Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Gunsmithing Mini mauser trigger

ShootDogs, preciate the thought. It's the receiver that the follower presses the rounds against, no mag lips. I've done a little polishing, but Bubba gets real nervous removing much metal from the receiver.

BarryC, yeah I've been unable to get an original. Sent an email to CZ but they told me the serial # wasn't in the range that they'd sell parts for; they're holding them for some other series.

Some more bending and a little more polishing on the follower, it'll feed three rounds from the mag. But not if I close the bolt on an empty chamber. Then the first round hangs up a little unless I give it a tap.

Is there some way to retemper/revive an old spring?

I'm still trying to find a good load. For about a dozen loads I've tried factory and handloads, it'll put two out of a three shot group together and the third an inch or two wide--45 grain factory H. v-max to 63 grain fmj handloads. (It does stablisze the 63 grainers.) It's a pretty constant pattern that's got me scratching my head. Every once in a while I get a teaser of a group with three rounds touching.

It's a neat little rifle though. Having fun messing with it while I have some free time.

Preciate all the help.

Ella

The 799 was only imported by Remington. The gun was made by Zastava and there are no parts interchangeable with Remington made guns.

USSG is the current Zastava importer, but they don't seem to carry the Mini Mauser.
http://www.ussginc.com/firearms.html

It would help if you remove the fake "extractor" from the bolt and polished inside of the collar and the groove the "extractor" collar turns in. I used 600 grit sandpaper and oil. Beware, the collar is held on with a truly tiny pin and it is difficult to take off and even harder to put back in.

While you can improve things with polishing, there is a limit. The Mini Mauser has to cock a firing spring that is as strong as any other bolt action, but it has a very short bolt handle so you don't get much leverage. So you can make it smoother, but it will always be heavy.

natman,
My understanding is that the 799 barreled actions are made by Zastava but are stocked in the US. Somewhere I read that the 799 mag spring was the same as the 700 but I can't confirm that this is true; it definately is not the same as the Charles Daly spring--but the 799 and the earlier C.D. mini-mauser seem to have some significant differences. I don't have access to a 799 so can't directly compare.

The action is actually smoothing up pretty good. May try your suggestion later on--I can tell the "extractor" is the source of some friction--but I'm happy enough with the bolt throw. If I could solve feeding and get it to shoot consistently, I'd be content.

Went back today and shot some 5 shot groups w. the same loads as before, logging which shots went where in what order. With all loads, including factory, I'm getting 2-4 holes tight together and 2-4 as far as 1-6"! off. No pattern as far as which shot goes where. Swapped scopes and checked bases, nothing there.

Will take the action out of the stock to recheck bedding etc. next....

Ella

Just acquired an Interarms Mark X Mini Mauser in 223 so these posts are useful to me.

Following RWE's instructions I was able to adjust the trigger to reduce pull weight, back lash and creep. Now it breaks nicely at about 2.5 lbs according to my very old trigger gauge. THANKS!

Question: When the safety is on is it supposed to lock the bolt? If I lift it twice it will open.

Sarco eComm has Interarms Mark X Mini Mauser stocks for sale. New ones are nearly $100.00 and "...nice take of stocks" are about $75. I've ordered a take off stock.

Reloading dies, brass, bullets, etc. are not here yet I haven't tested it for feeding or shot it.

When the action was first taken out of the stock it really was binding in the action area. It appears that the two small ears on the magazine box were not slipped inside of the action rails as there is a mark on the left rail where the ear touches it. After squeezing the magazine box a little the rifle does not bind nearly as much. A previous owner removed a lot of wood from the barrel channel so there is some slop around the front of the action and if the front screw is tightened hard it will bind.

Thanks for the information and help.

CKW,
Congratulations, neat little rifles aren't they?

My safety does not lock the bolt or come off with bolt operation--sounds like something's not right.

I removed a little more wood from the barrel channel of mine and bedded the bottom metal and torqued the screws to 45 inch lbs. It's now shooting consistently and putting a couple loads into cloverleafs. Feeding is still a little iffy though. If you find anywhere to buy a mag spring, please holler.

