Mosin Nagant Issue

[Cactus Jack Arizona]

I have a problem with my MN. Before firing, the bolt functions easily and smoothly. However, after each shot the bolt becomes increasingly more difficult to operate. By the 4th shot it becomes virtually impossible. My brother and I had to work together to force the bolt to finally move.

I am puzzled as to why I am having this issue. I've not experienced this on any other of my bolt actions. I just picked up my MN from my gunsmith today. He said that the rifle was in very good shape, both externally and internally. Although he's a master at the AR's, Glocks, and any other modern firearms, his knowledge of old foreign war rifles is limited.

So, if anyone has had a similar issue as I'm having, how did you solve the problem? Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks

 

[primalmu]

Do a Google search for "Mosin Sticky Bolt."

You don't mention WHEN it becomes difficult to operate. I assume it is difficult to open after you've fired a shot.

 

[bainter1212]

Yeah, you know how you cleaned it really really good??? Nope. There's still some cosmo in that bad boy. Clean it again. Take the bolt apart.

 

[Cactus Jack Arizona]

Prim, yes. It sticks after each round fired. them you fire it, the more it sticks.

 

[Cactus Jack Arizona]

Bainter, I was afraid someone was going to say cosmoline.

 

[Apple a Day]

Make sure you get that chamber clean. I mean dig into that puppy with some Q-tips all the way forward. Then clean the barrel from the chamber to the muzzle.
Which model is it? What kind of ammo? When my M-44 was "new" it got a little sticky shooting laquer cased ammo. I never had the same problem with the 91/30.

 

[Cactus Jack Arizona]

Sorry everyone about the bad grammar and spelling. My desktop died and I'm now using a laptop. I don't like change. And I keep hitting that stupid pad in the center.

 

[Cactus Jack Arizona]

Apple, I have a 1938 Hex Tula.

 

[tahunua001]

that's actually a problem with the mosin nagant design. the bolt handle is too short to offer proper leverage and since the lifting of the handle has to cock the firing pin it is very difficult.

 

[Cosmoline]

The bolt design is perfect. You just have to use it right.

Don't pinch it in your fingers and try to move it with your hand muscles.

SLAP IT UP with your palm. Use your arm muscle. Then push it down again with your palm and arm muscles. You won't hurt it. In time you can get a fluid sweeping movement that slaps the bolt open and drives it home.

Some ammo in some rifles tends to be stickier than others, so you can often have some relief by swapping ammo types. Try switching to copper wash if you're using green lacquered cases for example.

 

[Centurian22]

Search sticky mosin bolt under the user Iraqveteran8888 on YouTube. He has a great video about using a 20 gauge shotgun brush chucked in a cordless drill to really clean out the chamber. I used mineral spirits and hoppes with mine.

Good luck.

 

[whatever]

20 gauge brush + drill + cleaner of your choice works great. I used a bit of heat to bring some more of the cosmoline out too. Maybe overkill but it worked for me.

 

[USAF_Vet]

20 gauge brush + drill + cleaner of your choice works great. I used a bit of heat to bring some more of the cosmoline out too. Maybe overkill but it worked for me.

This.

I had the sticky bolt on my M91/30, removed it from the stock, disassembled the bolt and dropped the pieces in a lot of boiling water (do not use one of your wife/girlfriend/moms good cookware, get a cheap pot from Goodwill).

I took a propane torch to the inside of the chamber to get it good and warm, then hit the chamber with a 20 gauge bore brush attached to a drill. Then run some patches around the chamber soaked with CLP.
Rinse.
Repeat.
Do it again.
Once more for good measure.

Dump the boiling water, should have plenty if Cosmo floating in it by now. Soak the bolt parts in CLP and make sure all the water is gone. Reassemble.

Put the rifle all back together, and go shoot it.

 

[meanmrmustard]

The bolt design is perfect. You just have to use it right.

Don't pinch it in your fingers and try to move it with your hand muscles.

SLAP IT UP with your palm. Use your arm muscle. Then push it down again with your palm and arm muscles. You won't hurt it. In time you can get a fluid sweeping movement that slaps the bolt open and drives it home.

Some ammo in some rifles tends to be stickier than others, so you can often have some relief by swapping ammo types. Try switching to copper wash if you're using green lacquered cases for example.

