The Russian Mosin Nagant Forum

Yes, that and simple use, you have to break in these refurbs like a new pair of shoes.

millman wrote:The OP does not have sticky bolt. He said he had not fired it. Put grease on the cocking cam sufaces. This will help to smooth things out.

Not to sound like an idiot, but what do the cocking cams look like? I might be the only gun owner/hunter/shooter that has never owned a bolt action before.

Do you really think it just needs broke in? When it gets to the point where it won't cock I can't really seem to break it in much cause it won't move until it sits awhile. I would say I can cock and decock/dryfire six times before it seizes up.

Thanks for all the replies everyone!

Put a light coat of grease (not oil) here.

Put some light grease in the spots Millman has shown you. The refurbs are collections of parts that came off other rifles, or are new parts, like any new mechanical device it has a break in period. See the look of the bolt in millmans pics? That is what the bolt on a rifle that has been issued into the field for years looks like, that's what the parts on your bolt looked like before they were all buffed up to look new again. Years of use wear the parts in together, some years back I bought a pile of issued Mosins, these were rifles that went through the Soviet refurb and then were sent as aid to Romania were they were used for many years. They have little to no shellac left on the wood, thin blue on the metal, and amazingly smooth actions, they are broke in.

Thanks guys! I will grease it up and work the action a bunch. Then I will report back.

Really if you look at the rifle which has not fired anything since it was refurbed many times you can see problems maybe in the future but until you go to the range and fire it you have no problems! Why in the heck do all these new owners with sometimes years of experience with other rifles take a Mosin and find problems before they even fire the thing? These rifles are built with lots of tolerance and specs are very wide so things may not look right till you go to the range and fire it you know nothing and have no problems in my eyes. Plain and simple if it ain't broke don't try and fix it! I have seen so many posts like this so many years it just drives me up a wall. Bill

You keep driving up walls and they will take away your driving licence Bill.

Over active imaginations create problems that sometimes aren't really there and that is the point I was trying to make. Shoot the thing and enjoy it! Fix it when it stops shooting not before you shoot it, Bill

I am convinced that every new Mosin owner has had this problem. We are often used to the smooth operation of new modern firearms that when we see this problem we expect the worst. I have found that a inexpensive set of dental picks like they sell at Harbor Freight are great for cleaning in the chamber tight spots, such as the groove in the above picture. Grease the friction area that millman showed you and you will be nicely surprised.

Military firearms are rarely as smooth as a commercial sporter. Exceptions would be the Krag, or some of the early Mauser's, rifles do wear in, and become smoother with age and use.

I agree with the guys above. Don't make any more judgements about the bolt until you run about 60 rounds through it. The first 10 or so rounds I fired had more than half of them result in a hard bolt to open. After I cleaned the rifle again it started working better. The more I shot it/cleaned it, the better it got. I have only fired 80 rounds through mine so far and it operates nice now! (One hand while still holding the rifle up to my shoulder)

I also LIGHTLY greased where they show in the picture, and LIGHTLY oiled the rest of the bolt. No reason to be excessive with either of these lubricants because you will be wiping them off after the next time you shoot it!

I think my bolt issue the first firing was from crap in the chamber (now spic n span clean) and the rest was from the chamber lock up lug area because it is difficult to clean especially if you don't know what you are looking at yet! (new to-you-rifle)

Just my 2 cents!

Be very careful with lubricant in the action. Oil in the chamber can cause an overpressure situation when you fire it, and oil on the bolt will fly off as you shoot and plaster your shooting glasses and face. Use the least amount possible and always swab out the chamber and bore before you shoot the rifle.

In keeping with what JYD said ask him what happens when you heavily oil a Garand trigger assembly! I know the hard way This is the way we all learn and I Thank God none of my lessons included injury that was substancial! Bill

That never happened to me Bill, I was trained in the care and feeding of the M1 Garand by WW2 combat veterans, they were very specific about that issue and how painful it can be should it happen

(Just got Internet back from the storm this week)

The action isn't nearly as bad as other people made it sound, until it locks up totally and will not budge. It will be a few weeks till I can get some cans of ammo, had to buy some "wife insurance". I will report how the brake in goes whenever it happens.

The storm has been a lot of fun hasn't it.

Some thoughts - When you took the bolt apart and cleaned it did you put a little oil on it when you reassembled it? Also did you adjust the firing pin with the Mosin Nagant tool to make sure its protruding the correct amount?

Yes and yes. Lightly oiled, I haven't been able to get grease yet.

Mine did the same for the first 20 rounds or so. After the normal cleaning each time, and using the ol' 20ga brush on the chamber a few times, they'll start to loosen up.
The ramps on the bolt of mine were also very rough, hasty 1942 production, I have smoothed them with a small file and keep them oiled as a previous poster had shown.
I've now put over 200 rounds through mine and it is almost a smooth as an old Enfield I used to have. Haven't had to struggle on eject for the last 100+ rounds.