There is a metal fitting in the butt-stock of many Mausers that some people refer to as the "Bolt Take-Down" fitting. Many contemporary publications indicate its' primary use was for securing the riles in transit cases.

Whatever its' function, many people seem interested in its' removal, and some in its' installation.

The fitting consists of three pieces; two steel disks and a short piece of steel or copper tubing. Removal is easy, just drill away one end of the tubing with a 3/8-inch drill. Don't try to drill completely through, just drill deep enough to free one of the disks.

Once one disk is free, remove the tube and other disk from the stock. The tubing is 3/8-inch outside diameter, with about 0.050 wall thickness.

If you intend to install/reinstall the fitting, measure the thickness of the stock and obtain a piece of 3/8-inch tube that long. A source of tube that won't break the bank is sink or lavatory riser tubing. This material is used to connect up the faucets or fill valve in bathroom fixtures. Most of the time it's chrome plated, but that's OK, it's cheap at the local hardware outlet.

These are the parts prior to installation. You may want to run a 3/8-inch drill through the hole in the stock to insure easy installation.

These are the kind of tools you might need.

Here is a center-punch held in the vise. Note that it is resting on a block that is resting on the vise proper. This is always a good practice for anything held in a vise!

Now with the disks and tubing installed in the stock, the entire thing is placed over top of the center-punch and a second center-punch is inserted from the top. The top-most punch is struck with a hammer, expanding the ends of the tubing.

You can use a punch (round of course) that passes through the tube, but then you must use a hollow piece to hammer upon.

Sockets make good hollow things J.

Expand, turn over, expand, use the socket, trim the excess tubing, expand some more and this is what you end up with!

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