Hey guys/gals, I got my 1999 LH actions some time ago, but have just started playing with them....My question is, AFTER cocking the bolt, and closing it, when I reopen the bolt the lift is quite heavy compared to when it cocks. Cocking is much easier than reopening the bolt. Is this normal for this type of action??? I have only had push feed guns till these two MRC's. The open and close cycle after the gun is cocked seems harder than it should be...is there a fix for this??? Thanks. Tyler

With or without a case in the chamber? It could be a mis-fitted extractor dragging on the rim or groove.

quote:

Originally posted by tiggertate:
With or without a case in the chamber? It could be a mis-fitted extractor dragging on the rim or groove.

Oh, without any casing, only empty chamber...should have been clearer. Example: Dry fire the gun, on recocking it is glass smooth, but when closing or reopening the bolt it is much stiffer, when the gun is still cocked. Cocking is the smoothest motion.

I have a LH Montana 1999 long action and don't have the problem you describe. I'm not a smith but I don't think this is normal as mine is fairly easy to open either when cocking or just opening after the gun is cocked.

Lewis, thanks.

I recently got off the phone with a G'smith, stired buddy fo mine. He says the Mauser?win70 are like that. That being the way the bolt, firing pin spring, ext. interacts together. It creates more drag than merly cocking the gun. Maybe I'm just picky, however it seemed like it was stiffer than it should be. Cocking is the most important action I feel, and it's good. closing isn't that bad, just not what opening is.

thanks all for your input.\

This may sound silly at first...but think about it and it might make sense.

When the firing pin is cocked under spring tension there is a certain amount of upward pressure exerted on the rear portion of the bolt by the sear...which in turn places a certain amount of downward pressure on the front of the bolt. This means that the right side locking lug (which is at 6 o’clock with the bolt closed) is pushing harder against the receiver locking lug than is the case with the upper lug which is actually being pushed away from its locking lug in the receiver due to the upward force on the rear of the bolt.

On a rifle with a Mauser type extractor this can also exert some downward force on the extractor in its cutout.

That force is not there when the firing pin is not cocked.