M14 Forum

Ivan1GFP

Without actually looking at the rifle, it is hard to tell (obviously).

Keep in mind what the bolt rotation does:
Initial rotation cams back the firing pin.
Final rotation provides initial extraction of the case which is where it appears to be hanging up.

I am guessing that there is an imperfection in the chamber: corrosion, machining mark, whatever, which a fired case swells into and then gives you a mechanical interlock that your retracting bolt (and extractor) must overcome.

I don't think it is the bolt and receiver lugs because by the time you have rotated the bolt about 45 degrees, I don't believe the lug peening matters much any more.

I don't believe it is an overpressure round because that would cause a stiff bolt EARLY because you are turning the bolt face against a cartridge case that is imprinted against any machine marks on the bolt face.

It might also explain why steel cased ammunition doesn't have this problem. It doesn't swell into the chamber imperfections.

Just guessing.
- Ivan.

willriskit

Through most of WWII and especially during the final years before 8 May, Germany used lacquered steel casings in their ammo manufacture. Waffenmeisters were supplied with tapered wooded dowels which they wrapped in wire mesh for cleaning residue from chambers in automatic weapons as well as rifles. This probably sounds extreme to a collector, but given the strength and reliability of the '98 extractor, I suspect that you have a chamber problem due to either excessive residue or pitting. When all-matching, original 98K's were plentiful, shooters and collectors avoided those with bolt numbers which didn't match the number on the receiver. Most of the time headspace wasn't an issue with mismatched bolts but occasionally someone reported a problem. Due to the fact that the majority of 98K's I encounter anymore have mismatched or rematched bolts, a headspace check before firing isn't a bad idea.