Thumb hole cut out on the left of the receiver

[PeetMeech]

Hello everyone,

I was curious about this style of cut out, I can imagine that is must be for top loading the rifle... Is that it?

Does anyone use his left thumb to load and push down cartridges? I use my right hand, maybe because my CZ550 does not have the cut out ? What seems more natural to you?

Considering this cutout for a new stock would like to install in the future on the CZ.

Thanks

 

[RR 314]

This was to allow for thumb clearance when loading with stripper clips. I don’t know anyone who loads from the left side, well, without the stripper clip.

I would think the appearance would be odd to utilize a cut out in the stock with a “modern” action. I do know that some builders have made modern actions to mirror the old military Mausers, but my preference would still be a stock without trying to mimic the one in the picture for a CZ action.

 

[MS 9x56]

Both my commercial Mauser have this cutout. I use them with open sights and load both of them with stripper clips. Stripper clips are quieter to carry in your pocket also while hunting.

 

[PeetMeech]

Ahh that is it, thank you; I did not think of the stripper clips. So something that came from the military rifles. Picture by the way is from fanzoj by the way.

 

[bakerb]

I like the look of it myself. When I load the magazine completely, I will use my left hand to hold down the rounds in the magazine to hand load a round straight into the chamber. Could this cut out also be used to hold down the rounds with your left thumb when putting a round right into the chamber?

 

[PeetMeech]

I like the look of it myself. When I load the magazine completely, I will use my left hand to hold down the rounds in the magazine to hand load a round straight into the chamber. Could this cut out also be used to hold down the rounds with your left thumb when putting a round right into the chamber?

yeah that is a good point, it does seem more comfortable in that scenario then the method in this picture....

 

[MS 9x56]

Has anyone ever seen a thumb cutout on a rifle chambered for a magnum rimmed cartridge?

 

[Hunter4752001]

To use stripper clips the rifle also need the notch in the top of action bridge. A great many hunting rifles were built on military Mauser actions and as such still had the cutout. I have a copy of an early Mauser advertisment aimed at the sporting market which listed the ability to load from stripper clips as an advantage. However I don't think I've seen any stripper clips designed for a magnum rim.

 

[baxterb]

That is also a gas vent. You'll note a Mauser dumps gas from a ruptured case through the bolt body and into the left channel. A model 70 dumps that same gas into the magazine box.

 

[Ontario Hunter]

That is also a gas vent. You'll note a Mauser dumps gas from a ruptured case through the bolt body and into the left channel. A model 70 dumps that same gas into the magazine box.

My Czech 98 Mauser has thumb cutout and two gas ports on the underside of the bolt. Vents into the magazine.

 

[baxterb]

My Czech 98 Mauser has thumb cutout and two gas ports on the underside of the bolt. Vents into the magazine.

Which czech version? SO the holes are underneath the extractor when the bolt is removed?

 

[Ontario Hunter]

Which czech version? SO the holes are underneath the extractor when the bolt is removed?

vz.24
Oops. Holes are underneath when the bolt is open. Vent holes in bolt would be on left side when bolt is closed but well ahead of the thumb cutout. But I guess the left side slot in receiver for locking lug lets the gas escape back to the cutout. And some obviously still hits the shooter in the face? I like the Springfield idea: drill a hole in the receiver to let the gas from vents go straight out.

 

[Jefferry404]

@RR 314
Guilty as charged Modern double square bridge mauser with thumb cut, flag safety, drop floorplate and military trigger, setup for an old school 416 Rigby.

 

[Luvthunt]

Nice

 

[baxterb]

vz.24
Oops. Holes are underneath when the bolt is open. Vent holes in bolt would be on left side when bolt is closed but well ahead of the thumb cutout. But I guess the left side slot in receiver for locking lug lets the gas escape back to the cutout. And some obviously still hits the shooter in the face? I like the Springfield idea: drill a hole in the receiver to let the gas from vents go straight out.

I can only guess that Mauser was trying to de-pressurize the gas as quickly as possible. Unlike Winchester, Mauser does block the very rear of the action with the flange on the safety. Winchester should have done that long ago and in fact when Echols made his LX action he adopted that flange as well.

Of course Mauser closed that cut on later models so not 100%. But I swear I have seen an old drawing that identified the cut as gas relief, probably in addition to loading.

 

[Grumpy gumpy]

View attachment 677916
Hello everyone,

I was curious about this style of cut out, I can imagine that is must be for top loading the rifle... Is that it?

Does anyone use his left thumb to load and push down cartridges? I use my right hand, maybe because my CZ550 does not have the cut out ? What seems more natural to you?

Considering this cutout for a new stock would like to install in the future on the CZ.

Thanks

That rifle has had the stripper clip slots removed when it was converted to 8x68S.
Nice looking rifle
Gumpy