BradD

Thanks Don and Ken. Got no reply from Mike. Has anyone heard from him lately? I'll contact Clemson. Thanks again. Brad

Hi all, I have an Eddystone 1917 which needs the ring surface ground. I did a search but found no info. I know we've had discussions before on this, but nada. Does anyone know of someone who does surface grinding that you could put me on to? Thanks, Brad

Hi Matt, Happy New year. Life has been such that we have been busy with stuff that takes us away from the stuff that is fun, including this. Anyway, had a free moment and thought to check here. Glad the shroud worked for you, weird as it might be. On the stock the only thought I had was Richard's Microfit Stocks in LA. He can make most anything and in whatever grade wood/price you want. Give him a call and see what he can do for you. He's on the web. Brad

Okay, Don. I have to confess to Bubba style fitting. I don't have any specs. I just filed and tried till it worked and gave me proper nose protrusion. As I mentioned above, when you use the Siamese fp it gets thicker down the shaft of the nose and it becomes necessary to turn some of the side of the nose off. As it goes farther down the fp tunnel it starts to bind otherwise. I never took anything off the cams, only the forward shoulder. That was stopping on whatever down in the bolt in the fp tunnel. Remember, with the Siamese fp the bolt cam/gas diversion shoulder is resting on a shelf after it has been rotated, rather than down in the cam well, hence the need to shorten. That's why I said I thought the Yugo is a better way to go. The cam is where it was designed to be...I think. I've done four that way, three 45-70s and one 45-90 (still a work in progress) and so far so good. Still have ten fingers and two eyeballs. Brad

Just for the record, Kuhnhausen recommends for the index mark method (at p.188) hand tighten and then torque .125" past that. For torque wrench (at p.189) 65-75 ft/lbs. Not for the record, seems to me I heard somewhere .002-.004" crush. This is for 98 type Mausers, not the others. Have no idea how you would "torque wrench" a barrel or measure crush. Seems like index mark method is the only thing available to the mortal man. Brad

...And don't let them immigrate in, either. Brad

Well, SM2 and I got together on Tuesday and compared Yugo and Siamese parts to see what could be interchanged to add the commercial shroud. Basically everything interchanged and functioned. A Yugo fp and cp will convert the fp to accommodate the commercial shroud. In the past I have used the Siamese fp and changed the cp to a std or Kurz. It does require grinding back the gas deflector shoulder (Don referred to it as the fp cam, which indeed it is) to give a little more forward travel for proper fp protrusion (as Don also pointed out) The same must also be done with the Siamese fp, though, as well as a bit of grinding on the fp nose shank for a little clearance. Considering it, I think using the Yugo fp is a little better way to go as the gas deflector shoulder is still facing the same direction as in the original position, rather than rotated 90 degrees with using the Siamese fp. Matt, looks like you solved the too high sear in fine fashion. I've always either ground the top of the sear down to clear or sent the Timney's back for surgery. Your way looks just fine so long as the shim is secured well. Also, Matt, we looked at how much grinding is going to be required on the right bottom side of the mil shroud to clear the side safety. It's a lot, not sure how pretty it will be. The Siamese shrouds sell for around $25 and the commercials from Brownells cost around $35, for a much nicer finished appearance. Just food for thought. Good luck. Let us know how all came out. Brad

Thanks, Karl. Concrete shingles and the whole ten acres cleared. 32 homes went up in the Blackburn Canyon fire last week, so not taking any chances here. Hope life is good down there and you get over the shock of not being in CA. For me, I'll never leave, even putting up with these jerks till the day I die (good news is the gov't put in a VA cemetary at the Arvin cutoff on 58, six miles from here. Just toss me out there). So far, no more fire. Brad

Yes, the bolt "fit" but there was enough problems I didn't want to mess with it, that I found a Siamese bolt and fp and used them and sent that Yugo bolt back to you. But that does demonstrate the relative similarities that could provide for intechangeabilty. Don's comment on the fp nose is interesting, for all the Siamese I've worked on I never paid any attention to that. We'll look tomorrow. I do have to grind the ridge on the gas deflector back some and usually have to adjust the pin protrusion, meaning shorten it, after the pin is rotated 90 degrees. Again you can't rotate the pin to work on a non Siamese shroud without changing the cocking piece. Manana, amigo.

