Bought a 1903 Turkish Mauser

[nuget102]

I bought a 1903 Turkish Mauser yesterday. It was manufactured in 1937 and has a 29.5" barrel.

It's in rough shape, and costed me around $175. It has the cleaning rod, and comes with a sling. The guy I bought it from says it fires and loads okay. I tried loading it when I got home (didn't have any 8mm ammo on me. And yes, this one was modified to be 8mm by the Turks.) and I had a problem.. The bullets wouldn't feed.

We could feed a single bullet no problem, but more than that and it'd be difficult. To the point we had to get a screw driver and fiddle with the bullets. I'm slightly annoyed, but the gun looked okay to me. Hoping it's just a weak spring? The stock appeared to be okay, and I seen no visible rust.. But I couldn't get the floorplate out of the trigger guard, so naturally I just took the trigger guard off. And I seen rust mixed with rotten wood. I began to field strip the rifle and I found more of the same. My observation is the stock will probably need replaced eventually. Although I think it's okay for now.

But, the bolt cycles flawlessly and easily. The safety flips without a problem. And the iron sights look okay, although i'm missing the front sight hood. I'm guessing the previous owner did nothing but routine maintenance on the gun, since all the visible areas are pristine.

So basically my problems: floorplate won't release. I think it's a push pin and then push on the plate and slide it towards the trigger type release. But my guess, it's rusted shut. So soak it in WD-40?

And the follower won't feed the bullets properly. It's like they get jammed in the mag, so the bolt can't even catch them. Weak spring? Or perhaps the spring was re-bent some one who doesn't know better?

Also, here's a couple pics of the rifle. Not the best, but all I have is my cell.
Attachment 79123 Trigger guard pins
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Attachment 79125 The part of the stock where the trigger guard inserts
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Information

Warning: This is a relatively older thread This discussion is older than 360 days. Some information contained in it may no longer be current.

[cipherk98]

It's a bit hard to tell, but some of that may just be grease in the stock. I'd try to wipe it up and see what happens. My big concern would be getting that action out of the stock to see how bad it is under the wood line. I think the rust looks worse in the pictures than it perhaps is due to it being a mix of rust and dirt and dust suspended in grease but you'll only know for sure once you begin to clean it up and see the pitting underneath. The one spot that sticks out to me as something to really look over is on the front left side of the receiver ring.

[nuget102]

It's a bit hard to tell, but some of that may just be grease in the stock. I'd try to wipe it up and see what happens. My big concern would be getting that action out of the stock to see how bad it is under the wood line. I think the rust looks worse in the pictures than it perhaps is due to it being a mix of rust and dirt and dust suspended in grease but you'll only know for sure once you begin to clean it up and see the pitting underneath. The one spot that sticks out to me as something to really look over is on the front left side of the receiver ring.

I took a look and there appears to be a good deal of rust. I'll post pictures soon, but there is some bad pitting... Hopefully it will be visible in the pictures. The pitting is noticeable, but I think the gun is still safe to shoot. The inside of the barrel is good, just the outside is rusted.

[browningautorifle]

The spring looks correct from here. I agree about the goop being grease, could be axle grease which isn't even close to the right stuff. I'd put the trigger group together on the rifle and smack it with a nylon hammer. It'll release. The follower could be bent so your rifle doesn't feed, can't see... There's a thread currently about restoring a find like this...worth a look. He's going through what you will be. https://www.milsurps.com/showthread.php?t=59252

[nuget102]

Attachment 79143Attachment 79144Attachment 79145Attachment 79146Attachment 79147Attachment 79148Attachment 79149Attachment 79150

Here's some photos of the gun taken apart. For some reason the stock has holes drilled in it? They're all connected and I think it may be some sort of drain for water perhaps? The barrel isn't drilled or anything.

Any opinions on the safety of this gun would be appreciated...

[Aragorn243]

Never saw holes drilled like that. they are connected because that is the channel for the cleaning rod. I expect the rifle is fine to shoot. I've seen rust that was a lot worse than that and the stock looks fine also.

[nuget102]

Never saw holes drilled like that. they are connected because that is the channel for the cleaning rod. I expect the rifle is fine to shoot. I've seen rust that was a lot worse than that and the stock looks fine also.

You can't tell it in the picture, but the stock is actually acting like it's wet... and the inside is mostly crumbling, hopefully it's just on the surface. The stock is incredibly brittle for some reason.

Also, how's the electrolyte bath working? I read your thread, and it may be what I do. But I'm thinking i'll do a vinegar bath first. Which is really just 1/2 vinegar, 1/2 water and you soak it for a few hours. You need to scrub/wipe the rust off after (depending how long you soak it) and you need to neutralize the vinegar with baking soda/water mixture. But It's easier for me since I have vinegar on hand. Just need a pan to put the barrel in to soak it. I'm currently only soaking the trigger guard. I don't think my gun really NEEDS an electrolyte bath though, it's not as bad as yours was Aragorn :P

[mmppres]

Holes were drilled to get cleaning rod out at one time. some one pushed it in to far an then had to drill to find end. saw it one time before on an old Springfield

[nuget102]

Holes were drilled to get cleaning rod out at one time. some one pushed it in to far an then had to drill to find end. saw it one time before on an old Springfield

Oh, okay. That would makes sense haha. Thanks! As long as it's not a big deal i'm not going to worry about it.

[Aragorn243]

Vinegar will strip the bluing off. I wouldn't recommend it. It also tends to turn deep rust into black rust rather than remove it. I've done it before and if you don't care about the bluing, it does work.