Re-Barreling an M1896 Mauser

[Olle]

Bill,

Just give me a call when you get back, and we'll set up some play time. Got plenty of acreage and understanding neighbors, so you can bring whatever you need to test fire. I'll try and make some blanks for the inserts so I can experiment a bit, I don't think it will be too difficult to get them centered (famous last words... ).

[TennBill2]

I ordered a special 1/2-18 tap from China......After a month +, it never came. Found a bottom tap on ebay and got it yesterday. cleaned up the threads and tried my barrel.....still crooked! Arghhh! Something ain't right here! Not to shock a Purist's sensibilities, but I resorted to a crude fix. I clamped the barrel and chamber portion only in the vise (protected of course). The 'flats' of the receiver and the barrel were dead on straight! The ejection port rearward were bent upward! How to straighten? Got the Mapp torch out and started heating at the ejection port area, got my big crescent wrench and put it on the square end and bent the rear portion downward! Voila! Not only did the whole thing come out straight, but, the fit on the frame is perfect. Somewhere along the way, the thing got bent. I have to know chamber the barrel, and put a front sight on......still studying that!