Help! My bolt is stuck.

[AlbertaAndy]

Hello,

I'll introduce myself in my first post with a request for help. I'm interested in Commonwealth military history and recently picked up a P14 at a good price on a local gun forum here in Canada.

The gun is a .303 Winchester P14, with full wood stock, an intact and operational front volley sight and it even came mounting a Parker Hale 5B target sight. The collection I bought it from also included Enfields that were modified by the DCRA as well as Fultons of Bisley, so although I don't have previous experience with P14s, being more familiar with the SMLE and NO4 I suspect it is in the better grade of guns and has been used for and perhaps regulated/accurised for target use.

Now everything would have been perfect except for one big catch. I can't operate the bolt!
I can move the bolt lever up and down without any issue, but there is no forward/back movement once the bolt lever is raised, apart from a very slight adjustment as I lower the bolt lever fully, with the bolt moving forward a little. I've tried all possible positions of the safety with no effect and having first tried everything else I even tried fully closing the bolt and pulling the trigger. I didn't hear anything or feel anything. There appears to be a normal, audible and visible movement of the cocking piece if I am using the correct term (the central part of the bolt) when the bolt is raised and lowered (I assume the range of movement is normal, but as I said don't have prior experience with the P14 for comparison).

I'm not great at mechanical stuff but have friends with a well equipped workshop who are.
So if anyone can troubleshoot that would be very welcome.
I did a search on the forum and found this previous thread:
1917 Enfield- Help! stuck bolt

1) The answers there seemed to suggest the possibility of an incorrect or modified bolt, however I have no evidence that that might be the problem here?
2) Would any such modifications be likely to be undertaken for target shooting?
3) If I try the disassembly instructions suggested in the other thread would this fix the problem?
4) Would it interfere with anything that may have been done to accurise the rifle?
5) The No5 sight covers the bolt release lever and prevents me opening it. Will I have to remove the No5 sight and access the lever to get the problem fixed?

I'm considering taking the gun to a gunsmith, but would like to try other options first and don't know anyone locally with specialist knowledge of historic guns.

6) Are there any gunsmithing manuals for the P14? Is there anything that I or a smith who isn't familiar with the action might do that would make the problem worse (I'd rather ship it to a specialist than wreck it completely)?

Now I contacted the man I bought it from, but he wasn't able to offer any help and as far as I know the gun was fully functional when it left his hands (he sent photos that include some with the bolt open, before I made the purchase). It was well packaged in the post and came with the bolt closed.

If anyone can trouble shoot I'd be very grateful.

Many thanks to anyone who can assist.

Cheers,
Andy

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.

[mannparks]

alberta,welcome ,my 1st thought is to be safe if the bolt can not be opened then treat the rifle as if it has a live round in the chamber.
i;m sure some one will be along shortley to help you get the bolt open.---charles

[browningautorifle]

I'd dissassemble the rifle. Remove the trigger and mag plate and strip it to find out what gives. If you can't accomplish this, you're in the right place. You don't have to go far. Just go over to Milarm and hand it to one of them. They've dealt with thousands of these over the years. They can sort you out. It may just be the way you're holding your tongue...

[Chuckindenver]

too many questions in one post skippy.. but lets fix your bolt issue.
id bet someone has tried to convert it to cock on open..
so...that being said..
use a pair of good pliers, or locking pliers, grab the cocking rod at the rear of the bolt..{make damn sure you dont have a live round in the chamber first, if you not sure..STOP. dont mess with it anymore, and take to an older gunsmith, and make sure you tell him you may have a live round in the chamber BEFORE YOU BRING IT IN THE BUILDING.
anyway..now that your sure its clear.
pull the sear engagement {cocking rod} all the way back till it catches...then remove the pliers and open the bolt...safety off.
dont put the bolt back in until you figure out why its sticking on the cocking cam.

[AlbertaAndy]

Thanks everyone for the replies so far, please keep them coming.
I know my initial post was a long one, but I wanted to provide any relevant information and I'm a great believer in the statement "there's no such thing as a dumb question".

Further info:
1) Charles thank for the safety advice. I'm able to insert a cleaning rod as far as the gas escape hole, so, together with the photos the previous owner sent of an open bolt can fairly confidently remove the possibility of a stuck round or empty case.

2) Chuck, I was advised to avoid pulling on the cocking piece as apparently it's very hard to grip securely and you're likely to scratch it if the tool you're using slips.

3) If it's relevant for troubleshooting, by raising/lowering the bolt lever, almost exactly 1/8th of an inch /3 mm of cocking piece is exposed, so not much exposed metal to grip onto in any case.

4) Jim, thanks for the suggestion of taking it to Milarm, I'll certainly follow that up if I can't get it fixed myself/with the help of the forum here.

5) Anyone have photos or a description of the difference between the correct/unmodified and a cock on opening/modified bolt so I can distinguish them?

Cheers,

Andy

[browningautorifle]

No pics but if you take the trigger guard and mag assembly out then the bolt should come to the rear even if it's gimped up. Then you can examine the parts. Two screws come out.

[Chuckindenver]

you will have to remove the bolt for me to tell..if you get the pressure off the cocking assembly the bolt will open..remove the trigger, and insert a screwdriver through the sear engagment hole, push the sear engangemet back and lift up on the bolt at the same time, it will come out.

[AlbertaAndy]

I should have some free time this weekend to try out some of these suggestions. I'll try to report back with a result one way or the other next week.

Cheers,
Andy

[Cosine26]

Some one wanted to see a modified bolt (cock-on-opening conversion) vs unmodified.
Top bolt is a Winchester, unmodified. It may be hard to see the bolt cocking cam.
Center Bolt is a Winchester modified. Note the difference in the cocking piece and the bolt cocking cam as compared to the unmodified Winchester bolt -top
Bottom bolt is Remington M30S converted by Remington to cock on opening and sold commercially. Note longer firing pin fall.
On the non commercial modified bolt, the firing pin fall may be very short and cause misfires.

[Barryeye]

Hi Andy. I am also new to this forum and by way of coincidence I too have recently acquired a P14. Unlike yours mine is made by Remington but like yours it came fitted with a Parker Hale 5B target sight and was “Regulated” by Fulton’s of Bisley. Apart from the fancy sight can anyone tell me what regulated means? What did Fulton’s do to my P14?