Action Screws Tightening Torque

[ofbiro]

Does any of the Mauser 66 owners know the tightening torque of the action screws?
A friend of mine, owner of a "stutzen" (fully stocked Mannlicher style) Mauser 66 broke the stock and replaced it with a new one. The rifle, that one was a tack driver, now spreads the bullets around.
I saw the rifle just once, before the accident, and do not know how many screws (2 or 3) are tightening the barreled action to the stock.
Thanks in advance.

 

[Mike B.]

I don't know the answer to this but since it's a new stock, I have some questions. Does the stock have aluminum pillars installed? I assume the stock is wood and not a synthetic? All of these will determine what it could be or should be. I've seen a lot of wood stock torque recommendations around the 35 ft lb number and much higher like 55-60 ft lbs if pillars installed in a synthetic stock. Some synthetics claim they don't need pillars and should be tightened to the higher ft lb values. So there are a few variables to consider here but if it's a new wood stock, I wouldn't go too tight unless it has pillars installed, in fact I personally wouldn't use a wood stock without pillars where as I would buy a synthetic without which is less prone to swelling and shrinking than wood is.

 

[375 Ruger Fan]

@Mike B. are you sure about ft-lbs? I thought torque on guns was usually in inch pounds.

 

[Mike B.]

Oh dear, you are right, wow that's a big mistake on my part That's what happens when you just go on auto pilot. I would edit the post just to not create confusion but I can't at this point.

 

[Inline6]

Does any of the Mauser 66 owners know the tightening torque of the action screws?
A friend of mine, owner of a "stutzen" (fully stocked Mannlicher style) Mauser 66 broke the stock and replaced it with a new one. The rifle, that one was a tack driver, now spreads the bullets around.
I saw the rifle just once, before the accident, and do not know how many screws (2 or 3) are tightening the barreled action to the stock.
Thanks in advance.

Was the old stock bedded? Is the new stock bedded? Is the new stock free floated? Was the old one? Is the recoil lug in contact with the stock? I think their is something other than action screws a little tight or loose.

 

[fourfive8]

Being a Mannlicher style complicates the possibilities. But sure sounds like a bedding issue. I think either full length glass bedding or better yet pillars with full length glass bedding would be the best chance for improving group consistency and group size. The best torque is unique to any particular wood stock that is not pillar bedded because of the variable compression nature of wood, not to mention the variables of compression and torque caused by the variability of humidity. Normal torque is about 30-40 inch lbs for action screws. Any barrel bands or mounting hardware besides basic action screws can really complicate what may work. If it were pillar bedded the exact action screw torque is not important by definition. Simply good and tight works because the pillars are not compressible.

 

[Brian Rothhammer]

Being a Mannlicher style...

As mentioned by the OP, it is a _stutzen._

The oft repeated misnomer "Mannlicher style" or 'Mannlicher stock(ed)' is meaningless as not all Mannlichers were full stocked and not all stutzen (full stocked carbine) or full stocked rifles were / are Mannlichers.

Mauser Stutzen, 1939 Stoeger:

Mannlicher Schoenauer, 1939 Stoeger:

DIY full stocks, 1939 Stoeger:

 

[ofbiro]

Thanks Brian, I know that "Mannlicher style" is a misnomer. The mistake is due to the fact that many fully stocked "Gewehr 88" in 8x57 (without "S"), sold as surplus in the U.S. were produced by Mannlicher.

 

[ofbiro]

Thanks Brian, I know that "Mannlicher style" is a misnomer. The mistake is due to the fact that many fully stocked "Gewehr 88" in 8x57 (without "S"), sold as surplus in the U.S. were produced by Mannlicher.

 

[Brian Rothhammer]

Thanks Brian, I know that "Mannlicher style" is a misnomer. The mistake is due to the fact that many fully stocked "Gewehr 88" in 8x57 (without "S"), sold as surplus in the U.S. were produced by Mannlicher.

