Bolt Action Rifles. Wayne Zwoll

      Remove the extractor by inserting a small screwdriver under the extractor hook, pushing the hook outward, and at the same time prying the extractor forward until the lip on the extractor clears its recess. Reassemble in reverse order.

      Remove the magazine by unlocking the forward magazine lock stud and depressing the magazine latch in the trigger guard with a pointed tool. Pull out the magazine. Disassemble the magazine by removing the exposed magazine follower pivot screw, allowing the magazine plate to swing down and remove the follower. Do not attempt to remove the bottom plate entirely—the small hinge pin is riveted in place. To reassemble the magazine, insert the follower and partially insert the follower screw. Swing the bottom plate into place and turn the screw tight.

      To remove the receiver, barrel and trigger guard from the stock, first remove the barrel bands, then both guard screws and lift these parts from the wood.

      Remove the sear and trigger by driving out their retaining pins. Remove the bolt-stop by driving out its pin. Bolt-stop and ejector springs are held by the bolt-stop spring screw; remove it and drive each spring rearward form the bolt-stop housing. The ejector comes out of the bolt-stop without removing the springs, by pulling it forward.

      Remove the magazine latch by driving out the latch pin. Reassemble all of these parts in reverse order. Do not unscrew the barrel from the receiver unless proper tools are available to do this correctly.

      Conclusion

      Here are some questions I’ve been asked many times about these rifles and actions: How many of the M89, 90 and 91 Mauser rifles were made? Answer: All told, a great many. I don’t have any exact figures, but if the known quantities given in the first part of this chapter are totaled, there must have been over a half-million of the M89s made for Belgium, and about the same number of the M90s and 91s made for Turkey and Argentina combined.

      Do you consider these actions as being suitable for cartridges like the 22-250, 243, 6mm, 308, and 358? Answer: No, I do not. These are all modern high-intensity cartridges, and should be restricted to stronger and safer actions. I don’t mean to imply that a Model 91 Argentine action, for example, would blow up if properly barreled in any one of these calibers. However, in case of a serious primer or case head rupture with a high-intensity cartridge, this action does not offer the shooter the same protection from escaping powder gases and brass particles that a safer action like the M98 Mauser would. In other words, the action may be strong enough, but is it safe enough? I know that many gunsmiths do not agree with me on this point, but I prefer to err on the side of safety.

      Mauser M91

      Dia. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .475 ”

      General Specifications

      Type . . . . . . . . . . .Turnbolt repeater.

      Receiver . . . . . . . .One-piece machined steel forging, unslotted bridge. Clip charger guideways in bridge.

      Bolt . . . . . . . . . . . .One-piece, dual-opposed forward locking lugs.

      Ignition . . . . . . . . .One-piece firing pin, cocking piece and coil mainspring. Cocks on closing bolt.

      Magazine . . . . . . . .Single-column detachable box magazine, 5-shot capacity.

      Trigger . . . . . . . . . .Non-adjustable double-stage military type.

      Safety . . . . . . . . . .Rotary wing-type built into bolt sleeve. 180° swing, left to right, locks both striker and bolt when “up” or at far-right (horizontal) position.

      Extractor . . . . . . .One-piece spring type built into bolt head. Extractor rotates with bolt.

      Bolt-stop . . . . . . . .Separate, hinged at the left rear of receiver. Stops rearward travel of bolt by contracting left locking lug.

      Ejector . . . . . . . . . .Swinging type, positioned in bolt-stop housing.

      Is it practicable to build a rifle based on one of these actions? Answer: Yes, as a hobby, if you can fit a low-cost barrel to the action and do all the work yourself. No, if you have to hire most or all of the work done, or do the work yourself and expect to sell the rifle at a profit. It is practicable to sporterize or remodel only if you start with a rifle having an excellent bore and don’t change its present caliber. It might be advisable, too, not to consider one of these rifles in excellent or original condition for any alteration or remodeling. Doing this greatly reduces its value as a collector item. This does not apply if the rifle has already been modified or remodeled.

Mauser— Siamese Mauser FdH

      The right side view of the Japanese-made 8mm Siamese Mauser action minus the tangs and sliding breech cover.

      IN HIS EXCELLENT book Mauser Bolt Rifles, Ludwig E. Olson describes so many different models, variations and styles of Mauser turnbolt rifles that scanning the index never ceases to amaze and baffle me. Many of these are described in some detail, but the one listed as “8-mm Mauser, Siam,” (on page 126 in my copy of this book) has but one short paragraph, another short note about the 8mm rimmed cartridge it fired, and that’s all. This is understandable for these rifles have been extremely scarce, and Mr. Olson probably never had a good chance to examine a specimen and take it apart. I never thought I’d have a chance either, but suddenly their “extremely scarce” status was changed, via the military surplus arms market.

      I first saw the 8mm Siamese rifles and actions advertised in the June 1, 1970, issue of “Shotgun News.” A member firm of the Interarms group once offered them as “M98 actions for rimmed cartridges,” and as “Sleek M98 actions designed exclusively for rimmed cartridges. Bolt face and magazine will accommodate such popular calibers as 45-70, 444 Marlin, 303 British and 7.62 Russian.” They were priced at $20 each or, in lots of ten, at $12 each.

      Farther down in the ad complete rifles were described as “Cal. 8mmx52R M98 Thai rifles (Japanese manufacture) Model 45/46.” These rifles were priced at $15 each in lots of ten. Selling the actions and rifles in lots of ten makes me believe they had a considerable number for sale and might result in the rifle and action becoming well known.

      I ordered one action and the invoice listed it as “RT M-98 Mauser Action.” I have been informed by a reliable source that the marking RT on this action stands for Royal Thai. Thus, the action and the rifle are given several different designations, such as: 8mm Siamese Mauser (the one I use), M98 Thai (Thailand), and Model 45/46. The southeast Asian country of Thailand was formerly known as Siam, hence the use of both names.

      I have found but little history of the 8mm Siamese Mauser rifle, and not much of anything about the rifle itself.

      Apparently most of these rifles were made in a Japanese arsenal—at least the actions, marked with three interlocking circles, are Japanese made. An item in the September 1955 issue of the American Rifleman mentions that some of these rifles were made in the Siamese government arsenal in Bangkok, Thailand, but I have no facts to prove this. Without much doubt, all of these actions and rifles that were for sale are of Japanese origin. I have no idea as to when or how many were made nor how long they were in service in Siam or Thailand, as the case may be. By the l960s the Thai army was fairly well equipped with the most modern arms, with the 8mm Siamese Mauser rifles being sold as obsolete surplus arms sometime before the 1960s. The rifle is somewhat similar to the old German M98 Mauser. The stock has a semi-pistol grip and a finger-grooved forend that extends to within about