really should use an action wrench and barrel clamp to do this. The receiver can be bent easily if not properly supported.

Headspacing is actually pretty simple of you have all the right stuff. If adjustments need to be made, a turret lathe is the only way to go.

Additionally, since the Turk receivers only have one torque shoulder, you need to make sure that it is good and flat. Again, there is a tool for that also.

Try Midway (www.midwayusa.com) for these gizmos, they are less expensive that Brownell's for the retail customer.

One more word of advice, unless you have a turret lathe laying around, you should let a gunsmith do the headspacing. It is not that expensive and it will give you an added margin of safety.When I built my first sporter, I paid a gunsmith to do it. The second time I asked if I could watch, and asked a ton of questions. My third and fourth I did myself. (I do have on again off again access to a lathe). You can save a bucket of mooney by doing a lot of the pre-op yourself.

Get the Kuhnhausen book...it is the bible.

Joe Portale
December 27, 2001, 09:39 PM
One more thing, if you stick to a 30.06 or variant, .308, .243, 270, 22-250 and so on, you will not have to mess with the bolt face. I looked into doing a small ring in 223 for the Mrs. Too much of a pain, she's getting it in .243 or 22.250 (not sure yet).

Belted magnums like a 300 WInchester Mag may be too long for the magazine. You could get around this by going single shot.

Good luck and have fun.

KYE-OAT
December 29, 2001, 11:03 AM
......a .300 Win Mag......or any Belted Mag, in the Turk Small Ring action? Not me, buddy...
The usual recommendation is to rebarrel in moderate pressure calibers......Moderators jump in if I am wrong...but calibers of the .257 Roberts, 7x57, .250 Savage, .300 Savage , 6.5x55, and .35 Rem. genre are more in line with the "not-as-stout" Small Ring Mauser. Not trying to step on toes, but .300 WM could be catastrophic!

Joe Portale
December 29, 2001, 01:01 PM
:eek: Yikes! I got my Mausers mixed up!


KYE-OAT, AGREED! I used the wrong example for the point I was trying to make. So gere is the corrected statement:
Longer length cartridges, with a length greater than 3.40 inches, will require magazine box modifications.

Belted magnums in a Turn Small RIng is a definite "no-no".

My error.

saands
December 29, 2001, 02:47 PM
Small Ring Turk?

I may be mistaken, but the I think that the 38 Turks are Large Ring '98 actions which just happen to have small ring threads ... very different from the small ring Swedes and the other '96 Mausers. IIRC, the 38's were originally chambered for the 8x57 which is NOT a low pressure round. Again, the moderators should feel free to jump in here! Limiting yourself to KYE-OAT's list would be very appropriate for a true small ring action, but seems overly conservative for the Turk. Just my opinion.

One more thing to add ... if you are going to cut threads, you can find take-off barrels from a Rem700 that have threads between the large ring and small ring threads. It is pretty easy to find barrles in the larger calibers (.30-06, 270, 7mmRemMag, and yes, the 300WinMag), but .243's are out there.

Be safe,
Saands

Daren Thompson
December 29, 2001, 03:58 PM
Thanks for all the great info, but I do plan on keeping the gun in 8mm as I have never changed a barrel myself. This gun really is just an experiment. The original barrel is junk. I tried to get a barrel at Gun Parts and the longest they had was 24" I need 29" I am also going to try nsome at home parkerization on this thing. This whole gun is just a cheap (hopefully) learning experence. Keep the info coming I do thing that caliber changeing stuff is interesting and I might try it on my next project.

Thank
Daren

Joe Portale
December 29, 2001, 04:00 PM
OOOHHH my head hurts..too many makes and styles of Mausers....:rolleyes:

Saands, Turks did come in large ring with small ring configuration, and some are just plain small rings. The 98s that were threaded for small ring barrels have only one torque shoulder and on recoil lug just like a 96/95 series. The small ring threaded 98's have two torque shoulders and two recoil lugs. Checking these is the only way to be sure of what you got. Then to muddy the waters even further, one must be aware of what contract the receiver was made under. Most of the 38's were built by FN (pretty good like the VZ BRNO ) some were mad under different contracts and are not so good, mainly the true small rings. I do not have my Mausers for Dummies Book in front of me, but a small number were built with soft steel. For me? I would stick to a VZ any day of the week. The Turks are great for anything .30.06 or less.

This is the thing about building on a Mauser action, it can become a history lesson pretty quick.

Cris
December 29, 2001, 05:39 PM
Daren-

Check e-mail!