K98k safety EXTREMELY sitff after re-blue

Chuck3436

Chuck3436

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So I just got my israeli K98k reblued at the smith...

Now that I got it back I noticed I cannot put the safety into vertical safe or right side safe by THUMB only. I could BEOFORE it got reblued.

I can force it up about 30degrees, then give it a smack and it will go into vertical safe position. Between vertical safe and full right safe I can easily use my thumb.

The problem is getting it to work in the first place without having to smack it, No matter how much force I give it I cannot get it vertical without that SMACK.

I took the bolt apart and put it back to gether with a cleaning, but beyond that I don't know what has changed.

Could this be something to do with the reblue?! Or maybe the smith installed something wrong?
 
Well, I cleaned and lubed it.

The issue is that it was the safety was easily manipulated before the reblue, something has changed that makes it impossible to set without a good palm smack, and I want to make sure somethings not set out of spec.
 
Take it out and polish the male and female parts (remove the bluing), likely a slight build-up of something or other. --- John303.
 
I assume the smith did not replace the cocking piece when he reblued the rifle? If he installed an alternate part, it changes the fit of the safety. The same can be said of the safety itself.

If no parts have been changed, disassemble and thoroughly oil the parts, then re-assemble. Sit through a TV show or two manipulating the safety and it should wear back in.

If parts have been changed, you may need to better fit the parts together with a careful stoning of the mating surfaces and then a polish with very fine emery.
 
DO NOT polish the safety itself. That's the problem.

Lubricate it and manipulate it, let it wear back in.

If you absolutely MUST polish SOMETHING, polish the front of the cocking-piece, then lube the daylights out of it and work it until it's smooth again.
 
Everyone is one the right track. Bluing (Phosphating is worse) does create a build up that does require some wearing down. This is one big reason they don't blue the inside of barrels when re-bluing, it could cause a big problem.

After manipulating the safety, the bluing will wear down and should work normally. You can always try taking the bolt down and making sure it was put back together properly.

Cheers
 
Alright Ill try adding extra oil to the safety wing contact areas and give her another full bolt takedown just to ensure assembly was correct.

Thanks
 
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