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Military Firearm Restoration Corner

Turk Reworked Gew98


Jimro

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So there I was looking for an AR lower and I see a Turk mauser just begging to come home with me...

 

and so I now have an ATF 1954 marked turk with a fairly nice bore and silky smooth action.

 

Now the internet says that these rifles "may not be safe" to shoot since the receiver ring lip cut removes 1 to 1 1/2 threads.

 

Now the threads are 12 per inch, and the shank should be 0.625 inches in length. 12x0.625 = 7.5 threads. 7.5-1.5= 6 threads remaining. I think that 6 threads is plenty.

 

Am I way off base in thinking that this rifle is just fine to shoot even with full power 8x57 loads?

 

And to open a can of worms, what is the "most powerful" cartridge that this action could be chambered for?

 

Jimro

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Jim

 

Just to parrot back as best I remember from this subject coming up in the past.

Most seem to think that any std. caliber would be safe enough, just forget about a

magnum conversion.

 

The 8 X 57 that it has been firing is a high pressure round and in the same ball park

as other std. calibers.

 

I just wonder about the accuracy potential in so far as mating issues with the secondary

torque shoulder are concerned.

 

I got one mixed in with a batch of K Kales and sent it back.

I can't argue with your math but I had the impression that there were

closer to only 3 or 4 threads left.

 

Tinker

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In my humble opinion I think they are safe as-is. You won't catch me building a custom on one but for a shooter/collector they are fine.

 

Before I became enlightened, I too returned one that I had bought thinking it to be unsafe. The 1954 marked ones are real nice IMO. FYI, we were taught that three threads bear 75% of the load and thus three is considered minimum. Do the match to see how many threads are in your scope base holes on the rear bridge. Most of these conversions have about 5 threads but as with all things Turk, that may vary.

 

 

 

 

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Hmm...if 3 threads bear 75% of the load then the remaining 2 threads would only have to bear 12.5% each...not an unreasonable amount. If we assume that the 3 main loadbearing threads evenly distribute the 75% then 25% is the maximum load for any thread, then 12.5% on the remaining two (or even 25% on one) is still within the margin of safety for 5 threads.

 

100% over 5 threads means that you still have strength left over. If each thread is capable of 25% of the load and you have five threads then you should be capable of 125% of capacity, a pretty significant safety margin.

 

However if you had 7.5 threads then the safety margin would be 187.5%, 62.5% greater than the modified turk with 5 threads.

 

This is assuming that the torque load on the threads has a significant impact on "safety".

 

I think that when this baby gets rebarreled she'll end up with a rather sedate round such as the 6.5x55 or 7x57. Maybe even a 9x57...

 

Either way I am happy with the purchase, now I just need to check the headspace since I'm pretty sure the bolt is a mismatch.

 

Jimro

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Hmm...if 3 threads bear 75% of the load then the remaining 2 threads would only have to bear 12.5% each...not an unreasonable amount. If we assume that the 3 main loadbearing threads evenly distribute the 75% then 25% is the maximum load for any thread, then 12.5% on the remaining two (or even 25% on one) is still within the margin of safety for 5 threads.

 

100% over 5 threads means that you still have strength left over. If each thread is capable of 25% of the load and you have five threads then you should be capable of 125% of capacity, a pretty significant safety margin.

 

However if you had 7.5 threads then the safety margin would be 187.5%, 62.5% greater than the modified turk with 5 threads.

 

This is assuming that the torque load on the threads has a significant impact on "safety".

 

I think that when this baby gets rebarreled she'll end up with a rather sedate round such as the 6.5x55 or 7x57. Maybe even a 9x57...

 

Either way I am happy with the purchase, now I just need to check the headspace since I'm pretty sure the bolt is a mismatch.

 

Jimro

 

I don't believe the load is applied evenly. I think the first threads bears the most, and each subsequent thread bears less. Nor do I think extra threads provide that much a margin of safety but then again I'm no mechanical engineer. I do believe that in a sane chambering you will enjoy the heck out of it. My motto is why push the envelope when there are still a lot of so called "good" mausers out there to be had at good prices. Maybe that''s why I never became a test pilot? or was it because I had to wear glasses, lol.

 

I think your plan is a good one.

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A couple years ago I received 2 "turked" 98's out of 4 k-kales I ordered. I traded one, a gew 98 to a member here and kept the ATF 54. It's in very good condition.

Now that I have a lathe, I'm thinking of making a close fitting spacer to fill the gap and retain the full 98 receiver length.

(After I finish the several projects I've already got going.)

 

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