98 Cocking Piece

[ikesdad]

I have a long cocking piece for a 98. Do I need a longer firing pin for it? Or is there such a thing? I have thought that all 98 firing pins are the same length. Or were these cocking pieces used for some oddball Turk?

[bilurey]

As early self-contained cartridges were developing it became clear that a heavy or harder primer cup prevented against piercing of cup faces by firing pin tips. Also, priming mixtures could be made less sensitive and their firing flame more sustained when ignited. To reduce misfires (duds) the cocking piece was made quite heavy to generate more momemtum for a heavier strike on the primer. Examples are early Mausers (including early M98s), 1903 Springfield, and 1894/6 Swed Mausers. These heavy cocking pieces were also designed to give the shooter a "second chance" to fire a dud without opening the breech to recock the firing pin and risking a delayed ignition explosion. Mauser used longer cocking pieces on: 1894/6 Swedes: M1903 Turks: 1909 Peruvians: and, some pre-1905 M98 sporting rifles along with other models.

 

All other things being equal, it might be easier to fit a standard cocking piece and firing pin than use a standard cocking piece, and, grind off the excess firing pin base which would protrude outward beyond the shorter cocking piece. This allow you to preserve the original firing pin and cocking piece, collectors looking to restore or replace parts will pay a premuim for these variations. Mauser used longer cocking pieces on: 1894/6 Swedes: M1903 Turks: 1909 Peruvians: and, some pre-1905 M98 sporting rifles.

 

A general note about replacing firing pins and cocking pieces. Early M98 firing pins were milled with square shoulders when cut to form the interupted lugs which attach to grooves in the cocking piece. Firing stress tended to crack these lugs off, so, a slight radius cut replaced the square cut shoulders of the early firing pins to prevent these stress cracks. Do not attempt to force earlier square shoulder cocking pieces, or their firing pins, with the later model which had a radius cut at the base of the connecting shoulders. Mixing straight and radiused parts may actually cause greater stress, if they fit togather at all.

 

Disassemble a M98 bolt and reassemble it without the firing pin spring, or cocking piece. Next try several cocking pieces on the firing pin and note the difference in firing pin protrusion when the bolt is set in the Fired position. This is because the total forward movement of the firing pin is determined by the distance the face of the cylindrical portion of the cocking piece can travel until it hits the end of it's tunnel in the bolt shroud. You will find some interesting differences in firing tip protursion with as few as 3-4 cocking pieces. Finally, the nose of the cocking piece rests on the rear face of the bolt in the Cocked position. This determines the space available for the safety lever claw to cam the cocking piece backwards from the sear nose so that the foot of the cocking piece completely clears the sear, assuring that the sear will have risen up to engage the cocking piece when the safety lever is lowered to the Fire position. Unless the sear has risen up to engage the cocking piece foot, the rifle will fire when the safety lever in lowered into the Fire position. This is a real hazzard! And, this is why each piece of a factory assembled rifle was serially numbered after final assembly. Matching numbers ARE important. Bill

[ken98k]

Some of the Original Mauser sporters had longer, heavier, cocking pieces to improve ignition.

It was found that these heavy cocking pieces increased lock time and had an adverse effect on accuracy.

[cold shot]

well buddy, you've answered one of my questions. appreciated the info. dave