Serious Mosin Question..

[ziegler44]

Alright, so I picked up my M91/30 mosin nagant today. Its from 1944 and in damn good shape. Of course it was caked in cosmoline, but that was no problem. I got most all of it off all the metal parts, and most off the wood too.
Here comes the bad news.. At the store, the gun cycled just fine and didnt stick at all despite being coated in cosmoline. After i cleaned it, it still cycled fine. But now it wont at all. When you try to pull up on the bolt handle, it literally moves 5 cm and then just gets stuck. Even with all of my force, it wont come up. The only way to get it to work is to cock it manually, then cycle the bolt.

I have no idea what is causing this. Im thinking it might be the head space. When i took apart the bolt, i also removed the ejector so i could check the head space. It wasnt until then that i noticed i didnt get a thing to check it with.

Anyone have any ideas what may be causing this? And how to fix it? I was supposed to bring it out tomorrow to the range, but if its like this im rethinking if its even able to fire.

 

[wrench]

I can't think of anything about headspace that would cause this problem.
You said it functioned fine before you took it apart.
So, when you reassembled the bolt, did you lube it with anything? I use a little grease on the camming surfaces where the bolt parts ride to cause it to cock.
Also, you used the little tool to set firing pin protrusion, right?

When you lift the bolt handle, you're cocking it. You said if you cock it manually, the bolt will lift.
Take it out, take it apart, give her a little lube. I also use a very tiny amount of grease in the recesses of the receiver where the bolt's locking lugs engage.
Let us know how it works out.

 

[leadchucker]

It's not headspace.

Do you mean you removed the ejector or the extractor.

The ejector is actually called the interruptor. and it is down between the magazine and the bolt on the left side. It might be possible to put that in backward or upside down.

It's fairly normal for the bolt to be hard to raise when it's cocking the cocking piece. There is a lot of friction between the spiral cam on the bolt and its mating cam on the cocking piece. Make sure that area is very clean and well lubed.

There isn't too much way to put these things back together wrong. I assume you have studied how to adjust the firing pin depth.

 

[jiminhobesound]

I thought the Mosin was a neat idea. Wanted a M44, bought one on line in a synthetic stock. Have worked on the bolt for months. I have done everything to ease the action and it just does not work for any length of time. If I ever get the chance the I will pass this problem off to someon else.

 

[ziegler44]

I got it to work. I just had to lube it up quite a bit. There was just too much friction

 

[Ignition Override]

MNs often need extra thorough cleaning.

Tiny bits of dried cosmo warm up, then with the bolt closed they cool off and make the bolts very difficult to open.

Many guys have needed to knock the bolts loose with a board, or kick them.

 

[Pronghorn]

I think u may have put it back together wrong. U should use the firing pin protrusion gauge that came with the rifle and make sure that the rear cocking knob is screwed onto the firing pin shaft at the right distance. Then check that the extractor is placed properely on the bolt.