Mosin Issue

[Light]

So I decided to buy my first mosin. Ended up buying a re-arsenelled ishvesk rifle with a Tula bolt. It's marked 1940r.

I cleaned it out with hot water and used a toaster oven on some smaller parts. Oiled it up and fired the first shot using surplus. After I fire a shot, I can move the bolt up, which cocks the bolt again, but I cannot pull the bolt straight back to extract the empty shell. I had to use the bayonet to tap the bolt open.

This happens with every shot, although before and after firing I can cycle rounds without firing them with no issue, it's just an issue extracting a fired shell.

I plan to buy mineral spirits and give the chamber a good scrubbing again but if that doesn't work is there anything else I should check?

 

[mkgr22]

Look closely at your fired cases. If you see any scratches, that will indicate a burr in the chamber that you will need to work out. If the case is not sctratched then a good cleaning should do it.
Did you dis-assemble and clean the bolt as well?

 

[Light]

After the issue arised with the initial cleaning I soaked the entire bolt, internal magazine, bayonet, and the screws in mineral spirits but not the barrel as I didn't have a large enough container. The bolt was completely clean afterwards and I oiled it.

I'll have to fire it some more today and take a look at the casings closer.

 

[jamesearljonesisscab]

Maybe some built up cosmoline in the chamber.

 

[possum_128]

Check the top rear screw in the receiver, if you over tighten it you can cause this problem.
This is the srew that is located just behind the bolt when the bolt is closed.

 

[lmyer]

Look closely at your fired cases. If you see any scratches, that will indicate a burr in the chamber that you will need to work out. If the case is not sctratched then a good cleaning should do it.
Did you dis-assemble and clean the bolt as well?

This above

When firing, the case expands to tightly fit the chamber. If it extracts (normally) an unfired cartridge that has been chambered - then the extractor is fine and something is sticking your case in the chamber upon firing. Burr or gunk. Identify and fix the specific problem. Don't just generally hone it out (removing metal), as someone is sure to soon tell you. Bronze shotgun brush in a drill with bore solvent will really clean the area of the chamber where the cartridge sits, quickly. Size the brush to the largest diameter of your cartridge and don't try to go too deep in the chamber. If you have a burr, find it (bore light) and carefully file the burr with a proper round file.

Good luck,

Les

 

[johntheplinker]

The dreaded sticky bolt. Do as suggested above and that should take care of it. If you do have a burr as indicated by scratches in a case, a qtip lightly rubbed around the chamber area will leave fibers on the burr.

 

[gdh]

What ammo are you using? I ask this because the 1960's Czech ammo pictured below has a lacquer coating, that can cause the sticky bolt problem. I have only found one Mosin out of the ones I have owned, to be able to shoot this without the bolt sticking.

 

[Sand-Dragon]

I ALMOST bought myself a Mosin-Nagant (M91) version. But after a lot of research I've discovered it's not a very good choice for long range shooting. I decided to go with a Remington 700 because unlike the Mosin I don't have to go to extreme lengths to mod it out with a scope and bipod like I would a Remington 700. Plus most of the suprlus, bulk, military ammo is corrosive to it....and that just seems like more problems down the road.

 

[possum_128]

I ALMOST bought myself a Mosin-Nagant (M91) version. But after a lot of research I've discovered it's not a very good choice for long range shooting. I decided to go with a Remington 700 because unlike the Mosin I don't have to go to extreme lengths to mod it out with a scope and bipod like I would a Remington 700. Plus most of the suprlus, bulk, military ammo is corrosive to it....and that just seems like more problems down the road.

And this helps with his problem how.

 

[nmcqueen469]

I ALMOST bought myself a Mosin-Nagant (M91) version. But after a lot of research I've discovered it's not a very good choice for long range shooting. I decided to go with a Remington 700 because unlike the Mosin I don't have to go to extreme lengths to mod it out with a scope and bipod like I would a Remington 700. Plus most of the suprlus, bulk, military ammo is corrosive to it....and that just seems like more problems down the road.

Very helpful, OP thanks you very much.

 

[lmyer]

The dreaded sticky bolt. Do as suggested above and that should take care of it. If you do have a burr as indicated by scratches in a case, a qtip lightly rubbed around the chamber area will leave fibers on the burr.

Good idea regarding the q-tip!

 

[Sand-Dragon]

And this helps with his problem how.

I don't know if it helps, but I got turned on to the idea of buying a cheap military surplus bolt rifle right off the bat for longer range shooting. And the fact that ammo is cheap got my attention too, but when it comes to mouting a scope and a bipod I have to do some finagling, measuering, and wood work to mount either. Why do that when I can buy a Remington 700? A good, established rifle that's still actively deployed in the military today for a couple hundred bucks more that will save me money in the long run. The bad accuracy at longer ranges and corrosive ammo is what turned me off to the idea, personally.

