Mosin Nagant question
- Thread starter holt2010
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Crankylove
New member
Shoot it more, a few hundred thousand rounds should start to break it in and loosen things up. 
The bolt on my Mosin is pretty still as well, and it has had several thousand rounds thru it (that I know of, it did have at least 3 previous owners that I know for sure) and it is still as stiff as the day it joined the family. The head space and bolt/reciever specs are good........its just stiff....but it works fine.
The bolt on my Mosin is pretty still as well, and it has had several thousand rounds thru it (that I know of, it did have at least 3 previous owners that I know for sure) and it is still as stiff as the day it joined the family. The head space and bolt/reciever specs are good........its just stiff....but it works fine.
David the Gnome
New member
Is not stiff, is strong!
.300 Weatherby Mag
New member
How clean is the chamber??? A dirty chamber can make the bolt a real PITA to operate...
That's normal for a Mosin. Some are stickier than others, but pretty much all Mosins have to be manhandled a bit to cycle the bolt. Make sure there is no cosmoline buildup on the locking lugs or chamber.
Here's some suggestions that might help a bit:
http://www.surplusrifle.com/shooting2005/eliminatesbs/index.asp
Here's some suggestions that might help a bit:
http://www.surplusrifle.com/shooting2005/eliminatesbs/index.asp
I fired 5 rounds through it. Git it warmed up, then cleaned the chamber at the range. Helped a lot. Little bit of grease and your good to go.
Secondly I got some ammo with the gun that really made the bolt stick (even after cleaning chamber). Tried some Privi and it cycled so much easier.
Secondly I got some ammo with the gun that really made the bolt stick (even after cleaning chamber). Tried some Privi and it cycled so much easier.
On quite a few of the rearsenaled Mosins you will find that the extractor has burrs, sharp edges, and/or machining marks. This is a push feed action where the extractor snaps over the rather substantial rim at closing. Also, it does not just snap over in a straight line, it cams over. My M38 was to the point that I had to very carefully work the extractor over. Presto, no more issues. Once you for sure have the chamber clean, if the stiff bolt continues, take a round and chamber it. Extract it and examine the rim closely.
Procede at your own risk, a guy could easily work over an extractor to the point it no longer does the job right. They are available seperately and are not too hard to swap out, so it would not be th end of the world, but go slow. Good luck.
Procede at your own risk, a guy could easily work over an extractor to the point it no longer does the job right. They are available seperately and are not too hard to swap out, so it would not be th end of the world, but go slow. Good luck.
cjmorgan00
New member
I Agree
My uncle and I both bought Mosins. He got his at a Dunhams in town for 70 and I got mine a few months later at an actual gun dealer and both came with bayonet and ammo pouch. Love accuracy but bolt is still harsh. With time it will get smother but not by much. Uncle's Century G3 (CETME)'s charging handle was super rough, imean a little struggle bit now can almost do in smooth motion. I know diff gun but same principal. Have nice day
My uncle and I both bought Mosins. He got his at a Dunhams in town for 70 and I got mine a few months later at an actual gun dealer and both came with bayonet and ammo pouch. Love accuracy but bolt is still harsh. With time it will get smother but not by much. Uncle's Century G3 (CETME)'s charging handle was super rough, imean a little struggle bit now can almost do in smooth motion. I know diff gun but same principal. Have nice day
Don't be afraid to be rough with it. Once had an associate try out my M44, he had the hardest time in the world working the bolt, he kept trying to "baby" it, like it was gonna break if wasn't gentle. Maybe its age somehow makes it seem like it would be fragile, but really, there's basically nothing your hand can do to that action to somehow break it. In this guy's case, it got to where he would fire, then hand the rifle to me, I'd work the bolt, and hand it back to him ready to fire, then repeat until it was empty. Rather annoying.
cowboy33713
New member
Howdy-
Have a couple of Mosins myself. On my long rifle ( have a carbine, too) I replaced the trigger with one of those Hubler triggers- a nice addition. Still, HATE the standard bolt handle, so got a "sniper" type bolt handle from www.buymilsurp.com and swapped that on there- easy to do, it is sent welded onto a bolt body- you use the bolt head and striker parts from your rifle, so headspace is not altered. MUCH easier to work, and far less expensive than most used commercial centerfire rifles.
Or, you can put up with it as is.....
Have a couple of Mosins myself. On my long rifle ( have a carbine, too) I replaced the trigger with one of those Hubler triggers- a nice addition. Still, HATE the standard bolt handle, so got a "sniper" type bolt handle from www.buymilsurp.com and swapped that on there- easy to do, it is sent welded onto a bolt body- you use the bolt head and striker parts from your rifle, so headspace is not altered. MUCH easier to work, and far less expensive than most used commercial centerfire rifles.
Or, you can put up with it as is.....
stubbicatt
New member
Using Kroil and a proper chamber brush will help with the sticky bolt syndrome. Shoot it till it sticks, then go after it with kroil on the brush and swab out the residue...
lather, rinse, repeat as necessary.
lather, rinse, repeat as necessary.
I had to resort to the chamber sized cleaning brush/rod section chucked on a cordless drill fix to get the old varnish out of the chamber on my East German property marked Izzy M44(thats VERRY smooth with no ammo in it).... had to soak the chamber with Kroil, wait a couple of hours, then use the drill and brush (2X) before I got it all ,and the rifle got semi normal to cycle lol.
On a Mosin there is no grasp with thump and forefinger and ease it up like it was a 700 Remington...you have to slap the underside of the bolt knob with your upturned palm like you are mad at it.
Some of the Ammo is "stickier" than others as well.....try Wolf Gold with brass cases (and no laquer like the steel cases ammo) to see difference as well.
My Izzy 91/30 Sniper had no such problems.
On a Mosin there is no grasp with thump and forefinger and ease it up like it was a 700 Remington...you have to slap the underside of the bolt knob with your upturned palm like you are mad at it.
Some of the Ammo is "stickier" than others as well.....try Wolf Gold with brass cases (and no laquer like the steel cases ammo) to see difference as well.
My Izzy 91/30 Sniper had no such problems.
overkill556x45
New member
I use nothing but surplus in mine. You gotta do like the guy said above. Smack it with the palm of your hand like it stole your wallet, you decadent capitalist pig!
I have an Izhevsk 91/30 from 1944. I did the chamber polish, but 20rds of lacquer coated Russky surplus fired in rapid succession makes it sticky-ish. Just handle it like you're at Stalingrad and *really* need another round in the tube.
I have an Izhevsk 91/30 from 1944. I did the chamber polish, but 20rds of lacquer coated Russky surplus fired in rapid succession makes it sticky-ish. Just handle it like you're at Stalingrad and *really* need another round in the tube.