Getting the best from a Mauser trigger

[Abert Rim]

Brought home the as-new all-matching 24/47 yesterday, and the one thing that most needs attention is the trigger. I am used to the gamut of military triggers from lousy to the astonishing K-31, but this one seems pretty lumpy and creepy even for a Mauser. Any advice on what to do beyond cleaning, polishing and lubing?

[462]

You can replace it with a Timney.

[Abert Rim]

462, yes, but I am trying to keep it military for our local military match rules.

[462]

In that case, as you initially mentioned, careful polishing of the trigger and sear may be all that you can do and keep the rifle in its original military configuration.

By the way, I have a 24/47 of very early manufacture that, like yours, was in pristine condition and possibly un-issued and un-fired. It didn't look too exciting, as first, but after removing the cosmoline I was pleasantly surprised. It's a cast boolit shooter, only, and with Lee's 8 mm mould and Unique it will print 5-shot, 50-yard ragged holes (haven't tried 100-yards, yet).

[Larry Gibson]

The military triggers can be polished and taken down so they are a clean breaking at a 4 lb pull. It is easy to mess one up and make it unsafe if you don't know what you're doing though. Suggest you find a good gunsmith who knows Mauser triggers (most will just want to sell you a replacement trigger these days) and can work on it. Other alternative is to vacation down this way and we'll fix it up for you.

Larry Gibson

[Abert Rim]

Thanks guys. Larry, it's hot enough here in Oregon just now. Bet you can fry grits on the hood of a Dodge down your way ...

[roverboy]

I've done a couple of triggers myself. But, just like Larry Gibson said, you can mess one up pretty easy if you take off to much metal. I found this out personally. I managed to fix one that I messed up by welding on some new metal. It worked great after that.

[Larry Gibson]

Yes it get's fair to Midland warm for a few months but it sure beats the snow and rain from up north...........and when everyone up north is whining about being "socked in" and can't shoot in the winter.....guess what your truly is doing:guntootsmiley:

Larry Gibson

[Abert Rim]

Oh, sure, rub it in ...

[UBER7MM]

The firing pin spring might also have something to do with the trigger characteristics. I have seen different weight "hot rod" firing pin springs for sale. I don't know how that would qualify with competition, however.

If you go the trigger modification route, buy a second standard military trigger group to experiment with. That way you can always fall back on the original, if you're not happy with the modifications. I've seen sketches of the modification to remove the double stage attribute.

One either adds material to the outside cam and/or removes material to the inside cam so that the trigger housing never rides up to the inside cam. We're talking polishing with a stone. I saw it in a book years ago so I gave it a try. I experimented with polishing the cams, but didn't like the results. I ended up buying an aftermarket trigger, which came with its own set of issues to be worked out.

[Hang Fire]

Thanks guys. Larry, it's hot enough here in Oregon just now. Bet you can fry grits on the hood of a Dodge down your way ...

Saw a roadrunner chasing a lizard the other day, they were both walking and carrying canteens.

[Gtek]

One thing we must always be concerned with when playing with is sear/cocking piece engagement depth. The Mauser being designed as a battle rifle has generous bolt OD to receiver ID. A person can stone and polish down to a pretty respectable pull only to find out one day that lifting the bolt on a cocked and loaded chamber makes a lot of noise and surprised humans, hopefully not harmed. After playing with components please do all safety, bump, lift checks to confirm post work. Snap caps and even fired cases are great little friends.

[Larry Gibson]

Saw a roadrunner chasing a lizard the other day, they were both walking and carrying canteens.

RR probably just wanted the other canteen......beep, beep...:groner:

Larry Gibson

[Larry Gibson]

One thing we must always be concerned with when playing with is sear/cocking piece engagement depth. The Mauser being designed as a battle rifle has generous bolt OD to receiver ID. A person can stone and polish down to a pretty respectable pull only to find out one day that lifting the bolt on a cocked and loaded chamber makes a lot of noise and surprised humans, hopefully not harmed. After playing with components please do all safety, bump, lift checks to confirm post work. Snap caps and even fired cases are great little friends.

A definite +1 on that!

Larry Gibson

[Huffmanite]

Might want to entertain idea of installing a weaker spring that's at front of trigger, or just shortening the military spring by maybe one coil. Doesn't make a big difference in weight of trigger pull, but does help. As for me, careful honing of trigger and sear has always helped. How much it helped depended on the general condition of the contact areas before I worked on them.

[Uncle Grinch]

Have you looked at the Huber trigger? It is accepted in most venues as an acceptable replacement for military triggers and really improves the pull.

http://huberconcepts.com/product/mauser-trigger/

[Abert Rim]

Grinch, that's an intriguing trigger. Wish it were a bit more affordable.

[John 242]

As described in Jerry Kuhnhausen's book, The Mauser Bolt Actions:

"The sear spring accounts for about 70% of trigger pull weight in Mauser military actions. Sear/cocking piece engagement and firing pin spring loading account for the rest.

Abnormal trigger stiffness and creep can be caused by soft, galled, pitted or rough sear and cocking piece engagement surfaces, trigger lever and cam problems and trigger pin pivot problems.

Military sear and cocking piece engagement surfaces can be lightly polished with a fine stone to lessen creep, providing the case hardening is not cut through; surfaces are not rounded off; and the 90 degree sear/cocking piece engagement is not changed.

If the sear spring is replaced with an accessory spring of lower tension, check to make sure the firing mechanism does not slam fire or impact fire."

Jerry K. cautions that the sear spring (the small one in your trigger group) should measure roughly .250 dia. x 700 long and should produce a pull weight of 3 1/2 pounds by itself. (I wouldn't cut this spring down, but to each his own)

The sear itself should extend roughly .110 to .120 upwards from the bottom of the slot for the cocking piece. More than that (too much engagement) and the trigger pull can drag or feel stiff. Less than .110 (too little engagement) and there is possibility of slam fires and shock off.

[John 242]

This is kind of interesting, but don't know if it's "street legal." At $43.99 the price isn't too bad and it's currently running a five-star rating in the reviews.

http://www.brownells.com/rifle-parts/triggers-parts/triggers/trigger-prod5687.aspx?avs|Make_3=Mauser

Of course, this would be fun to play with, too.
http://www.brownells.com/rifle-parts/triggers-parts/triggers/mauser-98-model-70-style-trigger-prod53851.aspx

[JRR]

Just replace the trigger with a Bold, use a needle file and square the bottom of the rear notch and you are good to go.
Jeff

[FrankG]

The surface on bottom of receiver where the two stage humps rub needs to be polished smooth ,buffed and lightly greased with something like Tetra . I use 400 grit lapping compound on trigger pin inserted in in trigger with a drill to clean it up then wash it out with solvent. Same with sear pin and sear pin hole. Polish up sides of trigger , trigger opening in sear, sides of sear . Face of sear needs to be clean , buffed and lubed. Don't change engagement angles . Your cocking piece needs to be clean and buffed .

You can buff the surfaced somewhat with hard leather( saddle skirting , harness leather) glued to a wooden backer like a paint stick and use rouge on the leather strop , go easy ,slow and deliberately . Several strops can be made from 1 paint stick.

Clean all well and lube before reassembly .

[JWFilips]

I hone mine ( have experience ) with ceramic stone to get them square & apply Brownell's action magic every shoot. Smooth as silk but I do like the 2 stage trigger pull