coosbaycreep
Member
I was trying out some new loads in a C96 mauser yesterday. The first round didn't fire (light primer strike), so I pulled the bolt back to clear it, and when I let it go to chamber the next round, the gun slamfired. Luckily I had it pointed down range, but the bolt hit my thumb so hard I thought it was broken for about ten minutes afterward. Today it's still pretty sore, and I have a blood blister.
Despite the slamfire, I continued to shoot the gun some more, but on rounds where it didn't cycle/eject, I would gently push the bolt forward instead of letting it close under the full force of the spring. Fortunately, it didn't slamfire again, but besides the chance of the bolt stop letting go and catching an eyeful of metal, I now have to worry about slamfires and thumb smashing. The only other gun I've ever had do this was an SKS, and every bad thing I've ever had happen while shooting a gun has been with a milsurp. Kinda makes me think about going completely modern at times.
From looking around on the internet, this is supposedly pretty common with broomhandles. Not too long after buying this gun, I replaced all the springs, and then the firing pin spring and recoil spring would bind up and prevent the firing pin from reaching the primer, so I started cutting coils off the firing pin spring until it would ignite
. It is WAY shorter than when I got it now, but all the fired primers look good, so I didn't think it was an issue. I put a longer firing pin spring in it yesterday after I got home, and plan on shooting it later to see if that one will work without slamfiring.
Despite the slamfire, I continued to shoot the gun some more, but on rounds where it didn't cycle/eject, I would gently push the bolt forward instead of letting it close under the full force of the spring. Fortunately, it didn't slamfire again, but besides the chance of the bolt stop letting go and catching an eyeful of metal, I now have to worry about slamfires and thumb smashing. The only other gun I've ever had do this was an SKS, and every bad thing I've ever had happen while shooting a gun has been with a milsurp. Kinda makes me think about going completely modern at times.
From looking around on the internet, this is supposedly pretty common with broomhandles. Not too long after buying this gun, I replaced all the springs, and then the firing pin spring and recoil spring would bind up and prevent the firing pin from reaching the primer, so I started cutting coils off the firing pin spring until it would ignite
. It is WAY shorter than when I got it now, but all the fired primers look good, so I didn't think it was an issue. I put a longer firing pin spring in it yesterday after I got home, and plan on shooting it later to see if that one will work without slamfiring.
