How do you have one in the chamber and a full magazine with a CRF bolt action?
- Thread starter kferguson
- Start date
- Location
- Western Manitoba
Boomer's suggestion works! For some rifles, though, the follower has a left side or right side to it, so have to get the "stack" into the mag in the correct order - that is left side or right side first. Schultz and Larson rifles (Model 60, for example), one of the few that doesn't matter - the follower is "ambidextrous". Actually, is very difficult or impossible to load a S&L rifle through the "ejection port" - factory manual says to chamber one (push feed style - that won't work on many mausers), put safety "ON", then invert rifle, open floorplate, fill mag from underneath (either side first) and close floorplate.
ALBERTA BOY
Regular
- Location
- Edmonton, AB
All correct. I’ll ad that some CRF rifles have a design which allows the claw to skip over the case head similar to a push feed. The current production model 70 is one such. So, simply push down the mag rounds until the bolt clears them and then load one directly into the chamber. That probably won’t work for a M98.
- Location
- Western Manitoba
If it is a commercial rifle that is sold as a "controlled round feed", it will have a User Manual that will tell you how to load it. Like Ruger 77, some Win 70, etc. - they do not have some details that an original Mauser 98 had, but they do have the large external claw extractor. A 375 H&H was not a "standard" factory Mauser product, I don't think - but many were made up (milling, machining, metal work required) from original M98 receivers. Not going to single load an unaltered Mauser 98 - although some have been modified to do so, but are not "original" design. Some rifles have a fixed floor plate, so usually not easy to open it to load rifle. If claw nose has been altered or worn a bit, is often possible to use left hand and squeeze the claw extractor (behind the bolt collar) towards the bolt body - this lifts the claw slightly away from the bolt nose, (or at least reduces the sideways tension that is on it) and sometimes will allow that claw to ease over a cartridge rim, as you close the bolt with your right hand. I have a Husqvarna 649 in 9.3x62 that requires me to do so, if I really want to have six on board, instead of the "normal" 5 rounds. So, makes a difference if you have a genuine Mauser 98 or a Mauser 98 "type" action - sales people have been involved in that word play for years.
I know a couple US people who insist on referring to their M1917 Enfield rifle as a "Mauser" - it is not. Read up on the US Army documents from WWI - that rifle IS made to be single loaded - the claw nose is significantly larger and different shape - the earlier P14 often used for belted magnum conversions - same story - the claw is not the same, at all, compared to any mauser. Hence some confusion as to whether a "Mauser" can be single loaded or not - goes to properly, and specifically, identifying the action. I have a M1917 here that was altered into a 300 Weatherby - which is same belt and length as your 375 H&H - load magazine normally, press last one down to allow bolt to get on top of it, and single load the last round into the chamber. But is NOT a "Mauser 98", but some might call it a Mauser "type" action, and it is most definitely a "controlled round feed" action.
Probably worst that can happen by trying to force it, is to break off that extractor's nose claw. Now have a push feed, with magazine full, with no extraction function, so basically a "single shot" to fire and jack knife to extract case, and nothing but double feeds and jams?
Last edited:
- Location
- Haliburton County, Central Ontario
Some CRF extractors will not snap over the case rim? Just to say I had done so, I have removed the bolt, captured a round on the bolt face, then reinserted the bolt over a full mag by pushing down on the top round so the bolt can slip over the top round without picking it up...
- Location
- Steel Town
This
Just load one into the chamber, fill the magazine, reach under and around with your finger tips and squeeze down on the top round while you close the bolt... been doing this for more than four decades, don't even think about it anymore... safety on, and of course control your muzzle. In dozens of CRF rifles never have had one fail to engage the rim.
See, that's what I had heard too. I do have a P14 made by Winchester, so I am not sure about that one, but i have 3 other CRF rifles of more "recent" manufacture, intended for the sporting rifle market. The .375 HH I mentioned at the beginning of the thread, which is a very nice Interarms Mauser, a BSA 7X57 and a sweet little .222 BSA. All bought here on CGN!
I will try the suggestions made here, except with the P14, unless I get assurances otherwise.
I can assure you that it is perfectly ok to drop a .303 Brit round into a P14’s chamber and close the bolt with very little effort.
I’ve loaded my magazine this way even when not needing one in the chamber.
You got that right. My ugly old “sporter” Czech 98 will not jump over the rim. Simple as that. Being the wizard that I am, I’ve always carried a milsurp little cleaning rod rubber banded to the barrel and screwed into the forestock (obviously a milsurp stock ��
. If I do manage to push one into the chamber, I whip out the little rod and sling it down the barrel. Duck, here come the “Oh jeez, you’ll ruin the barrel doing that”. I’ve been hunting with that old beast for 55+ years, so it’s a way too late to waste any time yelling at me now. ��
