*Mosin Nagant Ammo Problem (Need help)

[garsher]

Hey guys

I just bought a 20 pack of some Military surplus stuff, full metal jacket, silver tip.

I went out to the range last saturday, and I fired the first round... I tried to pull the bolt up and it wouldn't unlock. So I just placed the gun, with the bolt facing down on the bench and just put all my weight on it, it finally unlocked and the bullet case lost it's shineyness.

Does it happen to your guys' guns too? What can i do to stop this problem? It's essentially a sticky bolt problem, how do i get rid of it, it's really bad.

Thats the ammo I use, left one is brass case, right is the military stuff.

Information

Warning: This is a relatively older thread This discussion is older than 360 days. Some information contained in it may no longer be current.

[sdh1911]

Buff the chamber to a mirror finish and keep it very, very lightly lubricated. This works well with many but not all my guns. I have an SA marked 1923 vintage 91/30 and a 1970's sneak target that are just plain stubborn ejectors. I've done every trick in the book with those two but they still put up a fight, good luck-SDH

[Swede]

I've read quite a few complaints about Czech silver tips sticking in the chamber. As sdh says buffing the chamber usually helps.

[happydude]

When the heat and humidity gets going m MN won't cycle the heavy ball well. I just take a piece of 2x4 and whack the bolt open.

[Cantom]

When the heat and humidity gets going m MN won't cycle the heavy ball well. I just take a piece of 2x4 and whack the bolt open.

I watched a guy at a shoot recently shoot a MN, he had to whack the bolt handle with his hand to get it open...perhaps it's a feature of the things?

[woodchopper]

yes that silver tip stuff tends to cause the bolt to stick. I believe its the coating they put on the cases to preserve the ammo that heats up and then sticks.

I don't recomend using lube on cases as your going to end up with all the force straight back on the bolt face and not the chamber walls.

[Cantom]

yes that silver tip stuff tends to cause the bolt to stick. I believe its the coating they put on the cases to preserve the ammo that heats up and then sticks.

I don't recomend using lube on cases as your going to end up with all the force straight back on the bolt face and not the chamber walls.

Whatever it may be, I'll take a No 4 Enfield over a MN any day...

[Claven2]

It's not case lacquer, it's the mild steel cases. they are designed for use in a semi-auto. In a bolt cation, the cases over-expand and grip the chamber walls.

If you use brass cases in that same rifle, it will start working like butter again

[cosmo05]

Yep, hit the nail on the head. The steel case hardness has a lot to do with CZ silvertip locking a bolt up. Hungarian LB is also steel cased but must be made of a milder steel, they cycle like brass would. I have over 20 MNs and some experianced a sticking bolt. I cleaned the chambers with a .410 shot gun brush wrapped with a patch. I used laquer thinner first to cut all the hardened cosmolene and then went to Hoppes cleaner. The rifles would then cycle ok, not like a brass shell would, buy you don't need to pound the bolt open with a 2x4. Actually the CZ silvertip seems to be one of the more accurate and reliable surplus loads, I like it.

[woodchopper]

ah that explains it,

The Hungarian ammo is "brass washed" steel cased and that makes the difference