Stuck ejector spring?

[11B40]

Took down my first bolt today after getting my bolt tool. Pretty straight forward, BUT the ejector spring will not come out from the AOB IBM round bolt? Is this common? Any tricks? So far all I have done was give it a tug and the ejector pin came out sans spring. Thanks much, Wayne

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[INLAND44]

The spring may be stuck from old grease or rust. You're most likely going to need a new one, but in the meantime shoot some brake cleaner in the spring bore - it might loosen up. You could also try a really good penetrant like PB Blaster or Kroil. Then take a punch that fits in the ejector bore and probe to see if you can get any 'spring' out of it. If it moves, that's a good sign. Keep working it and it'll come on out. It may be okay if it's not rusted and if it holds good tension on the ejector. Clean the spring bore out and pack with grease like Militec-1 when putting back together. I use grease like this in the extractor spring bore too.

[11B40]

When I first got the bolt I noticed the ejector didn't move at all. As in, pushing it with a punch. I soaked it in my "homemade" bore cleaner/ choke cleaner and the ejector moved in and out. That was days ago and today I took the bolt down to find the spring stuck. I can get it to flex but of course can't see the bottom of the round channel. I will hit it with PB in the am. Part of the reason I'm taking it down was to check that the pin and extractor were indeed type 3 IBM (they were) and also since I'm making gauges to check it on my 3939xxx receiver. Thanks much

[11B40]

After days of soaking the bolt the spring still wouldn't pull out. I figured out it was a rust issue and soaked the bolt in Vinegar. Yes the rust dissolved enough for me to fashion a tiny hook on a dental pick and pull it out. The bad news, I now know that Vinegar does a fine job of stripping off all of the parkerized finish!

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[ChipS]

has done a good job on rust for me in the past. If your bolt was parkerized it was probably re-finished anyway. Most bolts were originally blued. I would polish with some fine steel wool and cold blue the whole thing if it were mine. Your bolt is now an authentic looking shooter. JMHO