Ella

Ella, Figured out the trigger/bolt lock issue. Another screw adjusts that so now my bolt locks and the safety works better. A little creep came back with the latest adjustments but I'll work on that again sometime.

I tried to see if Sarco carried any other parts but the only thing that their search engine showed were the stocks. There was a note on their site saying they had bought out Interarms some years ago. You might call them because they state they have parts that are not listed on the internet but that you have to call about.

Wish my brass, etc. would come so I could make dummy rounds to see how it feeds.

Do you know how to remove the front sight? The sight is dove-tailed into the ramp so tight that it won't budge when I try to drive it out. It looks as if there is a cut of some sort in the barrel under the ramp but I'm not entirely certain of that.

They are interesting to tinker with; I'll cut down one of the stocks for small people (the length of pull is just over 14" on the stock that came with the rifle) and leave the other long. Both will be bedded and the barrel floated.

Hope mine shoots as well as yours.

Don't drive out the front sight, you will only peen it. Use a press & press it out.

I just went and looked at it. You have to press out the sight blade. Once you do that, a screw is revealed. Loosen that screw and that releases the sight base from the barrel dovetail.

Thanks BarryC, I wondered if a press was necessary (I don't have one) so a trip to the gunsmith seems in order -- if when I shoot the rifle it is sufficiently accurate. The sight may already be peened as it is kind of beat up, I was using a brass hammer and rod in my attempts so it wouldn't damage the metal further. The rear sight is missing and the front sight and ramp are TALL! This is why I'd like the front sight gone.

Ella, brass bullets and dies came today. Mine feeds pretty well, but the fourth round in the magazine often mis-feeds if it is not positioned just so. Three rounds in the magazine always feed fine in my testing to date. The base of the fourth round tends to set too low and the bolt either rides over it or just catches the rim making the angle of the cartridge too steep to feed properly. The magazine will hold five rounds and it feeds the first round fine but then the same problem with the fourth round often happens. Think I'll just put three in the magazine and call it good for this rifle.

CKW,
Thanks for the tip. I'll give them a ring. My Charles Daly version doesn't have sights.
If I could get three rounds to feed reliably, I'd be happy as a clam. Mine acts like yours only not just on the 4th round--I never know which round it's going to slide over or misangle; sometimes it's the first.

Let us know how it shoots.

Ella

Yeah, you can peen steel with a brass punch! Don't ask me how I know.

Just go to Harbor Freight and pick up a bench-top press. I think mine is rated for 1,000lbs or less. It's pretty cheap. That's all you need and you'll find lots of uses for it.

Just from my experience and conversations with other MM owners, the .223 MMs seem to be about 3/4 to 1 1/2 MOA shooters. Not benchrest, but certainly not bad for such a little dainty.

Mine is an Interarms import. It has a NATO-type chamber and a 12 twist barrel.

BarryC, thanks for the advice on the Mini Mauser front sight. I also appreciate insight you have shared along with others on this thread on these interesting little rifles. People with knowledge sharing information with those with no knowledge (e.g. me) are the what makes the Campfire great. Thanks again. If you don't mind I have another question.

What do you mean when it has a NATO-type chamber? Because mine also is an Interarms import presumably it has the same chamber and twist as yours. Are there any "watch-outs" with a NATO-type chamber such as is associated with military brass?

I've never loaded anything smaller than a 6mm Remington so the tiny cases, primers and bullets seem like toys. But this will be a good rifle to move grandkids from rim-fires to center-fires.

I went to Harbor Freight and bought an arbor press. Then dressed the edges of the front sight with a needle file where it was peened (either by me or a previous owner), applied the press and -- it never budged. The barrel would turn as pressure was applied to the sight at the top of a tall ramp; after several attempts at using lead wire, etc. to try and brace the ramp so it wouldn't move I gave up.

Then I resorted to plan B and brought out the favorite weapon of gun bubbas --- the fearsome, dangerous and dreaded DREMEL!!! Using a cut-off wheel the front sight was cut in half and the rest was easy. The ramp had to come off because the front ramp was loose when I got the rifle.

Shooting will have to wait until I bed both of the stocks and I'm waiting until the one from Sarco comes before starting. If it will shoot under 1.5" with me shooting it; I'll be happy as my skill level usually runs 1.5-3.0" with most rifles.

