The kiss of death

[Warpspasm]

I was preparing to blue the Mauser 03/38 project gun and discovered the final straw in making this a wall hanger only. A crack in the receiver. Oh well, I'm learning a lot of stuff. I'm still going to blue it. Especially after buying the beautiful stock on GunBroker.

 

[fivepointstar]

bummer!!!!

 

[boss66tcode]

Maybe someone will chime in who can tell you how it likely cracked. I've never seen a mauser receiver cracked like that before. Maybe a squibb and therefore excessive pressure?

 

[Warpspasm]

I'll have to keep my eyes open for a cheap 03/38 now. Maybe I can find one with a really crappy stock or something.

 

[amoebicmagician]

I don't think that the receiver cracked due to excessive pressure, it looks like it suffered a hard crack against something, like it was used for a club or fell from a large height. Pressure damage leaves other tell-tale signs, and if this is the only thing that makes this receiver unsafe, it probably just cracked along a natural seam in the metal after being cracked hard, as I have suggested.

 

[Chaunsey]

man, that sucks.


i have to agree if there is no other sign of stress, then that crack was probably from something other than shooting it.

 

[Warpspasm]

Yeah, it does suck. Especially after finding a nice stock for it. I don't know for sure, but I get the feeling the 03/38 is one of the harder rifles to find too. I'll keep my eyes open for another one, just so I can use the stock!

 

[Alea Jacta Est]

Maybe someone will chime in who can tell you how it likely cracked. I've never seen a mauser receiver cracked like that before. Maybe a squibb and therefore excessive pressure?

You should see the other guy (his head anyhow)!

 

[Warpspasm]

Probably some poor Armenian.

 

[lee2]

i'd put some duct tape on it.

 

[ken792]

Doesn't necessarily mean it's unsafe to fire. That part of the receiver doesn't bear any stress during firing. It could indicate the steel is brittle (and therefore unsafe). Have a gunsmith check the hardness of the steel to see if it's within spec.