[Carcano]

This should be seen together with the other fine and extremely instructive contributions of Jim in Oregon:

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Lefty223
Starting Member
8 Posts
Posted - 01/10/2004 : 12:55:00 PM
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Disassembled the recently acquired M38 to clean it up. Very impressed with the small "pillar" in the rear action screw hole to keep the wood from being compressed. Bedding was very tight.

Question - what is the inch-pound torque recommended for both the front and rear action screws?

Thanks in advance and tight groups!

Lefty223
Starting Member
8 Posts
Posted - 01/13/2004 : 11:04:18 PM
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Nobody here knows about these Mausers ??


Nordicthug
Gunboards Super Premium Member
USA
253 Posts
Posted - 01/14/2004 : 06:29:51 AM
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I've been messing with Swede Mausers (and other rifles) for over forty years and I've never seen nor heard a torque specification. I just pull 'em up "snug". Hope this helps.

Nordicthug

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jim in Oregon
Gunboards.Com Gold Star Member
USA
2301 Posts
Posted - 01/14/2004 : 2:24:25 PM
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Lefty,
For my M96, M38 and AG42B Ljungman rifles, I have found that 60-62 inch/pounds is the majic number FOR MY RIFLES & stockworks-fit so that barrell harmonics with MY HANDLOADS give great accuracy-consistency.

My procedure for tightening the action screws is to hand-snug them up and then lightly DROP the rifle to a carpeted floor, butt first, three times.
This helps seat the action rearward solidly, but still it can take five to ten shots to reallysettle the rifle down after dis-assembly...so don't dis-assemble often.

I do final torqueing on the front action screw, then the rear, and in the case of the Ljungman which has three, center last.

Many feel that from 55-70 in/pounds is acceptable for the Mauser rifles and that one can 'tune' rifle and loads based on the torque of the action screws.

Start at 55 in/#s and adjust as you shoot a proven-decent load, watching the way the shots group, rather than SD on a chrono..

With patience you can find the sweet spot for your rifle, stockworks-fit and loads.jim


Lefty223
Posted - 01/15/2004 : 9:53:28 PM
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Thank you both so much for the information! Cheers and "tight groups"!

 

[Carcano]

Recently, this instructive topc was taken up again:

Swedeman
Gunboards Super Premium Member
Posted - 05/22/2007 : 6:37:35 PM
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(...)
One other thing that may be causing a problem is the bedding / wood-to-metal contact / fit. There is a procedure for properly seating the action into the stock and for checking for binding problems.



jim in Oregon
Posted - 05/23/2007 : 09:14:35 AM
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The Swede Mausers generally have pretty good stockworks to barrel-action fitting, but occasionally, over time, wood changes and some small attention needs to be given to fit. I have seen some with buildups of dirt and old 'cosmoline' which can affect stockwork to barrel action fitting also.

Without going thru the gunsmithing routines for floating-bedding, pillars etc, here's what you can do:

Remove the handguard and then the stockworks. Look at the interior channels for handguard and stockworks and see if there are any 'shiny spots' which can be an indication of a contact point which is too strong. These spots can cause abnormal pressures on barrel-action when the rifle is fired and metal heats up, affecting accuracy adversely.

The steel itself often will show when there is a 'too snug' fitting of the wood to metal with old blueing reduced in color at those points.

"Too snug" areas on the wood can be lightly relieved using fine 120-160 grit wet or dry sandpaper wrapped around a suitable dowel rod. You can wet it with BLO during this process.

Take your time and don't get carried away.

Once the fit is better, refinish the areas in the barrel or handguard channels with BLO, rubbed in by the fingers and allowed to dry an hour at 70F and then wiped clean.

Finish coat the stockworks interior surfaces with paste wax.


When you replace the barrel action into the stockworks lower with handguard and barrel bands, tighten the action screws so they are just firm...Goes without saying that the screwdriver should properly fit the screw head slots.

Then gently 'drop' the rifle several times onto a carpeted floor, buttstock down from about a foot , to insure the barrel action is well seated rearward in the stock.

Finally torque the handguard screws, starting with the forward one and finishing with the rear screw, to between 60-61 inch pounds of torque.