Lithgow No.1 bolthead issue

[newcastle]

Just got a No.1 1942 Lithgow,matching , good condition wood and really nice bore not much wear om the metal at all. Weird thing though. The bolt head has a lot of play in it and will flip up over the guide rail if pushed. Have not taken it apart to examine yet but wondered if a) that is unsafe and b) how it would happen if not through wear n tear and a lot of shooting.

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[Son]

Just got a No.1 1942 Lithgow,matching , good condition wood and really nice bore not much wear om the metal at all. Weird thing though. The bolt head has a lot of play in it and will flip up over the guide rail if pushed. Have not taken it apart to examine yet but wondered if a) that is unsafe and b) how it would happen if not through wear n tear and a lot of shooting.

Check it all over for DP marks. Just because it looks nice, doesn't mean it hasn't been downgraded.

Ok, no marks? There are a few possibilities... a common one is the receiver has been twisted during an attempt at removing the barrel with the wrong tools. Another one is wear tom the bolthead itself, making bit sloppy in the thread and able to go sideways enough to disengage from the rail... but another I have struck recently with an all matching rifle is wear to the bolt body. I had one here a few weeks ago that had a matching bolt5 and barrel... so nothing had been moved or removed.. but he head fell out of the rail anywhere along the bolt's travel. I tried about a dozen other bolts in it and only found one other that did it too.

Answer.. try a few bolts and if one fixes it, then follow the instructions for fitting a new bolt and away you go. Stick the original one away so it can still be all matching, or jut leave it as is and tag it not to be fired. Mind you, even if you could close the bolt with the head disengaged, it shouldn't fire anyway. The mechanical safety on the cocking piece should not let the striker fall with the bolthead over rotated enough to be out.