Mauser 98 boltMa face to big

[beer__guzzler]

I have a mauser 98 in 300 win mag that I have had for 8 years. I recently pick up a lathe and have been tinkering with guns. I picked up a 338 barrel to build a 338 win mag but when I started the disassembly of my mauser I noticed the the bolt face was huge. A 300 win mag fits lose so I measured it and it's .561 it shoots great but I'm wondering if it's safe or should I be looking for another bolt?

 

[Slamfire]

A case with 0.532" base diameter (300 WM / 338 WM) fits like this on a mauser bolt face. Clarification on your issue?

 

[beer__guzzler]

What I'm worried about is that my bolt face is .561 and the case head is .532 that's .029 to big for the case head so a round could be off center when chambered or will the chamber center the round on the bolt face?

 

[Evanguy]

If it functions properly. It should be just fine to use.The chamber should center the round just fine on the bolt face. It wouldnt be dangerous.

 

[beer__guzzler]

That's what I thought but I just wanted to make sure

 

[gunpro]

it has to have some tolerance in it. the bolt picks up the rounds out of a staggered box magazine and lifts it up the ramp and centers the round on the bolt face as the round enters the chamber. It it is too tight the bullet ends up on top of the extractor.

 

[beer__guzzler]

Ok thought it should have been a tighter fit.

 

[guntech]

Ok thought it should have been a tighter fit.

Really nothing precise about a M98 converted to a magnum... a looser bolt face works better than a tighter fit... nothing to do with safety at all...