I rented a Baker M98 lapping tool from 4-D

http://www.4-dproducts.com/index.php

I'm at around 60% and the safety lug is making contact. Is this normal? Am I supposed to work it in too?

you are working with metal that has a thin shell of case hardening call it good.

Ed

Thanks Ed,
That's what my gut is saying. I've done m96 Swedes but this is my first 98.
It's sure not going to be ready for this season. Krieger barrel coming in January. Trying to get on the list for Diamond T to do the chamber and headspace.
I love that their phone recorder says,"I will try to answer the phone between 4 and 6 PM". I am just going to have to make the run to Craigmont. The Camas Prairie is always worth the drive.

Mark

I hate that you wasted time and money doing that. Watch your lug abutments for set back each time you do a shooting session.

Butch,

I know you're not a fan of lapping in bolt engagement on factory actions, and you've repeatedly stated what appears to be a logical reason why, primarily about the static mechanical conditions immediately prior to firing.

That said, there seems to be a body of empirical evidence, including some experience of my own, that lapping for at least some obvious contact on both bolt lugs does show an improvement under the dynamic conditions during the actual firing event. This IME is mostly evidenced by the rifle being less picky and grouping consistency for a given load when it's near top of the pressure range.

m

I'm loving the debate. And I'm glad I found a place to hang out with those who love go on about this stuff as much as I do. My family loves to shoot them when I'm done, but they kind of glaze over when I tell them how much fun I had on my workbench.
I feel time on the work bench or loading bench is never wasted. I will never get another opportunity to do it after its barrelled up. And $15 bucks for the tool is no big deal.
Now I'm working on the back end to get the cocking cam to feel butter smooth. Both the '96 and '98 bolts are going to Ed LaPour in January for his safeties.
I was younger when I felt like hammering a bolt open was no big deal on the Swede. I'm finally finishing that rifle they way I envisioned it also. It will be too pretty try to make it behave like a 6.5-'06. I've seen too many "kaboom" pics now to live that way. I recently pulled down about 200 rounds of 6.5x55 that were running WAY over book. I'm betting those lugs are pretty evened up by now. ;-)
My .264 WM is another matter. I regularly punish it. After getting the 264, it was easy to say the Swede should not have to work so hard.
Like most of us, I started with an '06. Then I went down to 6.5 and loved it. With the 98 I'm going bigger.

Mark

Mathman, glad you have all the scientific equip. to back your thoughts.
44hunter45, if you want true lug engagement you will have to bush the OD of your bolt to get rid of the slop. If you cock your bolt, the back of the bolt lifts a bunch in the rear of a Mauser especially. When that happens the upper lug is not engaged with the upper lug abutment. Bolt lapping is a futile exercise that makes a gunsmith extra money only.

All good stuff. New question.

Examining my bolt further, I see that the mating faces of the lugs are not perpendicular to the center line of the bolt. I have never seen this before. It can't be good, but how bad is it? It is more pronounced on the slotted lug.