Mauser 98 7x57 feeding issues

Moloch · March 22, 2020, 12:23 PM

Howdy folks!

So I got me a Santa Barbara Mauser 98 commercial action in 7x57, basically new condition. Trouble is it wont feed anything properly but FMJ's.

Especially with a full magazine the first round (right side) will feed especially rough, the last 3 rounds will feed relatively smoothly most of the time. Those that don't feed well kind of get stuck halfway into the chamber, I have to retract the bolt and slam it home again to get it chambered.
Sometimes a round feeds relatively smoothly but then when i want to lock the bolt I realize it didn't slip under the extractor and I have to push it out with a cleaning rod.

The tips of soft points get mangled hard, it even chips off lead of the tips of the bullets.

FMJ's don't show any of these problems, even though the first round of a full magazine does require a little bit more force to chamber. But no failures to feed.

The weird thing is, why is this spring related? The last 2-3 rounds will feed much better. Why?

Before any suggestions come, things I have tried so far:

* Shorten the OAL of the softpoints from 3.060 to 2.970 which helped a little
* I suspected rough feed lips so I polished the heck out of them
* Switched extractors
* Switched followers
* Switched magazine spring
* Polish the magazine walls to make sure the follower does not cant, tilt or get stuck resulting in funny feeding angles.-
* Use 3 different types of soft points, the blunter they get the worse the problems get. I just cycled 50 FMJ's without a hiccup but I cant get through one magazine of softpoints without at least one failure tom feed.

Any suggestions? I wanted to use it as a hunting rifle, and being stuck to FMJ's kind of makes the rifle useless for me.

Thanks!

Scorch · March 23, 2020, 12:21 AM

It does sound like feed lips. Did someone tamper with the feed lips? The feed ramp might need to be wider and a slight bevel on the feed lips to allow the cartridge to move out of the magazine earlier? Is there enough room for the rim to feed under the extractor properly?

Bart B. · March 23, 2020, 10:06 AM

Mauser 98 style military actions were designed for FMJ pointed bullets. Some feed other bullet styles easier than others. Favorite choices for sporting/hunting rifles were the Obendorf 98 sporter or DWM M1909 Argentine Mauser action.

Try polishing the feed rails with 800 grit compound using a Dremel tool and buffing tip.

ammo.crafter · March 23, 2020, 01:19 PM

Was this converted from an 8mm Mauser?

I converted my 98K from 8mm to 6mm 50+ years ago and it is still a tack driver with hunting bullets and no feeding issues.

March 22, 2020, 12:23 PM	#1
Moloch Senior Member Join Date: November 27, 2005 Posts: 1,419	Mauser 98 7x57 feeding issues Howdy folks! So I got me a Santa Barbara Mauser 98 commercial action in 7x57, basically new condition. Trouble is it wont feed anything properly but FMJ's. Especially with a full magazine the first round (right side) will feed especially rough, the last 3 rounds will feed relatively smoothly most of the time. Those that don't feed well kind of get stuck halfway into the chamber, I have to retract the bolt and slam it home again to get it chambered. Sometimes a round feeds relatively smoothly but then when i want to lock the bolt I realize it didn't slip under the extractor and I have to push it out with a cleaning rod. The tips of soft points get mangled hard, it even chips off lead of the tips of the bullets. FMJ's don't show any of these problems, even though the first round of a full magazine does require a little bit more force to chamber. But no failures to feed. The weird thing is, why is this spring related? The last 2-3 rounds will feed much better. Why? Before any suggestions come, things I have tried so far: * Shorten the OAL of the softpoints from 3.060 to 2.970 which helped a *little* * I suspected rough feed lips so I polished the heck out of them * Switched extractors * Switched followers * Switched magazine spring * Polish the magazine walls to make sure the follower does not cant, tilt or get stuck resulting in funny feeding angles.- * Use 3 different types of soft points, the blunter they get the worse the problems get. I just cycled 50 FMJ's without a hiccup but I cant get through one magazine of softpoints without at least one failure tom feed. Any suggestions? I wanted to use it as a hunting rifle, and being stuck to FMJ's kind of makes the rifle useless for me. Thanks! Last edited by Moloch; March 22, 2020 at 12:29 PM.

March 23, 2020, 12:21 AM	#2
Scorch Senior Member Join Date: February 13, 2006 Location: Washington state Posts: 15,248	It does sound like feed lips. Did someone tamper with the feed lips? The feed ramp might need to be wider and a slight bevel on the feed lips to allow the cartridge to move out of the magazine earlier? Is there enough room for the rim to feed under the extractor properly? __________________ Never try to educate someone who resists knowledge at all costs. But what do I know? Summit Arms Services

March 23, 2020, 01:19 PM	#4
ammo.crafter Senior Member Join Date: June 25, 2006 Location: The Keystone State Posts: 1,970	98 7mm Mauser Was this converted from an 8mm Mauser? I converted my 98K from 8mm to 6mm 50+ years ago and it is still a tack driver with hunting bullets and no feeding issues. __________________ "Peace is that brief glorious moment in history when everybody stands around reloading". --Thomas Jefferson

March 23, 2020, 10:06 AM	#3
Bart B. Senior Member Join Date: February 15, 2009 Posts: 8,927	Mauser 98 style military actions were designed for FMJ pointed bullets. Some feed other bullet styles easier than others. Favorite choices for sporting/hunting rifles were the Obendorf 98 sporter or DWM M1909 Argentine Mauser action. Try polishing the feed rails with 800 grit compound using a Dremel tool and buffing tip.