Mauser 98 re-barreling

[Dave in WI]

Guy dropped off a what appears to be a sporterized Columbian 98 chambered in 30-06. Wants a new 30-06 barrel on it. I was taught to have the shoulder and internal lug both touch. What are you guys doing? Both touch, front of receiver only, or internal lug only?

 

[tigerwerkes]

Following

 

[tobnpr]

I do it, "just because"- but it's really not necessary with a modern rebarrel where there's a full diameter shoulder on the barrel.
The military barrels are only slightly larger in diameter than the receiver ring- not enough surface area contact which is why they're designed to seat on the inner- primary- torque shoulder.

I true the receiver ring, take the needed dimensions, then subtract .002 from the tenon length for thread crush so that the inner shoulder should contact the breech when torqued- but like I said, IMO it's no different than any other bolt action/receiver when you have an adequate torque shoulder.

Edited to add...
Remember the receivers are case hardened, not through-hardened... check the inner torque shoulder to receiver ring measurement with a mike in a few places to see if they're true to each other. Don't take more than a few thou off anywhere as you don't want to get into the soft metal- and make sure to check the receiver lug abutments for setback before you spin up a new barrel. If the abutments are set back more than a few thousandths it's a wall hanger (or, true up the receiver and send it out to be re-heat treated $$).

 

[sable tireur]

Here is the link to the 20 responses to your question posted elsewhere:

https://forum.accurateshooter.com/threads/mauser-98-rebarrel.4102402/

Enjoy!

 

[MagnumManiac]

Depends on the shoulder diameter, but I have always done the same as you, having both touch.

Cheers.

 

[AkleyFan]

I set mine up so both surfaces mate with a .002 - .003 crush into the inner ring (C-ring) - don't worry about cutting through the case hardening on the inner ring or receiver face when truing them up. Lug setback is another story, but with 30-06 pressures I wouldn't expect much if any. But.. you never know what you're gonna get with a military receiver so it's best to check it while the barrel is off. Love my Mausers. Where in WI are you located?

 

[BillLarson]

I always have both surfaces touch.....

 

[mdmiller]

^^^^ me also!!!

 

[Rflshootr]

I don't like the tenon touching the inner face. I true the face of the receiver, then turn the tenon .005 less in length. You loose .002-.003 in thread crush and still have a tiny amount of clearance. I also skim the face of the recoil lug just enough to square it up on the mill.


EDITED:
I just read a post from Ggmac on Accurate Shooter. Here is what he had to say...

"Over 10 yr span , testing about a dozen different 98s , all but one threw fliers . After relieving either contact , the fliers stopped . Testing was done in a fixed machine rest and actually retested a couple by making both contact again and the fliers came back . This was just an observation, it was real testing over a decade or more .
Granted , setting a barrel to contact both shoulders and test firing for function, then using it for hunting, may never show a flier ."

 

[tobnpr]

I don't like the tenon touching the inner face.

I think there's solid reasoning behind this. If you true the receiver ring, and then drop the depth mike and find they're not parallel that would be reason enough to just use the ring and hold off the inner shoulder.

 

[Doc Mach]

"My" gunsmith suggests the "crush fit", that is how all my re-barrelled actions have been built.