1943 Swedish Mauser M38

Disassembly & Reassembly

1) Make sure the

rifle is pointed in a
safe direction and
is unloaded.

2) Swing the
thumb piece of the
bolt stop outward
and remove the
bolt.

1
 3) Unscrew and
remove the
cleaning rod.

4) Remove the
sling.

5) Depress the
floor plate catch.

2
 6) Slide the floor
plate to rear and
remove.

7) Unscrew the
guard front screw.

3
 8) Remove the
guard front screw.

9) Unscrew the
guard rear screw.

4
 10) Remove the
guard rear screw.

11) Remove the

guard and set
aside.

5
 12) The front and
rear bands are
held in place by
band springs (as
shown in figure
12). Depress the
forward band
spring.

13) Slide the upper

band forward.

6
 14) A trick for
easily depressing
the rear (or front)
band spring is to
take a small square
object (like the
handle of a punch
as shown in figure
14) and use a
clamp to press it
down on the band
spring.

15) Slide lower

band forward
while the band
spring remains
depressed by the
clamp.

7
 16) Remove the
barrel and receiver
assembly from the
stock.

17) After lifting the

rear sight (as
shown in figure
17), lift the
handguard from
the front and
slightly pull it
forward so it slides
out of the
handguard ring.

8
 18) Turn the
handguard (as
shown in figure 18)
and then remove
and set aside.

19) Figure 19
shows the
disassembled rifle.

Reassembly Instructions

9
 20) Turn the
handguard (as
shown in figure 20)
and then slide over
raised rear sight.

21) Slide the

handguard into the
handguard ring.

10
 22) Lower the rear
sight.

23) Place barrel

and receiver
assembly back into
the rifle stock.

11
 24) Replace the
guard.

25) Install the

guard front screw.

12
 26) Install the
guard rear screw.

27) Tighten guard

front screw.

13
 28) Tighten guard
rear screw.

29) Place floor

plate catch,
magazine follower,
and spring back
into magazine well
(as show in figure
29).

14
 30) Snap floor
plate catch in
place.

31) Using the same

clamp method -
depress the rear
band spring and
slide the lower
band back into
place.

15
 32) Depress
forward band
spring and slide
the upper band
back until the band
spring catches it.

33) Install the

cleaning rod.

16
 34) Replace the
sling.

35) Return bolt to

receiver.

36) Figure 36
shows the
reassembled rifle.

17
 Bolt Disassembly & Reassembly

Part Number Part Description

1 Bolt Body
2 Main Spring
3 Extractor
4 Cocking Piece
5 Safety
6 Bolt Sleeve
7 Striker/Firing Pin

18
 1) Make sure rifle is unloaded. Open
the bolt and pull to the rear of the
receiver.

2) Close the bolt.

3) Place the safety in the middle

(upright) position.

19
 4) Pull the bolt to the rear while
depressing the thumb piece of the bolt
stop.

5) Remove the bolt.

6) Turn the bolt sleeve counter

clockwise and unscrew it from the
bolt body.

20
 7) Remove the bolt sleeve/firing pin
assembly from the bolt body.

8) With the front of the bolt facing

away from you rotate the extractor
clockwise out of the guide groove
and until it is positioned over the
vent hole and the flat part of the
rear of the bolt body as shown in
figure 8.

9) Push the extractor forward on the

bolt body.

21
 10) Remove the extractor.

11) Make sure you have a block of

wood handy to place the point of
the firing pin against.

Do not use your wife's dinner table

- the firing pin leaves a very deep
indentation in a wood surface and
her memory.

You should use wood - because

most other surfaces will allow the
firing pin to slip and could cause
harm to you or damage to your
surroundings.

12) With your hand - grasp the bolt

sleeve and safety lever, while
making sure the safety lever stays
in the vertical (middle) position.
Slide the bolt sleeve until the
cocking piece clears and can be
turned in either direction
approximately 1/4 turn.

22
 13) Remove the cocking piece and
set it aside.

14) Slowly allow the spring to

expand.

15) Remove the bolt sleeve.

23
 16) Remove the spring.

17) Rotate the safety lever to the right

location.

18) Remove the safety lever.

24
Reassembly Instructions
19) Insert the safety lever with the
lever pointing to the right or safe
position.

20) Replace the spring onto the firing

pin.

25
 21) Place the point of the firing pin
against a block of wood. Place the bolt
sleeve over the rear of the firing pin.
Make certain that the safety lever is in
the middle position.

22) Using the safety lever as a handle

(while in the middle position) compress
the spring by placing downward
pressure on the bolt sleeve.

23) Install the cocking piece.

26
 24) Turn the cocking piece one
quarter turn until it is firmly locked
into place as shown in figure
24. Very slowly allow pressure on
the spring to release and allow the
bolt sleeve to raise against the
cocking piece.

25) Figure 25 shows the guide or

groove on the underside of the
extractor and the corresponding lug on
the extractor sleeve found on the bolt
body.

26) Place the extractor's guide over the

extractor collar's lug and slide the
extractor to the rear of the bolt.

27
 27) Carefully lift the front of the
extractor just high enough to clear the
edge of the bolt face.

28) Slide the extractor to the rear just

far enough so the extractor can be
rotated counter clockwise and slide
into the channel.

29) Rotate the extractor counter

clockwise until the extractor rests over
the right hand bolt lug.

28
 30) Now take the firing pin
assembly and insert it into the bolt
body

31) Turn the bolt sleeve clockwise

until it is against the bolt body and
the safety lever and bolt handle are
both pointing upwards.

32) Figure 32 shows the bolt sleeve

resting against a groove cut into the
bolt handle. This is the the correct final
resting position of the bolt sleeve.

29
 33) Insert the bolt into the receiver.

34) Depress the magazine follower.

35) Slide the bolt fully forward and

close.

30
 36) Rotate the safety back to the off or
fire position and you are finished
disassembling and reassembling the
Swedish Mauser bolt assembly

31