Thanks again, Clint

It's a versatile chamber and you can shoot any commercial or military 223/5.56. It's the same chamber you'll find in an M-16.

However, the twist is too slow for 62gr "SS109" type ammo and it keyholes. My rifle really likes Sierra 52/53gr HP match & Hornady 50/55gr SX bullets. Someday I'd like to try some 40 & 45gr bullets in it.



Was I wrong about the attachment method? Did I overlook something? Maybe I pulled the wrong sight out of the drawer.

Anyway, glad you got it off. A loose sight is more useless than no sight.

Have fun with it!

I reworked these small action starting in the 1980's. Here are a few things to know about these Mini Mausers. The first actions seem to be better to rework. They need to be smoothed up all over inside and out. I have changed the bolt shroud and made new safeties. The 98 triggers can be fitted up by someone that understands how it must function to be safe. The feeding problem is the hardest part to get correct. When working the bolt handle don't force forward as it will bind up. Relax the hand and it will work fine.

I am retired now and my last rifle is posted over on:
http://forums.accuratereloading.com/eve/forums/a/tpc/f/9411043/m/4711078031

James Anderson, Gunmaker, has used some of my ideas on the small actions. He has made new machined trigger guards and new bolt handles. I met James in 1992 when he was in TSJC summer school. Look him up and find some of the actions and rifles he has made on these little actions.

If you don't like birdseye maple here is an English Walnut stock. This little rifle was the one I had in 1992 and we shot lots of PD's in Colorado out to 300 yds with the 17 Rem. It only weighted in at 6 1/4 lbs.

Les,
Can you make mag springs for the Mini?

BerryC

What is the problem with the spring? I could have made the spring and reheattreated the old ones when I was working. I don't take in work since I retired. If the back of the case is not getting into the bolt face it could be the spring has too much forward tension. The area to bend would be the bottom section of the spring. Then check for the forward lift of the bullet to see if it will raise up into the chamber. If you have too much of an angle the spring may need to be bent to one side. Savage may have a spring for their short action that may work in a Mini Mauser. Take it to someone that can adjust it for you.

James Anderson could help with the feeding problem.

BarryC, thanks for the information on the NATO chamber. Your instructions on the ramp removal were spot on, I just couldn't get the sight to move in the dovetail in the ramp even with a press (at least with me running it). Thanks again for your help.

LGB, WOW!!. Beautiful work by a true master of his craft. Thanks for sharing your knowledge.

Les,
The problem with the magazine springs is that if one breaks, you can't get a replacement. I finally got one when Charles Daly went out of business, but no other spring that I know of fits and no one has parts.

Oh hurray, there is another human being on the planet with a left hand mini-mauser!
this guy here http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?t=93866 says EAA is supplying parts for the mini-mauser these days. He got an extractor from them.

My charles daly lefty mini shoots great but has been a bit of a problem child. The mag follower would hang up, the action was incredibly stiff etc. Sorted out the follower issue, and I actually ended up pulling the firing pin spring and turning it way down on a belt sander to help with the closing. That helped a lot. It was way overpowered.

Getting is scoped was a trick too. The bolt handle kept hitting the rear ocular and the weaver mounts didn't fit the contour of the receiver right. I finally went with warne mounts and very high rings. Scope's too high, but the action works now.

I only have 1 last issue to sort out: the extractor. most, but not all the time, when I close the action I can feel the extractor being forced over the case rim, and it shaves off a small sliver of brass. That can't be right. I shoot mostly range brass reloads, but it also does it with several types of factory ammo. Do any of you guys have a solution for me? I"m not a gunsmith, I just tinker.

It seems to like the 50 grn bullets and varget better than any other combination I have tried yet, though it did pretty well with ramshot x-terminator. 50's definitely work better than 55's in my particular gun.

Greyling:

Ed Lapour, notable gunsmith in Washington state can work on your Mini-Mauser extractor problem (he replaced mine - it was an old styler [non-Sako-type]. Zastava now has gone to a Sako type extractor.

Anyway, Mr. Lapour knows his stuff if you really want it fixed.