Timney triggers

Scribe · November 26, 2020, 05:45 AM

I have a Mauser K98 with a Timney trigger that was installed on it about 20 years ago. It is a definite improvement but the bolt requires considerable effort on the cocking stroke. I have emailed Timney but they have yet to get back to me. Any suggestions on how to adjust this?

10-96 · November 26, 2020, 08:37 PM

I may be way off here, but it sounds to me like your issue is the camming surfaces built into the bolt rather than anything to do with the trigger. The sear lever of the trigger simply rests on the bolt sear catch area on the bolthead, right? It cocks on opening which has nothing to do with the trigger until the bolt body is rotated downward where the bolt head is held by the sear again. See if you can lubricate or smooth out your camming surfaces.

Hawg · November 26, 2020, 11:39 PM

This may be a dumb question but are you sure it's a 98? Most 98's cock on opening altho I think the first ones were cock on closing which is what it sounds like yours is doing.

Scribe · November 27, 2020, 02:24 AM

Many thanks 10-96 and Hawg. I will definitely look at the cam surfaces. No such thing as a stupid question Hawg. Definitely a cock on opening 98 action.

brasscollector · November 27, 2020, 06:12 AM

When I first acquired my 98 the cocking effort was heavier than I liked, or thought was correct. Disassembling the bolt revealed the firing pin was worn down in a couple of spots which was causing it to deflect and create more resistance. I bought a different one from Numrichs and the problem was solved.

T. O'Heir · November 27, 2020, 02:28 PM

Do you remember how it worked before the Timney? Has it always been like that? It a commercial Mauser or milsurp or 'sporterized' milsurp?
I doubt it has anything to do with the trigger though.
"...Disassembling the bolt..." Isn't for the faint of heart. snicker.

Scorch · November 27, 2020, 04:49 PM

This is a common problem if you install a trigger for a commercial 98 on a military 98. Military 98s have a notch in the bottom of the cocking piece to allow the sear to return to rest after a shot, commercial 98s don't. So what happens is a commercial 98 trigger's sear resets in that notch after the shot, getting caught in the notch in the cocking piece. Flat bottomed cocking pieces do not allow this because the sear doesn't rise far enough to reset.

So try this: clear the rifle, then dry fire it. Lift the bolt handle with the trigger pulled. See if this reduces the effort required. If it does, then you either replace the trigger or the cocking piece. Simple.

If the bolt lift is still hard, someone may have overheated the bolt when forging or replacing the bolt handle. If this is the case, Csenit can be used to re-harden the cam surfaces.

Scribe · November 29, 2020, 12:31 PM

Many thanks to all who replied, but Scorch was on the money. After dry firing the bolt is much easier to operate if the trigger was pulled. It’s new cocking piece or trigger time. I am going to start a new thread for triggers.

Longshot4 · December 1, 2020, 07:03 PM

I am just a rifle hobby guy since way back. I like to find out how to take it apart and improve accuracy. Years a go I found out one of the most needed tune ups with wood stocks... is a solid action to stock. If it moves at all you will have multiple grouping. Wood bedding swells, compresses and softens. My most recent purchase was a Savage 10T. The tooling was good for surface but I could have scraped paint on all the edges. I took an fine stone to them. Then took the bolt apart. Thanks to the internet help. burrs, sharp edges and bearing surfaces all needed some work. I used JB on some of the bearing surfaces. That smoothed them out.

Longshot4 · December 1, 2020, 07:06 PM

sorry I got lost

Scribe · December 5, 2020, 12:34 PM

Rifle delivered to reputable gun smith who is modifying the cocking piece. It should be available in the new year.

November 26, 2020, 05:45 AM	#1
Scribe Senior Member Join Date: July 29, 2005 Location: England Posts: 249	Timney triggers I have a Mauser K98 with a Timney trigger that was installed on it about 20 years ago. It is a definite improvement but the bolt requires considerable effort on the cocking stroke. I have emailed Timney but they have yet to get back to me. Any suggestions on how to adjust this?

