Bolt Hard To Close 03-A3

[holdover]

Ditto..."Is it short chambered? Have you checked the head space?" New rifle to you, I would check headspace, especially if it happened with different ammo all sized correctly.

[fguffey]

A friend bought a 03-A3 yesterday. He shot it this morning and had difficulties with the bolt. The bolt is hard to close, like it wants to hang up and needs several attempts or a rather stiff push or hard thrust to close. Rifle is like new. Doubt it has had more than 50 rounds though it. Will post pictures latter. Best guesses as to the problem. We do not see and shiny spots or scoring on the bolt that would give us a starting point as to the problem.

The Mauser was a control feed; the Springfield was supposed to be a push feed and control of sorts. A smith built 4 magnificent wildcats using 03 type receivers. He went to the range and had 5 case head separations out of the first 10 attempts at fire forming. I would have formed first then fired; I suggested I could have made an alteration to the receivers before he left for the range that would have allowed him to use control feed or I could have met him at the range to make a slight change. After forming case head separation was not going to happen unless he mindlessly sized his cases with total disregard for the length of the chamber.

F. Guffey

[Richard H Brown Jr]

Perform these tests:

I. Unscrew the Firing Pin Assy from the bolt body and try feeding a snap cap or a GI dummy round from the magazine. If it still sticks in the first 1/2in of travel it's not the Firing Pin Assy. If it is, try replacing the safety collar and firing pin sleeve, one at a time to see if the problem goes away.

2. If the bolt body sticks with the Firing Pin assy removed. it's either the ejector groove on the left locking lug, the extractor or the extractor collar. Check to see that there isn't a burr in the ejector groove, or remove the extractor and try feeding a snap cap from the magazine with the extractor removed. To avoid messing with that gosh darned extractor collar, try a different bolt body (with and without the extractor mounted).

3. If all those parts seem to be ok. The ejector and the ejector pin are the next culprits to investigate. Remove the rifled barrel assy from the stock and try the feed with the assembled bolt, the bolt body (w/extractor), the bolt body (w/o extractor). Remove the ejector and ejector pin and inspect for burrs on the ejector and the ejector pin straightness. Repeat the chambering of a snap cap or dummy round with the complete bolt, the bolt less the firing pin assy, and finally without the extractor mounted on the collar. Since the rifle is out of the stock the follower and magazine spring and the trigger guard/magazine well and associated bits aren't attache to the receiver, and you can't check them. Reassemble the rifle without the ejector and ejector pin and repeat the chambering tests of the complete bolt, the bolt body w/extractor, and the bolt body less the extractor.

4. If all those tests done locate the problem, only the follower and magazine spring remain as the possible culprit(s).

I personally am holding out for either the ejector, ejector spring, the ejector groove in the bolt body, or the extractor.

Course to really identify the problem, you need another 1903 WITHOUT this problem to test the bolt body, assembled bolt, extractor in. Another trip to the local gun pushers is in order. 8*)

RHB

[Parashooter]

. . . I personally am holding out for either the ejector, ejector spring, the ejector groove in the bolt body, or the extractor. . .

Do please tell us where to find the "ejector spring" on a US M1903 or 03-A3.

[PhillipM]

Do please tell us where to find the "ejector spring" on a US M1903 or 03-A3.

Beat me to that one. It's why stripper clips have rounded corners.

[Richard H Brown Jr]

Oops!

Sorry, suffered a "senior moment. I meant the Ejector, or Ejector Pin (some people call it the ejector pivot pin). I wrote that at around 2am, cause I had the "Sleep? What is this 'SLEEP' you talk of?".



RHB

[fguffey]

I have no ideal what it would be like not having another bolt for a Mauser or Springfield and then there is the M1917. I have no fewer than 40 Springfield 03A3 bolts; I also have test bolts for the Springfield 03 type rifle.

Most claim it is better to order a bucket of bolts just in case the length of the chamber is off from the shoulder of the chamber to the bolt face. When ordering a bucket of bolts make sure the person you are ordering from can tell you if he is sending the correct one to off set the length of the chamber.

Short on bolts? I started on a Swedish 6.5mm55 only to find I have no bolt.

F. Guffey

[fguffey]

I have been looking for a bolt for a 6.5mm55 rifle, I do not need more bolts but on Sunday afternoon I drove west for about 40 miles to pick up parts. The most important part was a receiver for an Argentine 91 with bolt and trigger guard. While sorting through receivers and bolts I found myself in worst shape than when I started. I am now the owner of two Chilean 35 Caliber Mausers; with no shotgun barrels.

Anyhow; while trying to put something together I dug out 4 Springfield 03 and 03A3 rifles and 20 Springfield bolts. I started with a 1911 Rock Island 03; I also used an Arsenal test bolt. The test bolt is for later Springfield rifles, the test bolt would not close. Then I found variations with the thickness of the third lug, a few of the lugs on the replacement bolts were too thick when the lug passed through the rear receiver ring.

And then I found a complete 03A3 bolt without a rifle; I do not know if I assembled it out of parts or I put a rifle up without the bolt. Anyhow, the only problem I have ever had when the bolt has resistance when traveling the first 1 1/2 inches was caused by the case being feed up and in front of the bolt face with the rim behind the extractor groove. Normally when that happens there are scratches on the case body.

