sticky FN98 bolt..........

[mbogo3]

How does one go about slicking up a FN98 bolt? It seems to be the bolt guide that's binding if cycled in a hurray.On a Husky 9.3x62 I checked to see if the weaver rear base scews were too long and interfering but they're not.Thanx Harold

 

[ErikT]

The best method I've found is to colour the entire bolt with a black permanent marker. Then work the bolt a few times and see where the marker is worn off; this tells you exactly where metal needs to be smoothed. Then just use some fine sandpaper or stones and smooth out the metal very gently. You don't want to move very much metal at all; just enough to make everything nice and slick. Too much metal removed will make the fit sloppy and will do more harm than good. I'm certain you will get more advice from more experienced nutz, but this method has worked for me many times.

Erik.

 

[OldSavage]

I've heard of guys coating the bolt with a mild abrasive paste, or even tooth paste and just working the action back and forth approximately 657,452 times.

They say it's worked rather well.

 

[guntech]

If you are grabbing or holding the bolt knob stop doing that. Just palm it up, hook it back with a couple of fingers, palm it ahead and palm it down.

 

[Baribal]

I use marking blue, but if you can't get it, you can use a permanent black (or blue) marker.
Before lapping or doing anything that can change the surfaces, I'd use dry graphite of teflon lubricant on the mating surfaces.
The receiver may also be bent and lapping won't cure it, but a good gunsmith can.
And as Guntech said, look if it can be the way you produce the bolt movement, too.

 

[OneBarfly]

Hello,

In addition to what was mentioned above, you may wish to loosen the action screws and try to cycle the bolt with loose bolts. If it is much smoother, then it's a bedding issue that is bending the action. I fixed mine by adding a furrel/bushing the correct length for the portion of the stock where the rear tang bolt passes thru. I think Brownells sells these as well, or you can make one out of brake tubing. Good luck.

 

[mbogo3]

Well I loosened the action screws and it still binds.Has no bushing so I will get one.Timney trigger already on it.I never seen a mauser that had a difficult bolt either Turk,Swede ,German or Brazillian all fed like glass.Not sure how one could bend an action unless you had a snipe on the action screws.I want this cured before spring bear season for sure............Harold

 

[Tumbleweed]

Hey, did you by any chance recently put a scope on it or do something with the bases?

A too-long base screw will give the symptoms you describe....and almost every Mauser I've seen needs at least one base screw shortened.

 

[mbogo3]

It came with Weaver bases and I removed them and it's still the same.It looks like the bolt guide[top rib]when bolt open is rubbing.Not the sides of it.I may try sandpapering it down a hair.Harold

 

[josquin]

...In addition to what was mentioned above, you may wish to loosen the action screws and try to cycle the bolt with loose bolts. If it is much smoother, then it's a bedding issue that is bending the action....

I found that action flexing was the reason my P-14 Enfield mysteriously lost the "stop" at the end of the 1st stage of the trigger. I'm still not exactly sure what was going on internally, but once I put a shim washer (made of .035 brass) under the tang to raise it ever so slightly, it worked OK. I assume that the wood there had compressed a little. (There are metal ferrules in both bolt holes; possibly not original and possibly a tad short. They're quite thin-walled.)

Harold, as to your rough bolt travel, it is possible to polish the receiver ways. Brownells of course sells a special tool for this (Receiver Way Polisher, #080-055-000, $40.00) but with a bit of work you can make a suitable tool from a piece of square hardwood dowel.

You'll need to contour one side to the same shape as the extractor and left locking lug channel in the receiver. Might be a good idea to seal the wood with Weldbond or varnish as well. Then use spray adhesive to attach a strip of the appropriate grit(s) of wet-and-dry paper to the wood.

Remove the trigger and safety and plug the chamber before you start polishing, using light oil as a lubricant. I'd start with 320 grit if the receiver walls are quite rough, but 400 might be safer as the purpose is to polish, not to remove metal. Then follow with 600 and maybe 1000, cleaning the slurry out thoroughly between changing grits. Go slowly and check progress often.

I've done this on my .222 Brno Fox and Husky 9.3x57 and it seemed to help. I may try and come up with a more elegant tool for the purpose if I have to do it again but the dowel worked OK.

Stuart