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Rum_River
.224 member

Reged: 20/10/19
Posts: 15
Loc: Minnesota

Two 1903 Bolts - But Different - Need Some Help
#378710 - 18/08/23 03:00 AM

I own two 1903's, one is all-original matching numbers proofed in 1929 with an Oigee Berlin Gnom 4x scope in Vienna mounts.

The other is a re-barrel with a 19xx serial number. I bought it re-barrelled so I have no idea of a proofing date. The bolt is not original to the receiver but is the one used for the re-barrel so the headspace is good.

The safety on the 'parts' rifle does not function, it's in the fire position and I can't move it to shoot the rifle nor can I disassemble it. The head of the cocking piece and the cocking piece itself do not look like the bolt on the good rifle.

In the pics the 'parts' bolt is on the left, the good bolt on the right.

There's no indexing marks on the head of the parts cocking piece, plus the cocking piece and even the bolt body are different.

Anybody able to shed some light on what bolt my parts rifle has?

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Thanks

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kuduae
.400 member

Reged: 13/01/10
Posts: 1794
Loc: middle of Germany

Re: Two 1903 Bolts - But Different - Need Some Help [Re: Rum_River]
#378711 - 18/08/23 04:17 AM

Your „parts“ bolt, cocking piece, striker and striker nut are not M1903 or later Mannlicher-Schoenauer parts. They are super rare Mannlicher-Schoenauer M1900 parts instead. Though most parts are interchangeable in some way, the safeties are different. A 1900 safety in a 1903 bolt body will not work as it is of shorter length and lacks a notch or cutout at half length. Lacking that cutout, the safety cannot turn.
Here are some photos of the Mannlicher-Schoenauer safeties and bolt bodies, M1900 left, M1903 to the end right. As you see, the parts are not compatible.

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Rum_River
.224 member

Reged: 20/10/19
Posts: 15
Loc: Minnesota

Re: Two 1903 Bolts - But Different - Need Some Help [Re: kuduae]
#378715 - 18/08/23 07:12 AM

Kuduae,thank you for clearing that up.
I can use the rifle as it is, I just won't chamber a cartridge until I'm about to shoot.

On another thread on this website (http://forums.nitroexpress.com/printthread.php?Cat=0&Board=mannlicher&main=315067&type=thread) you describe the 1900 rifle in some detail. Now that I know of the flat spring on the cocking piece at least I have an idea how things go together. I was going to try and disassemble my 1900 bolt - but until there's an actual need I'm going to avoid doing that.

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Rothhammer1
.400 member

Reged: 06/01/17
Posts: 1836
Loc: The Redwoods of California

Re: Two 1903 Bolts - But Different - Need Some Help [Re: Rum_River]
#378723 - 18/08/23 02:58 PM

Quote:

Kuduae,thank you for clearing that up.

Kuduae (Axel Eichendorff) is 'the man' for these sort of inquiries.

My knowledge of the Mannlicher Schoenauer does not approach the depth and / or breadth of his regarding these or other early 20th century 'continental' firearms.

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kuduae
.400 member

Reged: 13/01/10
Posts: 1794
Loc: middle of Germany

Re: Two 1903 Bolts - But Different - Need Some Help [Re: Rothhammer1]
#378810 - 21/08/23 10:12 PM

Quote:

I was going to try and disassemble my 1900 bolt - but until there's an actual need I'm going to avoid doing that.

As there is something inside keeping the safety from working properly, I would take the bolt apart asap. Maybe the safety is blocked by rust, gunk or a foreign object in it’s channel? Or is the entire M1900 safety replaced with a later one that does not fit? At least, I would not use any gun with an inoperative part of the lockwork without knowing the cause.

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Rum_River
.224 member

Reged: 20/10/19
Posts: 15
Loc: Minnesota

Re: Two 1903 Bolts - But Different - Need Some Help [Re: kuduae]
#378812 - 22/08/23 12:14 AM

All parts are clean with no rust, but my hands don't work well enough to disassemble the 'parts' bolt assembly.
My wife is more than willing to help out with gunsmithing issues whenever I need an additional pair of hands. It looks like to disassemble the 'parts' bolt one of us will have to hold the safety inward while the other gently lifts the flat spring out of its notch on the striker nut.

My 'kind of' educated guess is that a 1903 safety has been used on an otherwise complete 1900 bolt assembly.

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