K98 question

[motosapien]

I've got a RC K98 that I'd like to mount a scout scope on. I'ts given me indications that the headspace might be excessive, hence the project idea.

The question is really two parts:

Can you remove the barrel on one of these without destroying it?

Can the breach face be turned down a thead width or two and the chamber recut?

I want to stick with 8mm since I have tons of ammo and I'll probably shorten the bbl to 21" and remove both the front and rear sights. I envison machining flats on the bbl for a Burris mount and shaving it's "feet" down so the objective just clears the receiver with a flip open cap. Maybe even "tigging" it inplace instead of screws being the bbl has so much diameter.

I'll use the original laminated stock but put a rubber buttpad on it and shorten the front end to an appropriate length. If it all goes as planned, I'll have a fast loading rugged hard hitting truck gun.

[Para Driver]

it's probably long on the headspace, because it's not the original bolt?
many rifles were surrendured at the end of the war, the bolts tossed in a big pile.

Take it to a gun show, and look for a guy with Mauser parts..
you might be able to swap your bolt plus $10-$20 for one that headspaces tighter?

[motosapien]

Originally posted by Para Driver
it's probably long on the headspace, because it's not the original bolt?
many rifles were surrendured at the end of the war, the bolts tossed in a big pile.

Take it to a gun show, and look for a guy with Mauser parts..
you might be able to swap your bolt plus $10-$20 for one that headspaces tighter?

Not a bad idea. I should just get a no-go gage and focus on the bolt. Be great if I did'nt need to fuss with the bbl. The action is damn nice, strippers work flawlessly as does feeding/ ejecting.

[Para Driver]

I think they headspaced a little loose anyway from the factory, even if they were numbers matching? I thought closing on a no-go was pretty common.

Someone will chime in on that.

[Ron Walker]

Remember, most military armorers had 3 headspace guages - go, no-go, and field ( I'm not sure about the Germans, but bet during the war they would turn'em out as long as the case didn't separate. They didn't worry about reloading.). To de-barrel, you need an action wrench, barrel-vise, and a certain amount of sweat, depending on how tight the barrel was torqued in at assembly. I've built dozens of Mauser customs, and some turned off fairly easy, and some the barrel had to have a relief cut just ahead of the action.
If you;re not familiar with the procedure, get some who has done it to help. If you're lucky, you may find someone who has the correct tools, beginning with H/S guages. If not, Bownells and Midway both has them, and DBI books has a book on gunsmithing that includes how to do the change. The Mauser is a fine action, I build all my personal customs on them. Ron