I have a duffle cut T99.

In 55 years accumulating this stuff I have run into the bucket story many times, but only involving Jap rifles.

I have seen pics of piles of Mausers without bolts and in the 60s, a couple of the big importers were selling "boltless" mausers.

Never saw any quantities of bolts.

A mm bolt is a big minus no matter what the story.