New member (bigedac) with a stuck M-10 bolt

[bigedac]

Well, I sure started a discussion!  Bottom line on firing pin.  I took a .250 length of dowel, inserted it into the bbl., muzzle up, fired, dowel jumped, nice firing pin indent.  I used my blue layout dye to coat the bullet.  Pushed it into the chamber, rifling marks on the ogive of the 150 gr. pointed soft point.  Bolt not all the way in.  Solution: seat bullet deeper, fired three rounds, worked just fine.  Still learning this rifle, I measured the distance from the breech end of the receiver on top to the bolt body.  Mine is about .100 when properly closed.  After firing it was about .120.  I assume this is normal to allow the cartridge to be ejected without undue pressure.  All in all, this is a great rifle, no it has not been tampered with in any way, it has not been fired much at all.  For it's age it's like new.
Bigedac

[HPC]

Bigedac - what you're seeing is, in fact, normal; with the relaxation of the firing pin spring.  There's about 0.050 play in the bolt body before the bolt head begins rotation as the bolt body is withdrawn.  This measurement is from the bolt body all the way forward, to the point where resistance is felt as the bolt head begins to rotate and the firing pin spring is now coming under tension.  Releasing the bolt handle will cause the bolt to move forward again under firing spring tension; until you have retracted the bolt enough, approximately 1.000, for the bolt head to complete its rotation and begin moving aft.  At that point everything is in balance; and the bolt will smoothly move in and out.


HPC