I have a 6.5x55 swede, nice rifle, accurate but bolt is really hard to open after firing. 140 gr winchester factory ammo, real hard to open, S&B 140 gr, extremely hard to open, have to hammer it open sometimes. Can't see anything wrong with fired brass except extractor leaves a mark on the rim. Anyone have any ideas? I am about to give up on it.
Problem with Swedish Mauser.
- Thread starter gerard488
- Start date
How far will a round fit into chamber without the bolt?
Put a spent brass back into the chamber and see how easy it will come out.
Does it fall out or to ya have to push it out using a rod.
Might have to check headspace.
Put a spent brass back into the chamber and see how easy it will come out.
Does it fall out or to ya have to push it out using a rod.
Might have to check headspace.
- Location
- Western Manitoba
A dirty or corroded chamber or chamber neck will do that - pull the bolt and use a light to inspect - chamber should be smooth and shiny like a mirror, and bone dry. Might need a bore scope to inspect the neck area. Original, authentic Swede mausers were set up with Swede arsenal GO/NOGO gauges which are longer than SAAMI gauges, so many of those rifles were "fixed" when they got to North America. That might lead to "tight" headspace, but you would notice that trying to chamber the round. Essentially, an unfired round should chamber freely, and withdraw easily. A case that was fired in that chamber should also re-chamber, but will have less clearance than an unfired case, so will be more drag, in most cases. I would be reaching a bit, but what you describe is also often seen with over pressure loads - perhaps neck or initial part of the bore is constricted by carbon or corrosion?
try getting a hold of some ppu 6.5x55 I have had problems with s&b in both mine but ppu and and my own reloads never a problem. Also the american made 6.5x55 dosent always follow the proper specs for there case and that can cause problems
I did some looking. Not liking what I see. 8 rounds fired:
5 factory winchester 140 gr, primers slightly backed out on all 5, bolt stiff to open
2 factory S&B 140 gr , bolt really hard to open on both, had to hammer bolt with pliers on one
1 S&E once fired and reloaded, case separated.
seeing marks like rings in chamber but unable to get pic.
Both factory S&B have faint ring marks on brass that line up with where case separated
Factory Winchester brass also has marks but behind case separation line.
Chamber looks dark and rings are showing but again, unable to get a pic.
I think I will give up on this one, it is cut and sporterized but maybe the receiver and bolt is worth selling, I don't want to get into re-barreling it.
5 factory winchester 140 gr, primers slightly backed out on all 5, bolt stiff to open
2 factory S&B 140 gr , bolt really hard to open on both, had to hammer bolt with pliers on one
1 S&E once fired and reloaded, case separated.
seeing marks like rings in chamber but unable to get pic.
Both factory S&B have faint ring marks on brass that line up with where case separated
Factory Winchester brass also has marks but behind case separation line.
Chamber looks dark and rings are showing but again, unable to get a pic.
I think I will give up on this one, it is cut and sporterized but maybe the receiver and bolt is worth selling, I don't want to get into re-barreling it.
Attachments
- Location
- Western Manitoba
Curious. To get primers that are backed out, probably firing pin pushed case fully forward (slightly off the bolt face), then cartridge ignited and case swelled and latched onto chamber walls as it should - however, pressure not enough in those Win rounds to push the case head back against the bolt face - hence, protruding primers. However, the Euro loaded S&B may have had enough pressure to stretch the case wall and force the case head against the bolt face - hence the incipient case separation and no protruding primer. Does not go very far in explaining why you had so much trouble to open the bolt, though. First 50% of mauser bolt handle movement is on flat surfaces - is not extracting the case at all until up into the extraction cams, so kind of leaning towards something rough in the chamber?? Can not fully explain everything that you have mentioned. A puzzle.
- Location
- Western Manitoba
Thinking. Was trying to set Swede mausers of my own - replaced / swapped military barrels. Turned exactly to the "mark". Swallowed a SAAMI NOGO gauge. From reading, discovered that Swede arsenal GO gauge is longer than SAAMI NOGO gauge. Do not know why SAAMI had to invent their own "length"? Swede chamber with Swede military ammo was no problem apparently. But SAAMI compliant ammo in a Swede chamber might be? Way too much evidence of civilian sport shooting clubs in Sweden using "standard" Norma ammo in their various competitions - and M96, CG63 and others are still fully "approved" arms to use, so somehow they made it work? I have watched U-tube videos of some of their rapid fire events, and they surely would not be tolerating any chambering or extraction issues in the 6.5x55 ammo that they use.
Very puzzling, last trip to the range was with my nephew who has a 1943 husqvarna m38, we each fired a box of light handloads. His rifle worked perfect, mine had a stiff bolt opening on every shot. I then fired 10 factory S&E and had to hammer the bolt up on some of them, the primers on those looked like high pressure. I came home and gave the rifle a good cleaning and went back today for one more try. Today was no better. As for the backed out primers, i was thinking low pressure would leave the necks of the brass blackened but they look normal. Confusing but not being able to get the bolt open for a quick second shot makes it unsafe for hunting purposes and case separation makes it unsafe for target shooting. I will look for another 6.5x55.
Thinking at this stage I get hold of some Cerrosafe and do some measuring.
Couple of sponsored sites sell it.
Rusty Wood in BC, Canada Ammo.
Maybe a few others.
Also best $70 you'll ever spend!!!
Teslong Rifle Borescope
Couple of sponsored sites sell it.
Rusty Wood in BC, Canada Ammo.
Maybe a few others.
Also best $70 you'll ever spend!!!
Teslong Rifle Borescope
Well - The other possibility is lug set-back. I believe Swede mauser recievers are only case hardened, which can lead to the prospect of worn lug faces. If thats the case, then the gun is hooped. Was this a Tradex gun?
- Location
- Western Manitoba
Post #12 may be on to something! If the receiver lug recesses have set back, then virtually any case expansion would have the effect of "very tight" bolt opening. Nothing to do with extracting the case. The bolt lugs are set back into that collapsed area, and the bolt has to move forward, to get "out of the hole" in order to open, and that means working against the fully expanded cartridge case. Might be able to "feel" that by closing bolt, pulling back on bolt handle and then trying to lift it. Should come right open without any hiccup. With setback, might feel that resistance? All will be occurring in first 50% of bolt handle lift, where no extraction is occurring. I have never read of any way to repair that - it would be "hooped"!!
Is often described as a "design feature" of a mauser - lower carbon steel with surface "case" hardening - stuff will stretch in response to over pressure (wet cartridge, partial blockage, out-of-spec ammo) rather than "shatter".
Is often described as a "design feature" of a mauser - lower carbon steel with surface "case" hardening - stuff will stretch in response to over pressure (wet cartridge, partial blockage, out-of-spec ammo) rather than "shatter".
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Ran into a very similar problem with a 6.5x55 from Tradex, bolt was virtually impossible to cycle after firing. Took it to Jason at Gunco ..... now works great! He said that someone had over tightened the vice while holding receiver during a barrel change. He once again did his magic on an un-happy gun.
