No. 4 Mk 1 HELP!

[DRC458]

My son brought his .303 over tonight ... said he couldn't get the bolt closed. I guess his habit, when he cleans a bolt gun, is to leave the bolt open when he puts it back in the safe. So, last time he cleaned it, he apparently just barely stuck the bolt back into the receiver and stuck it in the safe. Sure enough, it will only move about 1/8" forward before meeting stiff resistance. I have not tried to really force it closed, but I can move it around 1/4" to 1/2" with considerable push; but not enough to spin the bolt head up and depress the bolt release. I cannot see that he has assembled anything improperly (I do have another one to compare it to). Anyone ever experienced this? Any ideas/suggestions on how to proceed?

 

[XD-9Guy]

Compare the bolts between the two rifles. Mine was mis-aligned, for lack of a better term once and it wouldn't slide back in.

 

[dlbleak]

don, the bolt face is threaded. if it is just a hair of a turn off it won't close. hope this helps

 

[DRC458]

Thanks for the input, guys, but that's not it. I have had the bolt heads completely off and swapped them out for headspace years ago. This rifle has been shooting/functioning just fine for years. I asked him if it had gotten dropped or stepped on or something and he said, 'not that I know of.' But, I'm thinking it did. I 'gently persuaded' the bolt far enough forward to depress the bolt release, swing the bolt head, and remove the bolt from the rifle. It is NOT in the bolt. I took the bolt head completely off and slid the bolt back in ... same situation. I tried the bolt from the other rifle, with and without the bolt head ... same problem. There is basically 'zero' slop in the bolt when you slide it into the receiver, so I'm thinking the side rails at the rear of the receiver have gotten 'pinched' just a little bit somehow and removed all clearance so the bolt simply will not slide. I'm thinking of trying to find a way to spring those rails out just a tiny bit, and see what that does. Thoughts?

 

[milsurp2.0]

Are you sure the receiver isn't just installed incorrectly. If its not bedded right it could be twisted a little. You might take it down and reassemble it.

 

[angsniper]

Bottom metal bolts switched and sticking up in the way?

 

[coolhandluke]

Where exactly is the bolt binding? I am assuming by your post that it is in the rear near the bridge. Have you tried removing the safety and trigger assemblies to troubleshoot and see if they are somehow interfering? I would imagine that it would take a fairly significant amount of force to bend the bridge. Far more than dropping or stepping on the rifle.

 

[DRC458]

I've eliminated the wood ... loosened action/buttstock screws and still had the same issue. I have not pulled the trigger and safety, but he didn't have any of that apart ... just pulled the magazine and bolt, cleaned it and put it back together. I painted the inside of the receiver at the back end with a magic marker and looked for interference marks with the bolt, but didn't reveal anything. I then painted the bolt itself the same way, and did get some signs of interference along the sides of the bolt ... not much, but then I suppose a couple thousandths could make all the difference. I then gave the other rifle the same marker treatment, and it showed only some very light contact marks ... and the bolt slides in and out of that rifle like butter. I'll try to post some pics later and maybe give a better idea of the situation. Still open to suggestions!

 

[Honeybee]

Reciever follower in the way? Sorry I had to ask.

Have you tried to put your bolt in his rifle and seeing if it does the same thing?

 

[DRC458]

Reciever follower in the way? Sorry I had to ask.

Have you tried to put your bolt in his rifle and seeing if it does the same thing?

Magazine is completely out of the rifle, so no interference there. And, the bolt doesn't even go in far enough to reach the magazine. Both bolts have the same issue in his rifle, while they both function just fine in my rifle.