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  • StarKing

    Marksman
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    Jul 21, 2008
    226
    16
    Muncie
    Starting off with a question:
    The bolt on my M-38 opens VERY easily when loaded with the safety off. Is this common? It's a pain in the wazoo to put that safety on every time I'm not ready to take an immediate shot.
     

    smokingman

    Grandmaster
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    Nov 11, 2008
    9,278
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    By very easy you mean the bolt will open with the slightest tap or bump? If so how is your head space? Does your firing pin make a good indentation on the primmer? Do you get smoke/gas around your bolt when you fire? Just trying to get a better idea of what is going on :)
     

    StarKing

    Marksman
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    Jul 21, 2008
    226
    16
    Muncie
    Yup, that's what I mean, the slightest tap or bump.
    I've not been out on the range with it yet, (I should have said: "It would be a pain in the wazoo...etc etc) partly due to lack of time and my wife's general disapproval of my firearms, and partly due to concerns about headspace. I was sort of hoping that wouldn't be a likely cause. I'd say I better have it checked before shooting it.
    If that's the problem, do you know if there's a relatively inexpensive fix? It didn't cost much, so I don't want to put much into it, but I bought it as a shooter - not as a display piece (Not that it wouldn't be a good one, its in excellent condition externally).
     

    Hoosier8

    Master
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    24   0   1
    Jul 3, 2008
    4,965
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    Indianapolis
    Since the firing pin is screwed into the knob, when pulled back and turned a quarter CCW it cannot be released by the trigger. Simple but effective.
     

    49CJ3A

    Plinker
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    12   0   0
    Dec 6, 2008
    55
    8
    Indianapolis
    I spent 2hrs today cleaning my 91/30 i just bought. Wow, I can not believe what came out of that thing.

    So after reading this thread lastnight I decided to check my bolt action, unloaded of course, but noticed that once i have the bolt locked it only takes a small tap and it pops open. However after firing the bolt its "locked" into position and take a bit of muscle to open it up.

    I have yet to fire as I just haven't had time to get to the range yet. So is this normal for the bolt to open at the slightest of taps? I did investigate the bolt action a bit more and see that the actual bolt locks into the chamber with what I would all "tabs" so I assume there is little risk of the action opening up under fire.

    Guess I curious with StarKing is this something to be concerned with?
     

    StarKing

    Marksman
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    Jul 21, 2008
    226
    16
    Muncie
    To smokingman:
    (Don't have enough posts to PM you yet)

    More details:
    Been rather tied up over Christmas stuff until tonight, so it wasn't until just now that I checked out your suggestions.
    Upon opening the cocked bolt there is no significant resistance until around 80 degrees from fully closed. At that point the bolt head appears to still be locked. There is a barely noticeable catch at around 45 degrees which I assume is the bolt head beginning to unlock.
    Chambering a round has no noticeable effect.
    I do have the little multi-tool. There are three positions for the firing pin adjustment within tolerance, I tried all three and found no difference, so I put it back in the middle position. ("damn that was easy") If there is an adjustment other than the firing pin, I didn't find it.
    I noticed that there is a very small area of contact where the base of the bolt handle cams the bolt forward against the receiver, and enough wear that you can see the limit of travel of the contact point. Perhaps I'm just getting an unusually low level of friction at that contact. I may try roughing it up a bit.
    I did notice, for what it's worth, that with a round in the chamber there is enough space that you can barely hear a slight tap upon tipping the weapon forward and back, however that is also true of my only other bolt action - a Stevens M15 .22LR - and has been since it was new (50 years ago)
    OK I admit it: I'm an old fart.
     

    Wabatuckian

    Smith-Sights.com
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    May 9, 2008
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