Page 58 - FAT 105 4.17 MOODLE

and saw use with the Germans during When the bolt moves rearward, the
WWI and WWII. The Mauser action ejector is compressed within the groove
is a cock-on-open system that uses a until it reaches the bolt face and begins
one-piece bolt and bolt head that rotates to expand outward, contacting the edge
with the body as the breech is locked of the case head and kicking the empty
and unlocked. When the bolt handle cartridge from the breech.
is lifted up to unlock the chamber, the
The Mauser-style action has been em-
striker is set in the cocked position. The
ployed by many different models from
Mauser-style action has proven itself to
various manufacturers. Two of the most
be much stronger than the Lee-Enfield
notable firearms are the Springfield
action because it uses two large lugs near
Armory® M1903 and the Winchester®
the bolt head and an extra, redundant lug
Model 70. Both firearms use the
near the handle. The Mauser-style action
Mauser’s cock-on-open, solid rotating
is capable of handling great load, like the
bolt design.
high pressure that is generated by mag-
num rifle cartridges.
• Lee-Enfield – Like the Mauser, the Lee-
Enfield also saw heavy use during both
The Mauser-style action uses a “con-
world wars, but was fielded by the British
trolled feed” feeding system that differs
Army and with a very different opera-
from other action style’s “push” feed
tion. The Lee-Enfield employs a cock-
system. The Mauser action employs a
on-close design and a two-piece bolt.
specialized extractor that holds the new
Unlike the Mauser, which uses a solid
cartridge centered on the bolt face the
one-piece body/bolt, the Lee-Enfield
moment it is stripped from the magazine
bolt body and head move separately from
(five-round fixed). The controlled feed
each other. When the Lee-Enfield sys-
system facilitates a very reliable feed-
tem is unlocked, the bolt head remains
ing step in the cycle of operations. The
stationary while the bolt body rotates and
Mauser-style action also uses an ejector
both pieces move rearward to expose the
that is separate from the bolt. The ejec-
chamber and breech. When the bolt is
tor on the Mauser is mounted to the
pushed forward, the striker is set to the
receiver and is spring-loaded. There is a
cocked position.
slot cut into the side and face of the bolt
that provides clearance for the ejector.

Figure 28: A Mauser-style action.

54