Many parade/drill rifles were welded in various places.

F. Guffey

[Randy A]

The OP pointed out that the problem occurs before the bolt starts to pick up a cartridge, so that narrows the problem to extractor collar, extractor or ejector/ ejector pin. Other than my previous post if the ejector pin is driven in solid it will offer noticeable resistance to pivot the ejector.

[fguffey]

The OP pointed out that the problem occurs before the bolt starts to pick up a cartridge, so that narrows the problem to extractor collar, extractor or ejector/ ejector pin. Other than my previous post if the ejector pin is driven in solid it will offer noticeable resistance to pivot the ejector.

Randy, what do you want? Do you want attention or do you want credit for the total amount of effort and time other members have contributed. I have access to at least 10 O3A4s that are being built from DP rifles. If there is a problem the problem is found long before the rifle is assembled.

To determine what the problem is my opinion is disassemble the rifle, remove the trigger guard and then chamber a test round. I am sure someone has covered that one but just in case I did not want to miss you.

F. Guffey

[IditarodJoe]

usmc69 - Any progress on this issue? I for one would really like to know what the problem turned out to be. Thanks.

[Randy A]

Randy, what do you want? Do you want attention or do you want credit for the total amount of effort and time other members have contributed. I have access to at least 10 O3A4s that are being built from DP rifles. If there is a problem the problem is found long before the rifle is assembled.

To determine what the problem is my opinion is disassemble the rifle, remove the trigger guard and then chamber a test round. I am sure someone has covered that one but just in case I did not want to miss you.

F. Guffey

These forums are not about credit, they're about helping others. Many folks on here have experienced issues and may be able to shed light on the problems others ask about. I'm not exactly sure what anyone has done to you, but would recommend you re-read OP's description before flaming others with legitimate suggestions. Once again, he explained that the problem is within the first 1/2 inch of bolt movement.

[fguffey]

These forums are not about credit, they're about helping others..

Once again, he explained that the problem is within the first 1/2 inch of bolt movement.

I do not believe it was all that clear in the beginning and I would take a wild guess he said 1/2 inch quite a few times before anyone caught on. So you were not taking credit and you do not want my attention, to be honest I do not appreciate your attention.

Once again; take the rifle apart and start over, start with a case without a primer, case and bullet only. Then start adding parts. Many receivers were welded; I am not that far from a gun shop that has 4 magnificent 03 receivers for sale for $200.00 each; all 4 were welded in at least three places and look new..

F. Guffey

[Kurt]

I do not believe it was all that clear in the beginning and I would take a wild guess he said 1/2 inch quite a few times before anyone caught on. So you were not taking credit and you do not want my attention, to be honest I do not appreciate your attention.

Once again; take the rifle apart and start over, start with a case without a primer, case and bullet only. Then start adding parts. Many receivers were welded; I am not that far from a gun shop that has 4 magnificent 03 receivers for sale for $200.00 each; all 4 were welded in at least three places and look new..

F. Guffey

I was aware of the "1/2" in the first post he mentioned it. Why? Because I'm looking for clues to determine what can be eliminated and thus keep confusion down. Many times these issues come up with people that don't touch and feel these particular guns everyday and they can't state the problem in a manor that cuts out some of the general possibilities. It is best to ask these people a list of questions early on to narrow down the problem for our own information or for others to make valid suggestions. It's not about credit with Randy A, or I missed that.

I will also say that I have never seen a DP receiver that was welded in 3 places that looked brand new. I have seen few receivers that look brand new welds or not. And I don't know that I've seen one welded in "3" places, usually 2. If you choose to advertise those Magnificent receivers, I would take it to the buy and sell section, maybe Sothebys being rather rare imho.

[fguffey]

I was aware of the "1/2" in the first post he mentioned it. Why? Because I'm looking for clues to determine what can be eliminated and thus keep confusion down. Many times these issues come up with people that don't touch and feel these particular guns everyday and they can't state the problem in a manor that cuts out some of the general possibilities. It is best to ask these people a list of questions early on to narrow down the problem for our own information or for others to make valid suggestions. It's not about credit with Randy A, or I missed that.

I will also say that I have never seen a DP receiver that was welded in 3 places that looked brand new. I have seen few receivers that look brand new welds or not. And I don't know that I've seen one welded in "3" places, usually 2. If you choose to advertise those Magnificent receivers, I would take it to the buy and sell section, maybe Sothebys being rather rare imho.

You seem a little hard on yourself;

It is best to ask these people a list of questions early on to narrow down the problem for our own information or for others to make valid suggestions.

"These people?" I will ask you if you have even seen a receiver welded to the barrel? If so that would make one place; and then I will ask you if you have ever seen the bolt stop welded to the receiver? Again; if so, that would be two. And then there is the bolt face, I have bolts that have the bolt face welded, meaning there is no hole in the face of the bolt for the firing pin.
And then? I have seen bolts welded to the receiver. And then there was a member that informed me 'it" did not exist because he had never seen one. I posted a picture of 4 of them (its?) and he did not say thank you.

The 4 03 receivers are low number receivers. The same shop that has the 03 receivers has 6 P14s and M1917 receivers. The big problem with available receivers is the lack of barrels.

F. Guffey