Hey Dale and all, We're okay. The Keene Ranch burned about 3000 acres on Black Mountain (now very appropriately named) but stayed about two miles from Hart Flat. Steve Cummings had about 10 acres go up in Caliente, but nothing but trash grass. The fire doesn't seem to do much damage to the Blue Oaks. Fires all over Breakenridge Mtn and fire guys going in both directions (we deputies never could figure out how that worked) and all the way down to Commanche. So, me and the Mrs smell like smoke, but that's all for now. More thunderstorms coming later, so we still have the cat's bags packed and the Vetterlis and Mausers standing at the back door. John E and I went to Ventura yesterday to the gunshow and left the Mrs to fend for the place. Fellows have their priorities, you know. However we got home in time to have her make us dinner. Dale some roads still closed, so you might as well hold off for a few days. Still awfully smokey. Will try to get by tomorrow to compare Siamese and Yugos for the other thread. Brad

lemski, was the misfire on the 788 or a 98? I was wondering if it was on a 98, if just buying a std 17 lb Wolff replacement wouldn'd have have solved the problem. Didn't you find the bolt lift quite a bit more effort with the 30 lb spring? Brad

Hey Dale, #1 Yes, the commercial shroud will screw right in to a Siamese. That's the way I always do it. The addition is fine if you use a std cocking piece, or better a 98 Kurz, if you can find one, not the Siamese and make a few grinds on the firing pin. #2 Your idea about the intermediate Yugo is an interesting one. Worth trying. I have no Yugos, you have no Siamese. I'll come by your house next week one day and we can try it out and report back to all. Matt, Yes, I believe you can retain the original stuff and get by. As Don said there's probably some grinding and filing that might be needed. You can figure that part out when you try it. Of couse if all that doesn't work out you can order the non-side safety version trigger and use that with original safety (which often don't work well in Siameses) or find the Buehler type safety and replace the original. Please let us know how it goes. Meantime Sailormilan2 and I will experiment with the Siamese/Yugo idea and get back. By the way, Dale, off subject, Rocky got a great 4x4 last night with a bow and arrow. Weird way to hunt but great shot at 40 yds. through brush uphill. Almost instant kill. Brad

And I agree with Karl and AZ. I've used all different weight after market springs on 98s. So far as I can tell, all it did was make cocking the the bolt slower and more unpleasant. I saw no accuracy gains. Now another suggestion is try the David Tubbs lightweight firing pin and geewhiz (means I can't remember what it's called) fp spring, same as std weight but springier, or something. It does make a difference in lock time and doesn't make cycling the bolt uncomfortable. Or you can just buy the spring if all else is well but you have a tired mil spring. Both the whole kit or just the spring only are available at Brownells, Sinclair, or from Tubbs directly. Brad

Hey Matt, I'm going hunting this afternoon so thought I better get your answer ASAP. I installed a Bold on an already completely modified Siamese action and it worked perfectly, safety and all. However, as on the Timney, the front of the housing interferes with the slanted trigger guard's seating, so the front of the trigger housing must be beveled to accommodate the tg. A project that takes two minutes. Good luck. Let us know how it goes. Brad

Hi Matt, First, welcome to our forum. To back up a bit, Timney used to catalog a trigger with or without side safety, for the Siamese. Now they just show just two models of 98 for all, the FN for most and the "K" model for small trigger guards (ie: some small rings or 95 trigger guards). I have used the new one-size-fits-all FN version and they seem to work, on occasion they need to be sent back to Timney for a sear transplant to higher or lower sear. So, now to the Bold. They are basically an exact, but much lower priced version of the Timney with, so far as I know, no "K" option. I haven't used them much but they appear to me to be very high quality and I have no reservations about recommending them. I have no idea why there is such a price disparity between them and the Timney. So if they are about the same, it seems like the Bold should work on the Siamese. I will get back to you this afternoon after I pull out a Siamese and a Bold and try it out. It's an interesting question. However, there is a new issue which you will be confronting, the bolt shroud. Generally the side safety trigger is used in conjunction with the "commercial" bolt shroud. Is that what you were planning, or just going to take off the safety lever and use the original shroud? Unlike most 98s, where shroud change is almost a drop in, a Siamese requires some modifications as the firing pin is 90 degrees from all other 98s. A few years ago I made a lengthy post on it on this forum and you could search for it. When I get back to this, this afternoon, if you want the info and it can't be found, I'll go over it again. Talk to you later. Brad

