so i have a zastava lh 7x57. a little rough but it operates fine. i took it out of the factory stock tonight and now when i put the bolt back into the receiver i cannot get the bolt to go all the way in. like there is a block or something but nothing i can detect.

any ideas?

If worked fine before you took it out, it may be that when you reassembled it, the tang screw was over tightened. It should be flush or maybe slightly below the bottom of the raceway/slot in the tang.

yep tang screw, it runs right into the raceway for the bolt.

thanks for the help, fellas.

Be very careful with that tang screw, a friend of mine had a Parker Hale rifle (Spanish made Mauser action) which he had out of the stock. Nothing untoward showed up when he reassembled the rifle until he was out spotlighting deer with his brother and went to take a shot at a deer in the light using his brother's shoulder as a rest - as he rested the rifle on his brothers shoulder and closed the bolt on a round the rifle fired. On returning home he tested the rifle and every so often as he closed the bolt the rifle uncocked itself.

Turned out the tang screw was protruding enough in the raceway to hold the bolt up off the engaging sear which caused the Mauser to fire as the bolt was quickly closed.

I have always ensured the end of the tang screws on my Mauser or Mauser type actions are slightly recessed or just flush in the tang raceway when the actions are fully tightened down in their stocks.

this action is about to go to a smith and i will make him aware of what i experienced.