M1903 Bolt requires a wood mallet to open after firing!

I have an '03 that I acquired some time ago with an odd problem. It has a good looking, shiny SA 42 barrel, perfect headspace - and every time I fire it I must open the bolt with great effort. This is with CMP Greek Ball ammo. There are brass smears on the bolt face from the effort of opening it.

If headspace is OK, what else could be wrong? How much should the fired cases normally expand in the chamber? I'm getting .005-.007 on the case, and up to .010 on the neck, measuring off a stock HXP round.

Is reaming the headspace all that it takes to install a new Springfield barrel, or does the leade need to be cut, too? Thanks. CC

From what I have read on these forums, your problem is the Greek ammo. Have you tried anything else??

I had problems with the Greek ammo in my '03 too. The cases would stick in the chamber every time. I tried some Winchester 30-06 and it worked without a single problem.

I agree ... try some non-Greek ammunition.

While there "could" be some other issues, I would certainly agree that you should put some name brand ammo thru rifle and see what happens. I simply cannot run HXP ammo reliably and without problems in my 03's.
Rick

From what I have read on the CMP Forums, many 1903 rifles have a chamber that is at the minimum length or just under. The Greek HXP ammo is on the max for case length. This occurred at one of the recent Camp Perry games when HXP was used as the issued for match ammunition. The proposed solution was to use a chamber reamer and make the chambers of the 1903's long enough to accept the Greek ammo.

Some believe that any alteration of a firearm with historic significance would make the value less. Since there is plenty of non Greek ammo available (although generally more expensive) I would agree that an alteration (also a cost) is not necessary. I believe that commercial Federal ammunition is now issued at the Camp Perry matches (correct me if this statement is incorrect) and the "problem" has gone away.

If you really want to shoot the HXP then a gunsmith could make the alteration. The continued use of a non issued tool (mallet) on such a precision made rifle like the Springfield 1903 has got to be doing more harm to the value than reaming the chamber would. I would also think that pinching the neck would raise the chamber pressure and you may hurt the rifle, yourself and others if a weak case was to separate.

Wineman

My 03 hates the HXP 68. Works much better after reloading and trimming to correct length.

I agree with the others that this may be an ammo problem. Another cause may be a dry cocking cam on the rear of the bolt. Lube the slanted surface near the bolt handle root. That may decrease bolt lift.

I went and tried the gun with Federal/American Eagle and Magtech 150gr. Ball - Much Better, bolt lift is almost normal, but at the top it still requires a Lot of force to start the bolt moving rearward. Cases have a tiny "ring" around the case mouth, perhaps a 1/16th or an 1/8" of an inch down from the front edge. No real pressure signs, though. Same ammo in an early Eddystone M1917 shot great, no issues at all. I'm wondering if the GI barrel was installed and headspaced, but the neck/lead area is too short and needs to be reamed a bit. Has anyone else installed a factory new GI M1903 barrel and had to work on the neck/lead instead of just setting the headspace? This is a 1942 SA replacement barrel in a high number Rock Island reciever, scant stock, WWII bolt. CC

Do you have a pic of the recently fired casing?

I had the same problem with an 03-A3 about 20 years back. Caused by wear in the neck portion of the chamber. I tried all sorts of lubes and ammo. Maybe you will have better luck but it took a new barrel to fix mine.

Sounds like your barrel has insufficient leade. Have a gunsmith check it out. That ring on the case mouth may be caused by the case entering the rifling too far, which will cause elevated pressure by holding the bullet in the case too long. You are either short chambered or your cases are too long.

jt

CMP sold a pile of barreled-receivers that had short chambers. I'll guess you have one. A finish reamer is necessary and a good 'smith can fix it in 15 minutes.