Ammo not feeding

Hey yall. First time Mosin shooter here, though I've had a PSL for a while, and I have a quick question. I was using light ball bulgarian in my PSL with the rim on the outside of the case, and everything was fine. I loaded five of those same rounds in my Mosin, and there were some slight issues with the round feeding from the magazine.

Well, I paid it no mind, and got a round into the chamber and pushed the bolt forward. i went to turn the handle down, and it wouldn't turn. I tried several times, and, not wanting to hammer on it or anything genius like that, I gave up. I extracted the bolt from the rifle completely, and noticed the rim or lip on the back of the cartridge wasn't allowing it to sit flush in the hole on my bolt. The cartridge just seemed to have too big of a butt on it. I was wondering if the ammo was the problem, or if it was the piece on my bolt? Thanks guys, any help is appreciated.

EDIT: Also, what kind of scopes are ya'll using? I got one that sits in the cavity where the rear sight and spring go, but the damn thing is crooked. I would like to avoid drilling into the rifle, if possible. I like the scope, just don't like the way I have to mount it. Thanks again fellas

The rim of some of the mil-surp ammo does create problems due to the thickness of the rim being inconsistent. Do not alter your bolt in any way! Does the serial number on your bolt match the number on the receiver? I have noticed that unmatching bolts will cause problems. Is your chamber clean? Take a flashlight and inspect the breech of the rifle, you will see the groove that the extractor rides in, if it is gunk ed up with burned cosmoline or dirt this will cause issues. Once mil-surp ammo has been cycled and unfired through a Mosin it will create bur's on the rim which will make it difficult to load, try some fresh uncycled ammo. I have found that re-loads using American manufactured boxer primed brass usually will not have any chambering issues because the rim thickness is more consistent. Give the chamber a thorough cleaning and try again.

I looked at the extractor on the front of the bolt, and I could find no way to take it off, but it didn't appear to be malfunctioning in any away. I tried some fresh mil surp ammo, but none would sit down in the hollow on the bolt. When the bolt is out of the rifle i can wiggle the rim in, but I can't get it in normally. Any other ideas? I'm thinking maybe I need to find some rounds like the ones that go in my AK, where the rim is no larger than the main body of the bullet, instead of a tad larger like the ones i have now.

Don't try to fire rimless ammo in your Mosin Nagant! The rifle was designed for rimmed ammo, and if your bolt won't accept rimmed ammo, then it's defective and should be replaced. Firing rimless ammo in a bolt designed for rimmed ammo could be fatal. The case rim won't reach the bolt hood, and the case will be unsupported on detonation.

This isn't an AK my friend. This is a BIG powder charge that EXPLODES! If your bolt won't allow you to fire the ammo the rifle was designed to fire, then you should get another bolt. Try Numrich (www.e-gunparts.com) or Reich Outfitters. Replacement bolts are cheap. For that matter replacement Mosin-Nagants aren't very expensive either.

I have some Bulgarian surplus ammo, and sometimes it is hard to chamer them, but I have never had too much trouble. When push comes to shove, it chambers just fine! Haha.

Also, I don't mean to change the subject, but I was wondering..... How incredibly bad of an idea would it be to remove the barrel from the stock, reinsert the bolt with a chambered round and fire it just like that? I wouldn't actually do this, since I imagine it would hurt, a lot. But would it for any reason be unsafe? Other then having no real control and getting your hands sore?

what!!! No way dude! You would certainly be flirting with disaster!

The reason you can not get a round on the front of the bolt when removed is due to the fact that the rim of the round must be inserted under the extractor.

Are you certain you are cycling 7.62x54R ammo?

I'm positive it is the correct ammo. It's bulgarian mil surp light ball that my PSL loves. Nutty, I CAN get the rim under the extractor when the bolt is removed, that's why I'm puzzled. Now, I wasn't actually going to fire my rifle with a rimless cartridge, I just wasn't sure if maybe I needed to get rimless rounds instead. Like I said, AKs and PSLs I know my way around, but this is my first mosin and I'm trying to learn all the ins and outs of it. Going to a gun show today, think I'll take my mosin and see if I can find a new bolt.

The chamber might be dirty with case coating. More likely it's a fresh built rifle put together to sell to Americans. The headspace might be too tight or the finish might be too thick. Those pieced together rifles are not built well.

Well, I think I got the problem kind of figured out. Is there any chance the extractor could be too tight? I bent it a bit today, and it does seem to work now. Should I just buy another extractor? Or is it possible that this rifle was unissued, which it does seem to be, and the extractor is just stiff? All the serials match, and honestly, all the internals look brand new, i.e., no wear and tear. I don't think it was built to sell here, as it is stamped 1943i. Sorry to be causing you guys so much trouble.