But it's your Mosin. You decide what to do with your money and your tastes. Maybe I'm wrong and if you buy it you'll find that it shoots like a dream. I just hope you get the bang for your buck, literally.

 

[DoggyDaddy]

I don't know if it helps, but I got turned on to the idea of buying a cheap military surplus bolt rifle right off the bat for longer range shooting. And the fact that ammo is cheap got my attention too, but when it comes to mouting a scope and a bipod I have to do some finagling, measuering, and wood work to mount either. Why do that when I can buy a Remington 700? A good, established rifle that's still actively deployed in the military today for a couple hundred bucks more that will save me money in the long run. The bad accuracy at longer ranges and corrosive ammo is what turned me off to the idea, personally.

But it's your Mosin. You decide what to do with your money and your tastes. Maybe I'm wrong and if you buy it you'll find that it shoots like a dream. I just hope you get the bang for your buck, literally.

Eh, make it 3 hundred more and get both! I don't care that I can't hit a dime at 500 yards with my Mosins, and corrosive ammo isn't a problem really. Quick rinse at the range, clean as normal at home. I just like 'em because they're just a lot of fun and history for cheap.

*Edit* If you haven't seen "Enemy at the Gates", you should. That will answer the question of "why get a Mosin".

 

[K_W]

I had the sticky bolt on mine, the bolt would only lift halfway after firing unless you slapped it up hard...
a cleaning rod in a drill with a .45 chamber brush wrapped in steel wool and soaked in brake cleaner cured my issue.

 

[littletommy]

I had the sticky bolt on mine, the bolt would only lift halfway after firing unless you slapped it up hard...
a cleaning rod in a drill with a .45 chamber brush wrapped in steel wool and soaked in brake cleaner cured my issue.

This^^^^
I've also wrapped the bore brush in a piece of t shirt material and slopped a little polishing compound on it, worked very well. You may have to do it more than once, but it does work.

 

[Light]

So after firing some more rounds since I finally had time, the round is expanding a centimeter up the case (roughly) from the back and is catching in 3 areas. Used a 20ga brush, a screwgun, and some chrome polishing compound. It definitely helped, but it wasn't enough.

My stepdad thinks we should use a dremel stone with some sort of extension, while I'm thinking using a qtip with JB Weld and some sort of "level" to level it evenly with the inside of the chamber might work as i'm worried we may hone it out too much.

Though I'd post here for suggestions first.

 

[K_W]

So after firing some more rounds since I finally had time, the round is expanding a centimeter up the case (roughly) from the back and is catching in 3 areas. Used a 20ga brush, a screwgun, and some chrome polishing compound. It definitely helped, but it wasn't enough.

My stepdad thinks we should use a dremel stone with some sort of extension, while I'm thinking using a qtip with JB Weld and some sort of "level" to level it evenly with the inside of the chamber might work as i'm worried we may hone it out too much.

Though I'd post here for suggestions first.

No offense but, horrible and dangerous idea...

You need to polish, not remove material.

Take a cleaning rod, put it in a drill, put a .40 or.45 brush on it, unwrap a nest of fine steel wool, cut a few strips and wrap loosely on the bore brush, spin up the drill slowly while sliding it into the chamber and give it a little bit of pressure to get a shape of the chamber to the brush.

Wrap another layer or two of steel wool on the chamber shaped wool bundle, spray with brake cleaner and re-insert, spin-up drill after seating bundle into chamber, spin at full speed for 30 seconds while applying and relaxing pressure on bursh... Be careful not to get the spinning wool into the rifling.

Shoot, evaluate, and repeat if necessary.

 

[lmyer]

So after firing some more rounds since I finally had time, the round is expanding a centimeter up the case (roughly) from the back and is catching in 3 areas. Used a 20ga brush, a screwgun, and some chrome polishing compound. It definitely helped, but it wasn't enough.

My stepdad thinks we should use a dremel stone with some sort of extension, while I'm thinking using a qtip with JB Weld and some sort of "level" to level it evenly with the inside of the chamber might work as i'm worried we may hone it out too much.

Though I'd post here for suggestions first.

Photos of a fired cartridge, showing the areas it is catching please.

K_W's ideas are something to try that won't hurt and can only help.

Please be careful!! PLEASE!!!! NO Dremels - NO JB Weld in this area - Don't even think about it!!!!!!!

Les

 

[DoggyDaddy]

Photos of a fired cartridge, showing the areas it is catching please.

K_W's ideas are something to try that won't hurt and can only help.

Please be careful!! PLEASE!!!! NO Dremels - NO JB Weld in this area - Don't even think about it!!!!!!!

Les

I agree! Besides, if the case is expanding, that would seem to me to indicate that the chamber is already too large, at least in that area, so using a Dremel is going to allow the case to expand more.