Thank ya'. Brad

Lemski, your rifle is really looking good and I can see your good eye for detail. Will be looking forward to hearing the shooting results, although you indicated the recoil wasn't too bad. I hate to sound like the new kid here, but, can you tell me a bit about Belgium blueing? I'm not familiar with it. Thanks, Brad

Congatulations, Tony. Will this earn you a free, all expenses paid trip to Afghanistan? You don't look fat. You look quite dashing. Brad

Thank you, Doc, I think I'll try to find a good one and go that route. Brad

I was in the current catalog, so I guess they had a big price jump since it was published last month. Oh well. Good thing we are having this spectacular Summer of Recovery (third one, I think) and no inflation, otherwise no telling what they would cost. I guess twelve of us could share one. Brad

Hi all, Been quite a while since I've posted, busy I guess. Or so it seems. Anyway now I need some advice. I recently became a Swiss Vetterli collector. I was just collecting my Ugly European Military Rifles and of course no such collection as that could be complete without a few Vetterlis, they are the high water mark in that category. Strange thing happened, I fell in love with the things and have been wildly buying any good ones I could find. Actually, if it wasn't for the big hemorrhoid-like thing on the back of the bolt they woud be quite handsome. Built like a Swiss watch. Well, I really got lucky and found a M-1869 Stutzer the other day (short rifle, double trigger sniper gun). Super rare in '69s and super condition. However when I pushed the rear sight down part of the metal cracked and will soon break off on the sight blade. The blade is about 2 3/4" long, 5/8" wide and 3/16" thick. What is the best way to repair such thin steel? I was thinking maybe a couple dots or a bead of TIG on the under side. Is there something better and less obvious? Any chance it would warp the metal? Thanks for any ideas. Brad

Dale, Put me down for a set if we can get 12 or more. BG, My Brownells price is $94.11 for the tap and $105.12 for the die. Looks like we are better off going Tapco for the tap and Brownells for the die. I've wanted them for a long time too, but couldn't figure how the investment would be justified. It would make me the only kid on the block with a set, though. Brad

Just got around to reading this. Paul your work is excellent. Even though the repair is visible, I can see why you wanted to keep the stock. Should be good for the rest of your life. I think the wood just might be myrtle wood. Although not real common in gunstocks it is a great wood. Only grows in Oregon and the Holy Land. Congrats, Brad

Dale, remind me to look at that on Monday. I'm impressed. That's Richards...good wood for the money, but rougher than a cob. My experience with Boyds are they don't fit well and the wood isn't so hot either. Dale and I trekked down to Richards a few months ago and went through piles of stocks for hours. All we got was dirty, but our buddy with us got a terrific French Walnut stock. So it's there but you have to dig. I bought four from Dakotacliff earlier this year and really liked them, great wood, great prices. Only complaint is that they are a little beefy and need some working down. Brad

Heath, Brownells still sells the high falutin' aluminum guards with the deer or antelope or whatever it is on it. I ordered one for a friend and I thought it was really cheesey, but it made him happy, so I zipped my lip. The FN aluminum tg is identical to the steel one on FN Supreme 400 actions (Browning Safari, etc) and is excellent except that they get just as ugly as anything else aluminum when the finish falls off. I have two or three NOS floorplates for them. There's probably someone somewhere that refinishes aluminum in some kind of finish. GPC (Numrich) has their steel tgs on eBay all the time for $87.00, one on right now. They too aren't my cup of tea. I have two or three around and am not going to use them unless the world runs out of M-98 tgs. I'd gladly sell all the ones I have, lose money, and be proud. I'd rather use an ugly FN aluminum tg than one of those, ever. I'll buy almost any FN for $300 and be very happy. Picked up three 400's, in 264, 243 and 25-06, in the last few weeks at $400 each. They all need CPR but will be great guns when done. Nuttin' better. Brad