Switching bolts in a Mosin

[KansasSasquatch]

Is there any reason why you shouldn't simply swap bolts between 2 Mosins? I assume headspace could be an issue, but other than that? I recently picked up a 2nd rifle. My first Mosin, I managed to screw up a trigger job on it. The cocking piece shoots forward when the bolt is closed or if that doesn't happen, pulling the trigger does not guarantee the cocking piece will release. I switched the bolts between the 2 rifles and both function fine and safely dry firing, also making that botched trigger job as good as I hoped it would be. So before I fire these at the range I'm wondering if there's anything in particular I should look for.

 

[caribou]

Its the bolt head that makes the difference. The head space is important, but it is a rimmed cartridge and the bolt faces as well as the cartridge rims are pretty well uniform in make and size.
You can also keep the bolt heads with the parent rifle and swap the rest quickly enough, and I would use a Mosin with a strange bolt inserted if I needed too, but I would feel much better after a test fire to see if all was well....or a headspace gauge.....

 

[Orion8472]

I had this exact question here not that long ago. Basically, switch out the bolt faces and you should be good. Best to have a gunsmith check it, just in case. I switched mine and, after firing two shots each, detected no issues. Casing and primer looked normal.

 

[ball3006]

The bolt head determines the headspace. If you keep the bolt head original to the rifle, you can change out the other bolt parts without changing the headspace. chris3