This, in spades. It's a Mosin: Use that bolt with conviction.

 

[tyeo098]

And you can boil the bolt parts too

 

[nathan]

I used the bore paste and clean the chamber with brush wrapped with patches.
And flushed with Ed's Red my own solution mix. Works great.

 

[caribou]

Sticky Bolt is the Mosins way of saying "Clean me" of what evers in the chamber. Keep the bolt shiney too, and clean up and smooth out any burrs along the cocking piece.

Steel cased ammo is a bit more 'springy' and after the pressure is down its contracted faster than brass will, and it reflux's soot back along the case, much much further than brass cases will. Shoot and compare, thats how I found out.

 

[Tolkachi Robotnik]

Beware of turquoise Russian cartridges with Moose.

I shot two or three cartridges of Russian make from a aquamarine or turquoise box years ago through a M44 carbine Mosin. There was a picture of a moose on the cheap looking cardboard box. Two of three required some 2X4 work on the bolt to open it easily. All three had noticeable recoil stoutness.

I pulled the remaining 17 bullets and removed 10% of the powder from each. Put the cartridges back together and they fired about the same as regular Wolf steel cased ammo. I believe they were down to about 39.4 grains when I was done, of some really dusty small powder. They were 204 grain bullets and sort of brown instead of usual green lacquered look of Wolf.

Think how much power it must take to push steel cases out to stick that bad!

A longer bolt handle would help, Mosin's have short bolt handles.

They are also pretty tough.

Your problem might be ammo more than the rifle. Some Sellier and Beloit ammo is also not well metered, some shells being much stouter in same box compared to others in same box enough to hurt accuracy badly. Some old surplus ammo is also amazingly hot. I have never heard of the rifles failing but the trigger men sometimes let out air pretty hard.

 

[mgkdrgn]

The bolt design is perfect. You just have to use it right.

Don't pinch it in your fingers and try to move it with your hand muscles.

SLAP IT UP with your palm. Use your arm muscle. Then push it down again with your palm and arm muscles. You won't hurt it. In time you can get a fluid sweeping movement that slaps the bolt open and drives it home.

Some ammo in some rifles tends to be stickier than others, so you can often have some relief by swapping ammo types. Try switching to copper wash if you're using green lacquered cases for example.

Hey, it's Russian ... force is all it understands. ;-)

 

[funnelcake]

Just get a couple of cans of generic brake cleaner (aerosol), remove the barreled action from the stock and spray away. Cosmoline no matter how crusty will melt away quickly - no scrubbing required. Follow with your choice of gun oil.

Funnel

 

[Deer_Freak]

I just hosed my mosin nagant down with WD-40. Then I used a slow turning 1/2" drill to clean the chamber and the bore. I cleaned the barrel of a friends Mosin nagant by spraying it down with WD-40 then I walked into nearby lake to fire it. The excess wd-40 and cosmoline set the surface of the water on fire for a few seconds. No one thinks to take picture when something like that happens.

 

[DPris]

I'd disagree that the Mosin's bolt design is "perfect".
Far from it.
Too short for most efficient leverage, even with a clean chamber & bolt.
I have one rifle that requires malleting with steel cases, slapping with the palm doesn't get it open.
Denis

 

[stubbicatt]

I just hosed my mosin nagant down with WD-40. Then I used a slow turning 1/2" drill to clean the chamber and the bore. I cleaned the barrel of a friends Mosin nagant by spraying it down with WD-40 then I walked into nearby lake to fire it. The excess wd-40 and cosmoline set the surface of the water on fire for a few seconds. No one thinks to take picture when something like that happens.

Hmmm... Lake Erie in the 70's?

 

[ball3006]

I bet you are shooting that green steel cased ammo? The coating on that ammo will become sticky when subjected to the heat of firing. You need to really clean your chamber and change ammo....All of my rifles react this way. No problems with other ammo...chris3

 

[bluekouki86]

Had the same issue with all 4 of my MN's. The laquer coated ammo is the primary reason I was having problems. I switched to the yellow tipped Bulgarian brass surplus, then eventually started hand loading. I've got a tula 91/30 PU sniper and what a HUGE difference in a good hand load.