GEW 88 bolt head issue - The Firearms Forum

Ken W · 03-02-2012, 05:18 PM

I had to replace the bolt on my 88 since some brain dead moron had ground down significant amount on two sides of one of the locking lugs. Anyway, I found another bolt on ebay, sans bolt head, of coarse. Took everything apart and cleaned it all up. It all looks good. The bad news is that the bolt head from the original refuses to fit into the bolt body of the replacement. I would have thought that these would have been standardized. In the close up picture below, that is far as it will go in without having to apply a lot of force. I figured that wouldn't be such a grand idea so.......
What to do?

Jim K · 03-02-2012, 07:39 PM

OK, starting over. Do you have the rear of the bolt fully assembled and the bolt uncocked. If so, the bolt head should just push right in from that position.

Jim

Ken W · 03-02-2012, 08:01 PM

I tried twisting it every which way but it just won't fit. Very frustrating. Don't know if it'll be possible to alter either the bolt or bolt head to make it fit. Financially feasible anyway.

BETH · 03-02-2012, 08:03 PM

Jack will be along to help he's the man

BETH · 03-02-2012, 08:23 PM

Jack?

Jim K · 03-02-2012, 08:26 PM

Sorry, I had to edit my first post as I looked at the pic the wrong way.

It the lug on the bolt head is lined up with the slot in the bolt body (it can go only one way if the firing pin is lined up right, the bolt head should just slip right in. Is the bolt head you call the original by chance from one of the "Turkish" rifles. The Turks sometimes made parts for those rifles, and that bolt head looks almost "home made", not the smooth workmanship normally seen. The slot for the ejector looks like it is drilled in a sort of figure 8, not the straight slot I would expect to see, and the ejector itself looks crude and poorly made.

What I am saying is that I think your "original" bolt head is not original, so there might not be the interchangeability you would expect.

Jim

Ken W · 03-02-2012, 08:31 PM

There's not Turkish marks on it but there are a few Chinese ones on the stock. It's an actual German made GEW 88 rifle but the bolt very well might have been replaced while there. Finding bolt heads for an 88 is not the easiest thing to do these days.

03-02-2012, 05:18 PM	#1
Ken W V.I.P. Member Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: Asheville, NC Posts: 346	GEW 88 bolt head issue I had to replace the bolt on my 88 since some brain dead moron had ground down significant amount on two sides of one of the locking lugs. Anyway, I found another bolt on ebay, sans bolt head, of coarse. Took everything apart and cleaned it all up. It all looks good. The bad news is that the bolt head from the original refuses to fit into the bolt body of the replacement. I would have thought that these would have been standardized. In the close up picture below, that is far as it will go in without having to apply a lot of force. I figured that wouldn't be such a grand idea so....... What to do? Attached Images -->

03-02-2012, 07:39 PM	#2
Jim K Advanced Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2009 Posts: 6,408	Re: GEW 88 bolt head issue OK, starting over. Do you have the rear of the bolt fully assembled and the bolt uncocked. If so, the bolt head should just push right in from that position. Jim Last edited by Jim K; 03-02-2012 at 08:01 PM..

03-02-2012, 08:01 PM	#3
Ken W V.I.P. Member Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: Asheville, NC Posts: 346	Re: GEW 88 bolt head issue I tried twisting it every which way but it just won't fit. Very frustrating. Don't know if it'll be possible to alter either the bolt or bolt head to make it fit. Financially feasible anyway.

03-02-2012, 08:03 PM	#4
BETH Advanced Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: naugatuck,Ct. Contributor Posts: 6,676	Re: GEW 88 bolt head issue Jack will be along to help he's the man

03-02-2012, 08:23 PM	#5
BETH Advanced Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: naugatuck,Ct. Contributor Posts: 6,676	Re: GEW 88 bolt head issue Jack?

03-02-2012, 08:26 PM	#6
Jim K Advanced Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2009 Posts: 6,408	Re: GEW 88 bolt head issue Sorry, I had to edit my first post as I looked at the pic the wrong way. It the lug on the bolt head is lined up with the slot in the bolt body (it can go only one way if the firing pin is lined up right, the bolt head should just slip right in. Is the bolt head you call the original by chance from one of the "Turkish" rifles. The Turks sometimes made parts for those rifles, and that bolt head looks almost "home made", not the smooth workmanship normally seen. The slot for the ejector looks like it is drilled in a sort of figure 8, not the straight slot I would expect to see, and the ejector itself looks crude and poorly made. What I am saying is that I think your "original" bolt head is not original, so there might not be the interchangeability you would expect. Jim

03-02-2012, 08:31 PM	#7
Ken W V.I.P. Member Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: Asheville, NC Posts: 346	Re: GEW 88 bolt head issue There's not Turkish marks on it but there are a few Chinese ones on the stock. It's an actual German made GEW 88 rifle but the bolt very well might have been replaced while there. Finding bolt heads for an 88 is not the easiest thing to do these days.