Spanish 1916 won't fire???

[rum_runner]

Picked up another nice 1916 in 7mm. Head space checked out fine. Went to test it out and it snaps, but doesn't fire. Of 5 rounds, there was no mark whatsoever on the primer.
Came home and took the bolt apart. Firing pin measured in spec. Spring not broken. Did a "redneck" test on it. Having no snap cap, I took 3 spent shells, applied auto scratch putty over the ends, let them dry, and sanded them down. Screwed the firing pin assembly from another 1916 and installed it in the bolt. Inserted shell, pulled the trigger. It punched a nice hole in the filler/the primer as it should. Now the "mystery". Put the original assembly back in. Inserted another shell and pulled the trigger. It also punched a hole. What gives? Would a weak spring punch a hole in the soft filler and not even leave a mark on a "live" primer?

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[browningautorifle]

Would a weak spring punch a hole in the soft filler and not even leave a mark on a "live" primer?

No...there's something else. Hard to visualize from here. I'd have tested live primers myself, not bondo...

[Doco overboard]

Check to make sure the spring is not the culprit. Maybe its to long and was binding inside the bolt body. Could also be to short and weak or modified. When you stripped and swapped parts and then reassembled it could have allowed some movement. Could be there's some crud (dried grease sand, grit muck) floating around at the FP flange bolt well juncture.

[rum_runner]

No...there's something else. Hard to visualize from here. I'd have tested live primers myself, not bondo...

Yeah, that was my intention. I was going to pull a surplus round, but I can't find my bullet puller.

---------- Post added at 01:21 PM ---------- Previous post was at 01:19 PM ----------

Check to make sure the spring is not the culprit. Maybe its to long and was binding inside the bolt body. Could also be to short and weak or modified. When you stripped and swapped parts and then reassembled it could have allowed some movement. Could be there's some crud (dried grease sand, grit muck) floating around at the FP flange bolt well juncture.

Thanks. Thought about that also after the firing pin measured in spec. Got the stripped bolt soaking in lacquer thinner and Purple Power now. Will ream it out with a a drill and wire brush later and try again.

[browningautorifle]

You could always pull it with more difficult means, you still have to size it later. Not sure why the firing pin wouldn't mark bondo though...we'll see with a live primer, except you don't need to go to the range. Roll a towel around the muzzle and the noise won't go anywhere either. You'll burn a hole in the towel though.

[rum_runner]

Never would have believed "crud" would have caused this problem.
As stated above, cleaned the bolt out, re-assembled.
Managed to pull 2 Sellier & Bellot rounds, and BOTH primers fired.
Taking this rifle to the farm this week and see if it functions.

Thanks for the advice Guys.

Will be posting pics of this current SAMCO "save" later...if all works out.

[Aragorn243]

Make sure you take it out of the stock and check the barrel for holes. Another fellow here brought one of those home not too long ago.

[rum_runner]

Make sure you take it out of the stock and check the barrel for holes. Another fellow here brought one of those home not too long ago.

I took it completely apart when I brought it home. Had to, just to get all of the cosmoline off/out of it.

[browningautorifle]

Managed to pull 2 Sellier & Bellot rounds, and BOTH primers fired.

I can't imagine a problem then...

[cipherk98]

Make sure you take it out of the stock and check the barrel for holes. Another fellow here brought one of those home not too long ago.

That gun had tons of firing pin protrusion... and dry fired plenty well Big regret was having no spent shells to make a dummy round to see if it would chamber and "fire". Thought did cross my mind when I saw this, glad the rifle turned out to be a good one for the thread starter.