doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion Classic & Custom Single Barreled Sporting Rifles @ doublegunshop.com Empire Rifle safety issue

I have just received an Empire Rifle in 300 WM. It is my understanding it is a variation on a Mauser action. It appears to have a 3 position safety similar to a Win model 70. The rifle cocks and fires, the bolt removes and installs easily, but the safety seems stuck in the fire postion. I have not been able to move it in anyway. It seems stuck forward to fire. Am I missing some feature ot technique or is it broken ?

Marks 21,
Very often Win. Mod. 70 type safeties are aftermarket items, fit to the existing bolt shroud, while others come with a pre-made shroud but still have to be fit to the firing pin. It seems yours wasn't properly fit up somehow. I suggest you have a local gunsmith refit it or if the problem is something else, he can take care of that.
Mike

The rifle needs to be cocked to engage the safety, forward to fire, the rear and middle positions are safe and the rearmost position also locks the bolt handle in place. There is an angled cut on the cocking piece which is cammed up off the sear with the lever when the safety is engaged. It sounds as if the the cam is not cut properly or something has worn. Easy enough for most competent bolt gun guys. Possible the trigger was changed since the safety was fit up, that will change the geometry as well.

I would give it a good soaking with Kroil and a cleaning to see if that frees up the safety.
In order to install the shroud onto the bolt, the firing pin must be held to the rear. This is typically done by engaging the safety. Which leads me to think it worked properly when installed. Some lubricants/water displacing solvents harden with age (IE WD-40).
Fwiw, the ACGG has a video on their YouTube channel of Jim Wisner fitting one of his Mauser 3 position safeties. Your safety may not be a Wisner, but most are fitted in a similar manner.

Appreciate the insight. I hope to find time to fiddle with it this weekend. The Empire rifle is a custom built piece not a retro fit or modification, but I do assume the design/ geometry of the piece is generally "universal." There is a TINY set screw on the shroud that likely holds a detent for the safety and it shows some rust... I will start with the Kroil and some further investigation.

I’ve worked on a couple Empire rifles and they are a high quality action.
Given that there is a bit of rust showing, I would remove the shroud assembly before soaking it in Kroil. You can do so by holding the cocking piece sides in a vise and pulling the bolt body forward while unscrewing the shroud. If you don’t have smooth vise jaws line them with brass or aluminum to prevent marring the cocking piece.

I may have gotten it, thanks for the comments. I had to take the phone a friend ( gunsmith) option as well.. . We will see. The reassembled bolt and safety work in my hands, we will see when it returns to the rifle this evening.