What would make a 98 bolt hard to open after dry firing.

Semi sporter Timmy trigger with side safety

A broken firing pin or spring or something jamming the cocking cams.

The list is long. Start with the CP and inspect it and the cocking cam on the rear of the bolt. If the helix's don't align properly the effort required to lift the handle can be considerable. Sometimes simply swapping a CP will resolve the issue. Then work your way forward. The little shoulders at the front of the FP can drag inside the bolt sometimes. Removing the spring and cycling the action can help you pinpoint where the problem lies.

Good luck.

I'd take a good look at the sear engagement in the Timney trigger. If a new bolt handle, check the cam for hardness...galling?

What have you done to the gun recently besides dry-firing?

Everything said above, and you probably need a flat bottom cocking piece.

Yep

quote:

Originally posted by dpcd:
Everything said above, and you probably need a flat bottom cocking piece.

quote:

Originally posted by dpcd:
Everything said above, and you probably need a flat bottom cocking piece.

Those have been hard to find recently.

quote:

Originally posted by hogfarmer:

quote:

Originally posted by dpcd:
Everything said above, and you probably need a flat bottom cocking piece.

Those have been hard to find recently.

The flat bottom pieces are required for the Feather weight triggers, not the sportsman.

Can't find one, make one. Heck, I knew a smith that simply drilled and tapped the "V" and fastened a screw in the valley.

quote:

Originally posted by gunmaker:
What have you done to the gun recently besides dry-firing?

Sat in the safe for a couple of years.

Took it out to make it was still sited in. Dried fired it once bolt was very hard to open.

Tried a couple of more times same results.

quote:

Originally posted by z1r:

quote:

Originally posted by hogfarmer:

quote:

Originally posted by dpcd:
Everything said above, and you probably need a flat bottom cocking piece.

Those have been hard to find recently.

The flat bottom pieces are required for the Feather weight triggers, not the sportsman.

Can't find one, make one. Heck, I knew a smith that simply drilled and tapped the "V" and fastened a screw in the valley.

Well said, what trigger do you have in it?

He has a timney.
I just got a flat bottomed cocking piece but had to pay $30 for it!
I also have TIG welded in little v shaped inserts into them and that works too. Drilling and tapping would not be fun as they are well case hardened.

remove trigger see if problem goes away. if not then nothing to do with flat bottom cocking piece

polish cam surfaces

make sure rear action screw is not sticking up interfering with rearward motion of cocking piece.

quote:

Originally posted by dpcd:
He has a timney.
I just got a flat bottomed cocking piece but had to pay $30 for it!
I also have TIG welded in little v shaped inserts into them and that works too. Drilling and tapping would not be fun as they are well case hardened.

Yeah, but it never stopped Tom Burgess from doing it. I've soft soldered a "V" shaped plug in place too. Many options.

quote:

Originally posted by dpcd:
He has a timney.
I just got a flat bottomed cocking piece but had to pay $30 for it!
I also have TIG welded in little v shaped inserts into them and that works too. Drilling and tapping would not be fun as they are well case hardened.

Yes, but...Which one? If it is the featherweight he needs the flat bottom cocking piece. The sportsman model will operate with the "V" model

Thank you all

Pulled the action from the stock.

Found sear adjustment screw had become loose allowing the trigger to flop around.

Tightened the screw problem solved and all works well.

It is a sportsman's trigger and works with the v notch.

Fired two shots dead nuts at 40 yards

My wife well be happy she wanted to use her favorite rifle.

To shoot her bear shortly wasn't happy when I told her it was not working.

My stainless MKII 06 wasn't good enough for her.

She needed her 98.

Well in the end nothing to do with "98 experts" but problem cured.

Had a Timney M98K Sportsman trigger (non side safety) on my Mauser 404 for decades now and it's been a great accessory to fit. Once adjusted I put nail polish on the adjustment screws and they have never moved, the trigger consistently breaks like glass.