1903A3 Bolt Question

[Klaxxi]

Hey guys, so some time ago I got a blued 1903A3 bolt for my rifle to replace the parkerized one that was in it (don't worry, I kept it) and after I swapped the bolt sleeve I put the gun away and haven't shot it since. Busy with life and all that. Well yesterday I took the rifle out to oil up and get ready to go to the range this weekend. Now I'm noticing when I cycle the bolt there's a slight bit of resistance when it enters the chamber. It's not like I have to force it home, just that it takes a bit of an extra push to get it. The old bolt sleeve was smooth as butter, you could cycle the bolt with your pinky. So I got to looking at the two side by side and I believe I have identified the culprit. Tell me if i'm seeing things here but doesn't it look like the forward locking lug is cut differently between the two?






Now the new bolt goes into battery fine and the gun functions on dummy ammo, it doesn't seem to be affecting anything negatively, at least not in that sense. Just don't want to take a chance of the lugs not working properly or something like that. Is this pretty normal? I know the blued bolt is wartime manufacture, and you can tell by looking it's finished and cut rougher than the park'd bolt which makes sense I suppose.

Information

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[mark1]

When changing bolts always check the head spacing before you fire it.

[Orroe]

yes, due the number of companies producing bolt there were slight variation in milling. As well there was variation between pre war bolts and late war replacements. But all bolts had to meet the required specification. As for smoothness of action, a new bolt will be rougher to cycle due the bolt lugs have not worn in the mating surfaces with the chamber lugs yet.

Owen