Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Gunsmithing FN Mauser trouble

I inherited a beautiful F.N. Mauser in .270. Receiver is marked: Fab. Nat D'Armes De Guerre-Herstal-Belgiqe. Both the barrel and receiver nave the same serial number xx890. It doesn't fire when I pull the trigger, when I lifted the bolt to eject the case, the round fired. Tried it again, same thing. Tried it 5 times and only 1 round fired. Anyone have any ideas what might be wrong, also any information about this rifle.
Thanks
Mike

Have you tried cleaning the crap out of the inside of the bolt?

The Mauser trigger sear, safety and firing pin sear engagement timing is based on spring tension, if crud or old lube varnish gets in the trigger, safety or bolt, the gun function can get real hinkey and very inconsistent. We usually pull the old guns apart and soak the parts over night in pans of solvent, then run them thought the parts washer with a soft brush and blow them off with compressed air. Reassemble and then check for proper function of the bolt, safety and the trigger, together as a combination, re-lube and restock. Check old guns empty, never try to test one loaded.

What Rapier said, but you need to take the firing pin & spring out of the bolt.

Brake cleaner works well for soaking in to loosen up the crud.

MM

You might want to send it to someone who works on them and knows what they are doing!

FN Mauser is to die for- danged near (but not quite) "fool proof" and made to work reliably under harsh conditions. IMO, the 98 is the best (or at least most reliable) bolt rifle ever made for chitty conditions.

Probably gunked, as said.

.

wyomike;
Good morning sir, I hope you're having as bright and still a day down in Wyoming as we are up here and you're well.

As has been mentioned already, if the bolt is full of crud the situation you've described can certainly happen.

Also on older rifles, depending upon what the trigger is on it, that can be part or all of the problem.

Honestly though, the suggestion by Jkob to have someone who works on Mausers do a thorough once through is a very good one.

They could then check the stock for cracks, examine the bedding for the action and barrel, clean it up and then you'd know what you're dealing with.

That'd be my recommendation for sure.

All the best whichever way you decide and Merry Christmas.

Dwayne

Before everyone told the guy the FN Mauser is so fool proof and reliable you should have inquired as to what kind of trigger is in the gun! You don't know if it is an FN commercial trigger, a Sako trigger, military trigger, Timney, modified military trigger, set trigger and so on and so on.

Take some pics and post them here and we might give you good advice or find a knowledgeable individual or gunsmith there locally. It could be a multitude of things!