Problem with Swedish Mauser.

[Potashminer]

You use a barrel vise to hold the barrel and an action wrench to hold the action. Both are precision made and hold tight without deforming either.

I always wondered about the Brownell's style action wrench - basically closely fits the top half round, then two big bolts connecting to a flat across the bottom. If someone got "enthusiastic" about really tightening those big bolts, nothing to really stop the action ring from "squishing" down to oblong from round? A 96 does not have that reinforce inside like a 98 does - so essentially a "tube" with a flat bottom on the exterior, with no real support until a barrel screwed in? I don't think a receiver wrench has to be "torqued" like a barrel vice - just needs to be really snug so it does not slip and mark receiver - many have an external shape that prevents that - a project I did with a Rem 788 was notably different - seems to rely only on the shear strength of those very few threads into the action bolt hole, as mechanical "stop".

 

[Potashminer]

I just removed the barrel, the receiver has VERY NOTICEABLE wear behind the recoil lugs, the chamber is brown and looks rough. I may have a chance to get another rifle minus the bolt so i will see what happens.

That "wear" could have been from a single episode of having to force the bolt open. Regarding "set back", you are wanting to look that the face that the bolt lug rides against is smooth and flat. For reference, a sheet of computer paper is about .004" thick, so you are looking for a "set back" of half, or even a quarter of thickness of paper. And some of that will have been sheared away as you forced the bolt open. No doubt rear of your bolt lug faces will also show evidence of scraping / shearing. So, condition of chamber is one thing - would usually show as difficulty getting cartridge in or out. "Set back" often shows up as difficulty to get bolt open on a fired cartridge - before any extraction has started.