November 26, 2020, 08:37 PM	#2
10-96 Senior Member Join Date: October 19, 2005 Location: Tx Panhandle Territory Posts: 4,159	I may be way off here, but it sounds to me like your issue is the camming surfaces built into the bolt rather than anything to do with the trigger. The sear lever of the trigger simply rests on the bolt sear catch area on the bolthead, right? It cocks on opening which has nothing to do with the trigger until the bolt body is rotated downward where the bolt head is held by the sear again. See if you can lubricate or smooth out your camming surfaces. __________________ Rednecks... Keeping the woods critter-free since March 2, 1836. (TX Independence Day) I suspect a thing or two... because I've seen a thing or two.

November 27, 2020, 06:12 AM	#5
brasscollector Senior Member Join Date: July 26, 2015 Posts: 526	When I first acquired my 98 the cocking effort was heavier than I liked, or thought was correct. Disassembling the bolt revealed the firing pin was worn down in a couple of spots which was causing it to deflect and create more resistance. I bought a different one from Numrichs and the problem was solved. __________________ He may look dumb, but that's just a disguise. -Charlie Daniels

November 27, 2020, 02:28 PM	#6
T. O'Heir Senior Member Join Date: February 13, 2002 Location: Canada Posts: 12,453	Do you remember how it worked before the Timney? Has it always been like that? It a commercial Mauser or milsurp or 'sporterized' milsurp? I doubt it has anything to do with the trigger though. "...Disassembling the bolt..." Isn't for the faint of heart. snicker. __________________ Spelling and grammar count!

November 27, 2020, 04:49 PM	#7
Scorch Senior Member Join Date: February 13, 2006 Location: Washington state Posts: 15,248	This is a common problem if you install a trigger for a commercial 98 on a military 98. Military 98s have a notch in the bottom of the cocking piece to allow the sear to return to rest after a shot, commercial 98s don't. So what happens is a commercial 98 trigger's sear resets in that notch after the shot, getting caught in the notch in the cocking piece. Flat bottomed cocking pieces do not allow this because the sear doesn't rise far enough to reset. So try this: clear the rifle, then dry fire it. Lift the bolt handle with the trigger pulled. See if this reduces the effort required. If it does, then you either replace the trigger or the cocking piece. Simple. If the bolt lift is still hard, someone may have overheated the bolt when forging or replacing the bolt handle. If this is the case, Csenit can be used to re-harden the cam surfaces. __________________ Never try to educate someone who resists knowledge at all costs. But what do I know? Summit Arms Services

November 26, 2020, 11:39 PM	#3
Hawg Senior Member Join Date: September 8, 2007 Location: Mississippi Posts: 16,188	This may be a dumb question but are you sure it's a 98? Most 98's cock on opening altho I think the first ones were cock on closing which is what it sounds like yours is doing.

November 27, 2020, 02:24 AM	#4
Scribe Senior Member Join Date: July 29, 2005 Location: England Posts: 249	Many thanks 10-96 and Hawg. I will definitely look at the cam surfaces. No such thing as a stupid question Hawg. Definitely a cock on opening 98 action.

November 29, 2020, 12:31 PM	#8
Scribe Senior Member Join Date: July 29, 2005 Location: England Posts: 249	Many thanks to all who replied, but Scorch was on the money. After dry firing the bolt is much easier to operate if the trigger was pulled. It’s new cocking piece or trigger time. I am going to start a new thread for triggers. Last edited by Scribe; November 29, 2020 at 07:47 PM.

December 1, 2020, 07:03 PM	#9
Longshot4 Senior Member Join Date: February 22, 2014 Posts: 868	I am just a rifle hobby guy since way back. I like to find out how to take it apart and improve accuracy. Years a go I found out one of the most needed tune ups with wood stocks... is a solid action to stock. If it moves at all you will have multiple grouping. Wood bedding swells, compresses and softens. My most recent purchase was a Savage 10T. The tooling was good for surface but I could have scraped paint on all the edges. I took an fine stone to them. Then took the bolt apart. Thanks to the internet help. burrs, sharp edges and bearing surfaces all needed some work. I used JB on some of the bearing surfaces. That smoothed them out.

December 1, 2020, 07:06 PM	#10
Longshot4 Senior Member Join Date: February 22, 2014 Posts: 868	sorry I got lost

December 5, 2020, 12:34 PM	#11
Scribe Senior Member Join Date: July 29, 2005 Location: England Posts: 249	Rifle delivered to reputable gun smith who is modifying the cocking piece. It should be available in the new year.