1895 Chilean mauser arrived

[eighteenninetytwo]

first impression - what a mess, but then I started wiping it down. Under the crud and 100 years of dirt sweat and oil the wood with a bit of rubbing with a rag and linseed / mineral spirits is nice. Plus this thing is WELL MADE. The fit and finish is definitely from the days when people took pride in their work. I'm used to Enfields which can be variable F+F, particularly the pakistani and indian rifles.

Hpwever, hwo in hell do I strip it down? I'm sure there are tricks and a specific order to do things in. tips please.

[Vee3]

It's easy-peasy (Kinda).

You have to remove the rear sight from its base by drifting out the rear pin before you can remove the handguard.

Push the spring retainer behind/below the barrel bands upward (I think you have to unscrew the cleaning rod before removing the front band) and slip the bands fwd to remove. You have to apply pressure to them right up next to the band and wiggle them loose.

With the sight off, lift the front of the handguard and wiggle it loose at the rear.

Remove the bottom plate/spring/follower by pushing a tool into the hole ahead of the trigger guard.

Remove the two action screws to release the trigger guard/mag housing and pull it out.

Lift barrel/action out of stock, being careful not to damage the tightly fitted area between receiver tang and wood.

[TRAP55]

Vee, no need to remove the rear sight, that's the hard way. I've been accused of being lazy, I prefer to call it "optimal time resource usage".
This is for the Swede Mauser, but it's nearly identical:

http://www.surplusrifle.com/mauserswedish/rifledisassembly/index.asp

For the bolt:

http://www.surplusrifle.com/mauserswedish/boltdisassembly/index.asp

[Astig Boy]

first impression - what a mess, but then I started wiping it down. Under the crud and 100 years of dirt sweat and oil the wood with a bit of rubbing with a rag and linseed / mineral spirits is nice. Plus this thing is WELL MADE. The fit and finish is definitely from the days when people took pride in their work. I'm used to Enfields which can be variable F+F, particularly the pakistani and indian rifles.

Hpwever, hwo in hell do I strip it down? I'm sure there are tricks and a specific order to do things in. tips please.

Sweet! Where did you get it from? I'm looking to get one also.
Please post pics!..even if crudy.

[Argonaut]

They were made in the best arsenals in Europe and are wonderful. Unlike the British and Americans that wait for a war to gear up and have to do everything fast and simple, These guys actually wanted quality and bought there guns while being designed and manufactured by craftsmen that took time and had pride in there work. Is it a 308? Get a Kuhnhausen book. Probably the best mechanical reference.

[Vee3]

Vee, no need to remove the rear sight, that's the hard way. I've been accused of being lazy, I prefer to call it "optimal time resource usage".
This is for the Swede Mauser, but it's nearly identical:

http://www.surplusrifle.com/mauserswedish/rifledisassembly/index.asp

For the bolt:
http://www.surplusrifle.com/mausersw...mbly/index.asp

NOW he tells me (after decades of doing it the hard way)

Thanks!