This may seem overly pedantic, but the Gewehr 88 was not "produced by Mannlicher", though many were produced by OEWG (Steyr), for whom he had been chief engineer.

Steyr had been awarded production rights for 'export' Gewehr 88s as the 'Commission Rifle' used the patented _Mannlicher Packet Loading System_ ('en bloc clip').

 

[fourfive8]

So @Brian Rothhammer,

Like I said, “Mannlicher style”. That automatically implies full length stock and ancillary attachment hardware beyond simple two or three action screws. So as to the OP’s question… what would you suggest for getting the rifle to shoot as well as it did before the re-stocking???

 

[Brian Rothhammer]

"Like I said", not all Mannlichers were full stocked and not all stutzen (full stocked carbine) or full stocked rifles were / are Mannlichers.

The only "attachment hardware" on my M1910 Mannlicher Schoenauer Take Down Model is a groove at the tang, a groove and latch fore of trigger guard and removable forend pin. The stock does not extend to the muzzle and never did.

Many factors could affect accuracy of a restocked rifle. I would be guessing about his.

I understand that these days many firearms with full stocks (stock extending to muzzle) are marketed as "Mannlicher stocked" or "Mannlicher Style", even as "Mannlicher" when they have nothing at all to do with any design of Ritter Ferdinand von Mannlicher. Such attribution is as inaccurate as it is to refer to an American bison as a 'buffalo'.

 

[Brian Rothhammer]

So @Brian Rothhammer,

Like I said, “Mannlicher style”. That automatically implies full length stock and ancillary attachment hardware beyond simple two or three action screws. So as to the OP’s question… what would you suggest for getting the rifle to shoot as well as it did before the re-stocking???

Here is a 1961Stoeger catalog listing for 'Magnum' Mannlicher Schoenauers including those with .458 chambering.

Where is the "full length stock and ancillary attachment hardware beyond simple two or three action screws"?

 

[ofbiro]

Brian, I have no intention to start a fight about the angel sex, however here is a picture of a Mannliche Schoenauer "Stutzen".
I admit that the Gewehr 88 was produced by OeWG, not by Mr. Mannlicher.

 

[ofbiro]

BTW, my friend informed me that his Mauser is not shooting very well.
Probably the barreled action had to adapt itself to the stock.

 

[Brian Rothhammer]

Brian, I have no intention to start a fight about the angel sex, however here is a picture of a Mannliche Schoenauer "Stutzen".
I admit that the Gewehr 88 was produced by OeWG, not by Mr. Mannlicher.

No "fight" here. I'm just pointing out, for general edification, that though the terms 'Mannlicher style' or 'Mannlicher stocked' have come into such common usage they are misnomers.

Full stocked firearms go back to military muskets and, by the late 19th Century, the term stutzen was applied to short, full stocked, military carbine versions of Gewehr 88, Mauser 94, Mannlicher 1895, and such.

A full stocked carbine may just as well be called '88 style stocked' or 'Mauser 94 stocked' as 'Mannlicher stocked'. Either would be no more / less accurate terminology as the other. A full stocked long rifle may just as well be referred to as 'musket stocked'.

The Mannlicher Schoenauer was offered in full or half stocked form from the beginning of commercial production in 1905 (M1903, M1905).

'Swedish' Mauser M94 Stutzen

 

[RR 314]

I think I shall take a Mannlicher styled rifle out of the safe and go shoot a buffalo—in Montana.

 

[Brian Rothhammer]

I think I shall take a Mannlicher styled rifle out of the safe and go shoot a buffalo—in Montana.

At a zoo?

Good luck finding one of these in Montana:

Bison

'Mannlicher Styled Rifle'

 

[RR 314]

At a zoo?

Good luck finding one of these in Montana:
View attachment 536402

View attachment 536404
Bison

View attachment 536405
'Mannlicher Styled Rifle'

It was a joke, Sunshine. .

 

[Brian Rothhammer]

It was a joke, Sunshine. .

You don't say, Doris.