Bolt disassembly

[Stewart]

What is the procedure for taking down/stripping a Krag bolt? (particularly a M1898 if that matters) I know how to remove it from the action of course but I'm interested in how the bolt sleeve, cocking piece, safety, firing pin, spring etc... can be removed from the bolt body. I will appreciate any advice.

[Parashooter]

Hold cocking piece to the rear and rotate bolt sleeve left (counterclockwise) to remove firing assembly from bolt. Release cocking piece, pull front end of mainspring towards rear, tilt firing pin to disconnect doll's-head joint.

Stop and think if you really need to do the tricky stuff.

If so, drop extractor retaining pin downward to remove extractor. The pin may be staked in place and should then be left alone unless you have to replace the extractor or sleeve. Turn safety to vertical (note little "exit ramp" for detent) and pull out to rear of sleeve. Good luck getting it back in (best done with a small wedge to depress detent).

[Don_B._in_KS.]

Hold the sleeve forward and the cocking piece to the rear or else the sleeve will snap back toward the cocking piece when it comes off the shoulder of the bolt body and inflict small but painful bites on your finger tips! I wouldn't mess with either the extractor or the safety lever unless they were broken. You could also turn the bolt sleeve until the cocking piece drops forward into the cock cam notch in the bolt body then pull it back out and turn it left until the nose of the cocking piece rests on the back of the bolt body just to the left of the notch then hold the sleeve forward and continue to turn left and ease it back. Neither method is anywhere near as hard as describing them clearly is. Most parts changed on the Krag bolt in some way or other but basic disassembly stayed the same all the way through.

[Stewart]

Thanks Don & parashooter for the excellent procedure instructions. I'm going to give it a try. My purpose is to change the bolt body itself and to do that it sounds like I don't need to disassemble the extractor from the sleeve or disassemble the safety. Correct?

[John Spangler]

It may be easier to follow the photo instructions posted at http://armscollectors.com/kragboltremoval.htm
Paste this into your browser window if it does not show up as a link.

[Don_B._in_KS.]

Correct!

[Parashooter]

I followed the link given by John S. and don't see anything more than bolt removal. Nothing on stripping the bolt. What am I missing?

The bolt removal instructions there are fine for beginners. With practice, you can do it one-handed -

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[Harv]

Why not make a sticky ?
It would be a big help...

[cjwils]

Try this, if I can get an attachment to work. The link shown on the pages of the attachment does not seem to function any more.