Mosin M1891 D.1895 Bolt not closing

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Originally Posted by 1903Collector

As long as the barrel isn't short chambered

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Those rifles aren't exactly a tight fit or precision made rifle. Civilian ammo shouldn't be different factory spec. I'd still try the ream with just fingers to see if it turns while in the chamber. I'd just watch to see if it contacts the rear where the rim would cut. I've had more than one occasion where an expensive rifle wouldn't chamber an expensive, well made ammunition and it was because the chamber was out of spec. Wish I had this rifle just a bit closer to me...this is frustrating to listen to.

If these things don't occur to your "Gunsmith" then you have the wrong guy. He doesn't have to be some "Specialist" in Mosin Nagant rifles.

My problem is that unless I mail it out, I don't have a lot of gunsmiths in the area. This gunsmith comes at the recommendation of a specifically vintage firearm shop in my area. He has a full machine shop. There is a better surplus gunsmith, but I got "kicked out" because of the frustrations of the smith relating to bad surplus rifle #2.

I'm not happy that headspace was the last thing they checked, it should be the first.

We are both confident that this chamber is cleaner than the day it was cut.

So far he has attempted to polish it, bought a reamer that has not yet been used, and started shopping for a different reamer.

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Originally Posted by BVZ24

bought a reamer that has not yet been used,

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See, that's what I was saying. Even with finger manipulation you can tell if things are right or too tight. Like trying a key in a lock...would be so easy to show you too...

could be just a burr or nasty tool marks on a rough cut chamber. I take it it wasn't functioning in your hands ever? In that case, I my first guess is to doubt it's a short chambered barrel. Check the extractor relief on the barrel might be misaligned. If not timed correctly (I'm not talking about timing with the front site, but the timing of that relief cut on the barrel chamber end where the extractor rides), the bolt will bump on the edge instead of fit in the recess.

Just another easy thing to check before you start turning reamers, or lapping lugs, to get it to close. But it's at the smith, so maybe ask before he starts turning the reamer. no number of turns will fix the extractor relief. in fact, it will only make it worse as this is a rimmed cartridge and headspace off the face. was there a gap between rim of case and face of the chamber?

The extractor was a very early theory. It was cracked and flattened on the portion that sits in the recess. It was filed to a more reasonable profile and tried again. It works fine with cases cut down to just a stub with rim. I also tried every (7) mosin bolt head in the shop.

Under good light, the cases don't sit all the way in the chamber, just barely enough that the bolt doesn't close.

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Originally Posted by BVZ24

It was cracked and flattened on the portion that sits in the recess

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That tells me the extractor relief cut may be off, not deep enough, or both. But if you see daylight between rim and face, then you're on to it! From the above statement, it could be both issues. Headspace will likely (should always be) set with the extractor removed from the bolt. You'll know when you you get it back if the extractor relief was a problem. If it's still sticky, or won't close on a case, put a bit of layout fluid, or color with a Sharpe, the extractor face and/or face of the barrel, and check for contact.

Try to remove the extractor compleatly from the bolthead
And seeif it helps.
Has this rifle been in Finish service?
And it have a Finish made Barrel?
And if so is there a D stamp on the barrel?
The Fins use 7.62x53 insted of x54
If it is converted to take Russian ammo it should have the D stamp.
I dont know if this could be any solution
Just a thought

Jsne

No obvious Finish or Balkan marks.
No import marks, so it's been here since before the big mosin import waves, but has obviously been re arsenaled at some point.
Original imperial barrel.

Ok
Have you tried what Usabaker said in post 4
Try that with the extracter removed.

Headspace guages will not say anything about the chsmber
It is only rim thicknes. And there is a cut out for the extracter.
So if the gunsmith use the guages and i close with a Go
It can still be the extracter.

Jsne