K98k: Magazine floorplate retention issue? (3x LARGE IMAGES)

[Tango Sierra]

Hi Guys (and Ladies).

Recently came into possession of a 1944 byf (factory code of the primary Mauser facility at Obendorf am Neckar) K98k in pretty good condition. About halfway through the range day the magazine floorplate and assembly shot out the bottom after a shot like some sort of inverse M1 Garand...

After reassembly, I diagnosed the problem. It appears that the retaining pin (pictured below) is not being held captive. I've consulted exploded diagrams for this particular part and I don't think that I'm missing anything. If I assemble the magazine and then slide the floorplate forward it is locked in place. I then insert the pin but it doesn't remain captive unless I "hunt around" a little with a couple of depressions until it stays. I think though that it only stays captive because it's on an angle and the "collar" type protrusions are hooked onto the spring seen in the well that accommodates it.

At this stage I've masked it off with tape to prevent the pin from being ejected under spring pressure and losing it.

My question is: Am I missing something or is there some special technique required in order to properly secure this pin?

Cheers

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[CorditeCrazy]

Hi TS

My understanding is the retaining pin should not be able to come out and should be secured in the recess. It should be depressed into the recess for the floor plate to be able to be removed. I think you need to get it to a smith to fix.

[Peter Wells]

Def. designed and made for the pin to 'captive' - otherwise soldiers would have lost them wholesale. Should be a small gunsmith job.

[Tango Sierra]

Thanks, I believe that it is supposed to come out if one presses down on it using the tip of a round or something similar. I imagine it being similar to a pause button on a cassette player (for want of a better comparison).

[CorditeCrazy]

No, it should just move deeper into the recess, the procedure to field strip was to press the pointy end of a bullet against the button when removing the base plate. But the button should remain in the recess. I sold my M48 a few years back so can play now to check. I'm confident it shouldn't come out.

[Tango Sierra]

Gotcha, that makes more sense!

[Blunderbuss]

If you remove the trigger guard, there should be a hole for a retention pin (transverse). The pin locks the "latch" pin in place i.e. sits outwards of the "collar".
Hope that makes sense.