M98 Sporter

[Echo]

In a moment of weakness, I bought a sporterized M98 at the gun show last month. First 8mm. The bolt number does not match the bbl & action number. The seller made me promise to have the headspace checked prior to shooting it, which I did by the kitchen-table method of putting masking tape on the base of a ball round, layering until the bolt protested closing. I got three layers on, and the bolt still closed, although with protest.

I intend to just shoot CB's in the rifle, so I have modified the brass I got along with the rifle - all commercial, boxer primed - by expanding up to .338, then back down in the sizing die until the bolt will just close with no drama. I will use the .323 M-die for final expanding prior to loading w/2400 and a 175-gr Lee boolit. But.

I'm a little uncomfortable having a rifle that might be unsafe to fire with factory ammo. I would like to get the headspace right, and not need to massage the brass for shooting. My guess is that someone, somewhere, has a supply of 98 bolts that might be substituted into my rifle until finding one that had satisfactory headspace. The method presented by a local gunsmith was to strip the bbl, unsolder the sights, etc, set the bbl back to correct HS, and re-solder the sights etc back in the correct location. This would cost more than I have in the rifle to start with!

Any suggestions?

[zuke]

get the headspace done by someone that know's how to do it,then take it from there.

[Echo]

get the headspace done by someone that know's how to do it,then take it from there.

Well, that's what the Harry Lawson shop said they would do - strip the bbl, &cetera, for maybe $200 - I bought the rifle for $150. There must be a better way (read, cheaper).

[gnoahhh]

No better way, I'm afraid. Perhaps you might find someone willing to set the barrel back for less than $200, but it won't be much less. After doing it there is also the fact that the forearm bedding will be compromised, which may or may not be an issue.

Just exactly how much excess HS do you have? There is the old trick of sizing the cases accordingly to cause the case head to be pushed back solidly against the bolt face, but that only partially solves the problem. There is still the fact that now that much more of the case head is unsupported by steel, which depending on how excessive it is may or may not be an issue also.

This points up the reminder that anybody intent on buying old milsurps is well advised to have headspace gauges in hand when on the prowl. They are relatively cheap compared to the potential costs of correcting same after getting it home.

[corvette8n]

I think a real headspace gauge is only 20-25 dollars, I would get a field gauge measure and go from there.

[Larry Gibson]

If you fire form your cases (or form them from '06 based cases) correctly and then neck size with your dies correctly adjusted the rifle will not have a "headspace" problem (if it really has one now).

Larry Gibson

[Rico1950]

+1 what Larry said, just don't shoot factory ammo until the headspace is checked with the proper headspace gage.

[Multigunner]

Using masking tape or other types of shims gives the "Headgap" for a particular brand of cartridge rather than the accurate "Headspace" measurement based on the industry standard for the chamber. Using a different brand of cartridge may give a very different headgap measurement.
This is most noticable when checking headgap for a .303 rifle, since modern commercial .303 ammo generally has a rim thickness at the midrange of a rather loose tolerance range, while milspec .303 more often than not has a rim nearer the upper end of the tolerance range. A variation of .005 or more between brands is common.

You can't expect rimless cartridge cases to all be exactly the same either. Some will be a looser fit than others in the same chamber.

I'd tie the rifle to a tire and fire about five rounds remotely, then check the fired cases. So long as the fired cases look okay inside and out I wouldn't worry about it.
Neck size once fired cases and they should last for quite awhile.

PS
Hatcher wrote that simply chambering a round briskly could set the shoulder back by several thousandths.

[Echo]

Thank all of you for your input. I have decided that I will just expand, then partially neck, and fireform any brass I shoot in this gun. I have about 65 cases, plenty for terrorizing paper targets at the range.

[badbob454]

no 650 is enough ...maybe :kidding:

[adrians]

morning,,,
when the gun show rolls into town and i have an itch to buy another mauser in 8x57 i put my handy dandy forester NOGO gauge in my pocket, ( they have GO,,,NOGO,,,and FIELD )
i think they sell for $20 something and i have used it numerous times when buying (or not) another 8x57.
they are a very handy little tool to have .
now the only problem i have is trying to get the seller to let me use it , sometimes they won't saying "it's against show policy to remove the zip tie", securing the bolt closed,,,well that maybe true BUT if i hear that i'm a little suspicious about the rifles condition.
most sellers will let you check the HS if they have nothing to hide.
sorry for getting off topic a tad but here's a pic of the gauge,,,,,,, :evil: :coffee: :twisted:

[gnoahhh]

Yep, if a dealer acts cagey about letting a gun be headspaced, or otherwise closely examined it's a deal breaker for me. It tells me, rightly or wrongly, that he's hiding something, or else he's just a butthole- either way there's too many other rifles worthy of my attention to waste my time there. Unless of course it's a smoking hot deal like a G33/40 for $200 or somesuch. Then I could care less if it passes the HS test or not. It only needs to pass the "will it fit in my trunk" test! (And yes, I have purchased a G33/40 for actually less than $200 within the last 5 years, completely original in nice shape, off of an amateur dealer's table at a show. His price, no dickering.)

[Multigunner]

Theres always the possibilty of rejuvenating a 8x57 barrel by rechambering for 8mm-06.
This removes an eroded throat and excessive freebore among other things.
Once a very popular conversion.

There are similar long case 8mm German and Scandinavian cartridges, quite effective and allows a wide range of bullet weights.

Un Necessary in this case I would say.

[adrians]

Yep, if a dealer acts cagey about letting a gun be headspaced, or otherwise closely examined it's a deal breaker for me. It tells me, rightly or wrongly, that he's hiding something, or else he's just a butthole- either way there's too many other rifles worthy of my attention to waste my time there. Unless of course it's a smoking hot deal like a G33/40 for $200 or somesuch. Then I could care less if it passes the HS test or not. It only needs to pass the "will it fit in my trunk" test! (And yes, I have purchased a G33/40 for actually less than $200 within the last 5 years, completely original in nice shape, off of an amateur dealer's table at a show. His price, no dickering.)

awesome gnoahhh :drinks:

one day the gunshow fairy will wander around with me...:twisted:[smilie=1::evil: