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Military Firearm Restoration Corner

M98 trigger


ut1031

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I am going to replace the trigger on this rifle to either a Bold or Timney and have a question. i would like to get the trigger with the safety built in(side) and wondered what I needed to do to the bolt when I do this? Any help/info would be greatly appreciated...........I am also thinking of changing the strock from the current Maple monte carlo sporter w/rosewood caps to either a Boyds thumbhole sporter of a synthetic....any thoughts as well.........trades????????

thanks,

Kelly

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Sir,

 

You wish to replace the military trigger with a Bold or Timney that comes with a built in safety?

 

Bar none, your answer is the Bold Optima. Same price as the Timney Sportsman and same easy sear engagement setup. It should be a drop in fit in terms of the action and comes preset at a very easy 3-4 lbs. I have one on my 30-06 and like it a lot.

 

The only hang ups with any side safety trigger though, are that A. it won't block the firing pin from falling and B. you'll have to inlet your stock for it. Outside of that, they're livable. If you've ever owned a Remington 700, you know how to get by with them.

 

I recommend the Bold Optima without hesitation.

 

Jason

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Hey Jason, are those Bolds really as good as a Timney?

 

I've never tried one because I was afraid they would be cheesey.

 

Kelly, the only thing you have to do with the bolt itself is decide what to do about the shroud now that it will no longer be home for the safety. You can use your old shroud and plug the hole where the safety used to be or you can replace it with a commercial shroud, which definitely looks better. Brownells and Midway carry new ones and Sarco has original FN shrouds for the same price.

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Kelly,

The Bold Optima is the only trigger I have used on my M98's. So far I have used 5 of them. Like the previous poster stated, you will have to inlet the stock a little (approx 3/16" x 3/4"). It is fairly easy, just go slow and remove a little at a time and be sure the safety move freely in both directions without binding. I have also found that the bottom of the trigger housing has the head of a rivet that sticks out of the housing about 1/16" or so and contacts the side of the trigger guard next to the trigger opening. A little work with a dremel will fix it. If it contacts, the pressure on it when the screws are tightened will prevent the trigger from working. Also on my last install, I had to widen the trigger opening a little to prevent the trigger from rubbing the side and sticking (the instructions that come with the trigger mention this). you might have to to both of these mods or none, depending on your trigger guard.

 

As for the the bolt shroud, I have replace all the issue ones with the smooth Sunny Hill variety from Midway. I think it looks better and worth the 35 bucks. I have seen pictures of other rifles with bold triggers with the issue shroud and safety still there, and some with the issue shroud and the safety removed. I would hesitate to totally remove the safety and leave a hole, as a ruptured case might send hot gas through the hole to your eye. I have also thought about tapping the safety hole and putting a screw in there, but never tried it. Some other members here can add input on this issue. My opinion is replace the issue one from an asthetic standpoint.

Moe

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The shroud is the easy part. One option is to leave the current shroud in place, with the military safety on "Fire." The side safety will then be the only functional safety on the rifle. You may have to notch the edge of the shroud over the safety to provide clearance to operate the bolt. This is just file work, and it is not difficult -- just a bit time-consuming. The inletting is pretty much self-explanatory. Trigger guard modifications are normally minimal, but can be significant. I have to use an end mill on 1909 Argentine guards to insure that the bottom of the trigger clears the guard. It requires that I take a plunge cut into the area where the trigger slot is. About 1/32 of an inch or so takes care of the problem, but you need a vertical milling machine for that.

 

I personally prefer the Timney trigger, finding the Bold somewhat cheezy. Different strokes...... Get a C&R license so that you can get dealer prices from Brownells.

 

Good luck!

 

Clemson

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If I recall correctly, Brownell's does not sell the Bold triggers.

 

Maybe because they are "cheesy"?

 

Well, my friend, they are not "cheesy". It has more to do with Brownell's long established practice of only selling the product with which they can make the most money off.

 

Edit: Remember the time when they sued Midway over the issue of Midway printing their catalog in the same format as them? Look at today's Midway Dealer catalog--the bastards at Brownell's persevered.

 

Yeah, there are some things that Brownell's has that Midway don't. But even the current attempt by Brownell's (shipping free for over $100 order) doesn't entice me to send them an order for something that I can get at Midway cheaper

 

cheap fritz

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Brad,

 

I have a Timney Sportsman on my swede and a Timney Featherweight (in a box with a screwed up sear). The Timney Sportsman was $30 and required a Buehler safety and required adjustment. The Bold was $35, came with a safety and required no adjustment. I had to fit both of them to their respected stocks and make minor adjustments to the action.

 

In terms of fitting, I'd say they're about even. In terms of economics, I'd say the Bold is one up on the Timney. They're both set at ~3 lbs and both about the same in terms of smoothness. I'm not a big fan of side safeties and may change the safety on my 06 to a 2 or 3 position safety someday, but the side safety works just fine for now. I can't say anything negative about the Bold. Its not a Jewel or NECG trigger, but I knew that when I bought it.

 

For $35 bucks, I think they're quite a value. And IMHO, they're not at all cheesey. If you'd prefer a safety without the safety, buy the other Bold. For $30, I can't imagine they're any better or worse than the Optima. And neither can I imagine them to be any better or worse than the Timney Sportsman; they're all $30 triggers.

 

And that's my $.02.

 

Jason

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"Brownells sells bold triggers also."

 

I stand corrected, albeit at a price (for the Optima) a bit more than Midway.

$32.99 from Midway, $37.77 from Brownell's.

Both dealer prices.

 

fritz

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Thanks, Jason. I'll give one a try on the next project.

 

I'm a side safety guy, although I always worry about the sear holding the fp instead of a good iron blockade back a few thousandths, nothing bad has ever happened.

 

I've used shroud mounted safeties a couple times and thought they sucked, especially at the cost.

 

Fritz, my price from Brownells' is, like yours $37.77, however my price from Midway is $40.99. How do you do that?

 

I like Midway, but they've never given me a dime off of anything. Brownells gives me a discount just because I'm an old cop. They've always been great to deal with and have stuff you can't find anywhere else on the planet.

 

Although you'll never convince me Brownells isn't a great place to shop, I would like to know how you get Midway to give you a break...and I've bought a ton of stuff from them over the years.

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I appreicate all of your comments. My rifle currently has a Buehler and when the safety is on, it rides almost right against the scope. Kind of difficult to release with gloves on..........this is the main reason for changing. Changing the bolt shroud sounds like a clean way if i decide to use the side safety option. As for the kind of trigger, I will probably use teh Bold and order it from Boyds aling with a Ross Thumbhole stock.

Again, thank you for the great advice!!!!!!!!

Kelly

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"Fritz, my price from Brownells' is, like yours $37.77, however my price from Midway is $40.99. How do you do that?"

 

 

I can answer that for you. Midway's web site (home page, whatever you want to call it) requires you to log in each time you want to view your dealer prices. For instance, I had a shopping cart started and when I went back to view it a day later, it had higher prices listed for each item that I had placed in there the day before. The cart was still there, but it had a different horse pulling it.

 

Now, at first I started to believe that maybe they were getting to be like Brownell's, and raising prices every day (Brownell's does, when the price of steel goes up a nickel a pound, they go up 50 cents for a 1 ounce product).

 

But no, you must go to "My Account" at the top of their homepage and enter your email addy (your customer name with them, Brownell's uses a complicated "name" such as x2309) and your password if it is asked for.

 

I just had it happen to me on Midway's site. The best way to deal with Midway (and some others) is by the old telephone (that ring-a-ding thing that was invented long before the internet).

 

Al Gore invented that, didn't he?

 

" I would like to know how you get Midway to give you a break...and I've bought a ton of stuff from them over the years."

 

Answer: You set up an account with them (the same as you do with anybody else). You send them your license and get an account. Beyond that, I can't help you. It works for me. But remember to hit "My Account" after logging in.

 

fritz

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I have Timmeys on my P-14 and P-17 and a Bold on my FN.Right now, the Bold is crisper and heavier. However,a point someone made at the old site,the Timmey safety level is closer to the tang.I wouldn't know,don't have one on a Mauser.But I know I had a bi*** of a time bending the lever on the Bold in closer.

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I'm using a Timney with safety on mine now. I had originaly bought a Bold but I didn't have as much confidence in it's construction. It looked like it used some plastic parts and I just felt more confident going with the Timney.

 

I'll probably be using the Buehler style safety on my next projects due to the stock design. Remember those Midway European style closeouts? Has anyone else had any trouble in the field with the Buehler safety while wearing gloves?

 

Also, has anyone tried the Huber trigger?

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"I like the Huber trigger I put on a nagant"

 

I tried one on a Jap Arisaki, but I sent it back. It was no better than the military trigger.

 

But I guess anything would be better than the sorry Russian trigger.

 

But after my experience with the exaggerated claims of Huber on the performance of their trigger over the Jap trigger, I don't think they have invented the "better moustrap" yet.

 

fritz

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The Huber trigger does roughly the same thing the M98 trigger bubbamauser recently showed us: it turns your Mauser trigger into a smoother one stage affair.

 

Why buy it when you can build it at a mere fraction of the cost?

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Guest Guest_911rat_*

The Huber trigger does roughly the same thing the M98 trigger bubbamauser recently showed us: it turns your Mauser trigger into a smoother one stage affair.

 

Why buy it when you can build it at a mere fraction of the cost?

 

Thats kinda what I wondered. I'd actually like to try a light smooth 2 stage trigger. Would using bubbamauser's idea without the screw though the trigger itself accomplish that i wonder.

 

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  • 1 month later...

Over the years I've tried a number of triggers, firing pin blocks and trigger blocks. Overall, the firing pin blocks are much safer and permit unloading a magazine of live cartridges with the safety on whereas side safeties do not - a major safety point. This would be my highly subjective opinion:

1. Winchester type 3 position bolt shroud safety, requires skilled installation, the best of all types.

2. Canjar, expensive but used by most competition shooters, best and most stable adjustments.

3. Dayton traistor shroud block, all steel, has locking nuts on all adjustments, absolutely least inletting.

4. Lee shroud block, right side shroud block, permits unloading while safety on on, requires cutting a groove with a dremmel, but easy to overcut and jam firing pin, just be careful on depth of groove.

5. Original FN commercial shroud block, locking tit must be removed to permit locking the bolt when on, and some of the edges are quite sharp.

6. Beuhler right side shroud safety, well make, no cutting to fit, long history speaks to quality and safety.

7. Older Timney with no side safety, locking nuts on all adjustments, more cuts to minimize inletting.

8.. Newer Timney with no side safety, cheaper to manufacture, but still a fine trigger.

9. El Cheapo cast steel, sde shroud safety, cast steel, must cut bolt lock tit off to unload when on.

10. MarkX side safety, all steel, lock nuts, inletting required

11 Parker Hale side safety, very hard metal, requires a lot of inletting, rear end is secured by rear guard screw, have had one 25 years and it never failed and I've never had to reset adjustments.

12. Timneys with side safeties.

13. Bold w/with out side safeties, not as carefully made as Timneys, believe housing is cast.

14. FN commercial single stage trigger, difficult to get good release and usually hard pull.

15. Hubner, no improvment over drilling and tapping original military trigger, roller bearing will wear a groove in receiver botton and change settings, no lock nuts, greatly over priced with limited value.

 

All in all, I rather like the two stage Mauser military trigger, take up prevents surprise firing on game shot which was not present at the range when some nimrod sets the trigger for 2.5 ozs. Overtravel, depth of sear engagement, and pull weight can be adjusted by anyone handy with an electric drill, tap and die, and a little experience. Bill

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I ordered a Huber trigger for the Jap rifle to install on a customer's rifle. I sent it back.

 

It was no better than the factory Jap trigger (which in my opinion is not that bad). I am waiting for Timney to fill the orders thay have for these Jap rifles. I have been waiting for three years.

 

Huber=overpriced and does not live up to advertising claims.

 

fritz

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Guest Guest_MauserILike_*

I have one of the shroud safties on my 98 sporter, and I have had no trouble useing it with a gloved hand. I be it took some practice to get used to it because I had not hunted with one before getting the 98. Haveing a tang safty on my shotgun and one of the ones on the trigger gaurd in my first rifle a Rem 74 Sportsman. As far as safty goes I think most if not all the manufactured rifles use a trigger safty, except the model 70 which has the three position safty on the shroud. I think it is all a matter of perference and your ability to feel confident in what you have on your rifle. Also on a similar note.. I like the trigges on both of my mosin's. They are not light by any means but they are smooth and seem not to affect my accuracy any that I can tell. I have Finnish m39 and a m38 that I am sporting to use as a hunting gun. They are certainly better than any of the triggers on my other milsup rifles, with the exception being my M96 sweed. The m98 bnz rc I have has a terrible trigger. For my taste I like having the shroud safty I have learned to love it. MIL

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