Mosin Nagant Bolt wear

[EricTheBarbarian]

Well, a couple weeks back I took my MN 91/30 to an Appleseed shoot. I was firing rounds out of that gun as fast as I could for 2 days and shot at least 500 rounds. I got the gun so hot the barrel sounded like bacon frying as cosmoline gurgled from underneath the hand guards. It got to the point where it was too hot to hold and cycle the bolt effectively and burned myself pretty good.

I haven't fired it since but I was taking my bolt apart last night and saw something strange. On the backside of the bolt face it looks like grooves were being dug into the metal and it is starting to get substantial wear. The part where the bolt face sits in seems to have grooves dug in and looks like it was getting worn down too.

It still head spaces ok, but does anyone know what problems this might cause and if it is something I need to fix?

I'll post pics once i find the dang camera cord.

 

[Cosmoline]

Backside of the bolt face? You mean inside? If you can't post pics photoshop a diagram with arrows showing where you are seeing this.

Just as an aside, if you're going to do a lot of shooting like that you'll find the Finns with their heavier barrels hold up far better than the Soviet rifles. The M39 is about the best for this kind of sustained trench shooting.

 

[EricTheBarbarian]

here's what I got. I believe the correct names for where I am seeing wear are the "bolt head" and the "bolt connector/guide bar". I found both parts online for a total of 11 dollars if they need to be replaced.

 

[stubbicatt]

I have often seen circular grooving on these parts. A small dab of grease on the back of the bolt head, any anywhere there is likely to be movement works well.

 

[Vaarok]

That wear is unrelated to the rifle function, as it is behind the locking lugs. Most likely, it's a result of a burr or bit of crud when the metal warms and expands scratching between those two parts.

 

[BobOfTheFuture]

Yeah, I polished mine with good results. having burrs there can hurt the operation of the bolt, like make it stick, but thats about it.