Bolt Action Question (Stumped)

P

Paul Mc

Active member
Hi all,
So the recently restored Mossy Bolt action refuses to fire. She leaves an inadequate dimple on the primer but no love. I can see that the distance that is left in the picture between that stud and it's corresponding "seat" in that little grove is the distance the entire rod/pin needs to go in order to consummate the firing. That's me pointing to the gap with a screw driver. It's not stuck, it just won't go home. What am I missing? It is spotlessly clean and well lubed, it just won't go home. What am I missing?
View attachment MossBolt.jpg
 
Just a guess but maybe some corrosion or debris inside bolt body where that firing pin mechanism needs to seat. Did you remove the firing pin and plunger when cleaning from bolt body and thoroughly clean inside of bolt body with a bore brush on drill? That's my best guess from your description. Another culprit could be weak spring . Take it out, stretch it, reassemble and give it a try. If it works replace spring with new. Those springs will take a set ,especially if left in cocked position for number of years.
 
roy brewington said:
Just a guess but maybe some corrosion or debris inside bolt body where that firing pin mechanism needs to seat. Did you remove the firing pin and plunger when cleaning from bolt body and thoroughly clean inside of bolt body with a bore brush on drill? That's my best guess from your description. Another culprit could be weak spring . Take it out, stretch it, reassemble and give it a try. If it works replace spring with new. Those springs will take a set ,especially if left in cocked position for number of years.
Click to expand...

There's no way there's debris, I foolishly was aggressive (banging) the heal of it with no success. I'm leaning towards the spring......Standby and thank you.
 
paul did it fire before taken apart if it did take washer you put in out mark fire pin where it is now take washer out dry fire against a spent shell see if fire pin came out farther if did thewasher in wrong or not seeing end of firing pin could be mushroomed or broke. paul if still stumped disassemble bolt take spring and washer off and slide firing pin in bolt see if it makes up distance where screw driver is pointing. I then would be able to narrow down problem good luck rick
 
rick born said:
paul did it fire before taken apart if it did take washer you put in out mark fire pin where it is now take washer out dry fire against a spent shell see if fire pin came out farther if did thewasher in wrong or not seeing end of firing pin could be mushroomed or broke. paul if still stumped disassemble bolt take spring and washer off and slide firing pin in bolt see if it makes up distance where screw driver is pointing. I then would be able to narrow down problem good luck rick
Click to expand...
Hi Rick,
thanks for taking a stab at this. No, I did not fire it prior to overhaul because it was too rusty and stuck to even do that. The pin doesn't show any signs of mushrooming and it is free sliding and lubed so I have ruled out an obstruction as well.
I'll try to stretch out the spring just to rule that out, but that would only be a solution IF it were a matter of the pin not having the power to engage the primer. That little stud ending up in that rounded groove like it's supposed to wouldn't be held by the spring, so............
 
Mc~


As you know, I'm no gunsmith - so I readily defer to others.


I had a similar problem - irregular firing but always with dimpled primers - on my original (1918) Winchester Model 12. A factory rep - who inspected the gun in person - diagnosed it as too much head space. The bolt could no longer seat as tightly as it once did and could not be repaired (at any reasonable cost). It was unreliable - and therefore dangerous - so I retired it and got a "new" one (1925).


I plan to use my older M12 to carry around the farm to shoulder and dry fire - can't hurt it now - to help me learn to shoot left-handed.


All the best,


SJS

 
Steve Sanford said:
Mc~


As you know, I'm no gunsmith - so I readily defer to others.


I had a similar problem - irregular firing but always with dimpled primers - on my original (1918) Winchester Model 12. A factory rep - who inspected the gun in person - diagnosed it as too much head space. The bolt could no longer seat as tightly as it once did and could not be repaired (at any reasonable cost). It was unreliable - and therefore dangerous - so I retired it and got a "new" one (1925).


I plan to use my older M12 to carry around the farm to shoulder and dry fire - can't hurt it now - to help me learn to shoot left-handed.


All the best,


SJS
Click to expand...

So are you saying that the bolt when CLOSED and ready to fire is not seating the shell properly? If that little stud were seated in it's groove and this was still happening, I'd move onto your solution but it's too coincidental that the distance that that thing needs to go back is exactly the distance that the firing pin would need to go forward to have a proper discharge. I'm running over to a local shop today.
In other news, there is a Bull BBill standing on the bank of the creek behind my house surrounded by blackduck right now. I've never seen that before.
 
Mystery solved. This spacer washer sits at the bottom of the bolt with the firing pin housing coming up through the hole of the washer. I had the tab down when it should have been up. Who knew......? It fired, thanks for taking a look and commenting. Onward to the Stevens pump.View attachment 737620.jpg
 
Good morning, Mc~


Excellent! Can't wait to hear about the big ol' Black Duck this old gun takes down next November....


See you soon,


SJS

 
Ah a bolt action.

The only time I have ever encountered a bolt action shotgun is an old one that was possessed by the grandfather of a friend. My friend had acquired it and it quickly became part of our pheasant opener weekends.

Being such a heavy gun and only being able to cycle one Shell at a time it became a bit of a gag present or punishment depending on who you asked.

It was affectionately known as, "The Limiter." The honor of carrying it on day two of our pheasant weekend was whoever had limited out on their birds the fastest on the first day. It was a badge or shame depending on who you asked. [laugh]
 
That's pretty funny!

My first shotgun was a hand-me-down Mossberg bolt 20 with a polychoke.
I killed my first rabbits, squirrels and ruffed grouse with that gun.
It shot slugs like a rifle but never got to shoot a deer with it before I "moved up" to a rifle.
Traded it in on a new 870 Express, and wished i never had. Never shot that 870 as good as that Bolt 20!
 
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