My mosin had a thin coating of shylac like substance built up in the chamber.I cleaned the barrel real good but not the chamber.It also would not feed all the way.I checked the chamber and it came out but it was really hard.After cleaning it feed fine.I do not know if it was cosmoline or what it was but it came out really hard,td

Hi All,
I got the impression the OP was inserting a round into the chamber and trying to close the bolt. I understand this a mistake. Put all the rounds into the magazine and let the interrupter manage the cartridges. i.e. load the magazine and close the bolt. HTH
Best,
Rob

The chamber might be dirty with case coating. More likely it's a fresh built rifle put together to sell to Americans. The headspace might be too tight or the finish might be too thick. Those pieced together rifles are not built well.

I don't think any rifles were ever assembled for the US market. Sounds like one of those strange myths running around.

More likely (and this is a common problem) is that the chamber is gunked up. Either with cosmoline deposits, or with lacquer from steel cased rounds. Or both. Give the chamber a REALLY GOOD cleaning with powerful solvent of choice, and try again. Also, just for jollies, try other ammo.

You've got it all right libertarian! And the old girls will weep out cosmo from the barrel threads into the chamber area as they heat up as well. I've cleaned out the chamber's on Mosin's using a small flat blade screw driver and rag with a flashlight for inspection getting the chamber area totally free of crapola. Go to the range and shoot several rounds, take it back home and inspect the chamber area and presto! More crapola. It just takes awhile to cycle through the stuff. And like you mentioned trying different variations of ammo will make all the difference in the world on how they cycle. Out of the 6 Mosin's I have only one gives me chambering issues and that is because it has a non matching bolt, but it is shoot-able. And I have cleaned the breech thoroughly and drilled out the chamber's with a shot gun brush on all of them. It is now a common practice for me to do so on any Mosin before I even attempt to cycle a round.:sidegrin_

that's the deal nutty,,,,i've had 5 or 6 that needed a rubber mallet to open and close before we went round and round here about a year ago on how to use a 20 guage brush attached to a drill etc to get the baked on enamel out. Do a search on the files here redguard and you'll find a bunch of guys from the old Mosin forum gave some great advice. Sjohnson comes to mind as one of their mods, he knew his stuff.
That or shoot american made brass case or selliot and beller (sp) that has never stuck in any of my Mosins

that's the deal nutty,,,,i've had 5 or 6 that needed a rubber mallet to open and close before we went round and round here about a year ago on how to use a 20 guage brush attached to a drill etc to get the baked on enamel out. Do a search on the files here redguard and you'll find a bunch of guys from the old Mosin forum gave some great advice. Sjohnson comes to mind as one of their mods, he knew his stuff.
That or shoot american made brass case or selliot and beller (sp) that has never stuck in any of my Mosins

Or you can shoot Bulgarian surplus. That stuff is amazingly clean and easy to eject. The older the better. The 1948 Bulgarian stuff I have is smooth as - well you know what.

Hey Mosinutty. How about a group photo of your harem? I'd love to see what your gun-rack looks like.

I found the problem guys. The extractor was worn slap out on it. I got some new....bolt heads? that already had extractors on them, and swapped them out. It chambers like a dream now. Haven't fired it yet, it's at the gunsmith's getting a good look over.

my-rifle. Not all of the old girls, couldn't fit in 2 M-44's.

http://i472.photobucket.com/albums/rr90/mosinutty/P3140043.jpg

Out-ch! Got bit by that damned SKS bug!



http://i472.photobucket.com/albums/rr90/mosinutty/P3140045.jpg

Can you pick out the stripper that has the re-loads from the Swabb mold?

http://i472.photobucket.com/albums/rr90/mosinutty/P3140051.jpg

that is one pimped out SKS...isn't there anything else you can hang off of it??? :laugh_sma :laugh_sma

I'm just jealous....I did all that stuff to one that I had to sell years ago....I'm just too lazy now

does that Tapco mag reload with strippers like my Chinee 20 rounder?

do you know that I still haven't gotten the 30 6 cavity 7.62x39 molds that I ordered from lee over 8 mos ago :mad_small :mad_small :mad_small

they are telling people a year now...grr

That looks real nice Mosinnutty.

The 1st 10 will load with a stripper. These mags work so well they can be loaded out of the gun and switched out normally. I just finished converting over a Norinco for Dad that he found cheap at a pawn shop. That's about as pimped as I'm going to go on this one. Haven't been to a range in a long time it's always raining on the weekend's. I have some new loads I want to try using the cast 39's, Maybe this weekend?
8 month's on that mold! What the hell? Oh well I'm sure they will be worth the wait.:wink_smal

Mosinutty, that's a nice collection, a reeeeal nice collection, considering I only have 5 guns! But give me time..... My Dad had a Norinco SKS which he passed to my brother, and then it got stolen! how sucky is that? He tried getting ahold of the only possible suspect he could think of and he found out that the guy was in jail.

Anyway, back on topic, or sort of anyway. This is some Bulgarian surplus ammo I've got, and I was surprised to see this after extracting the spent cartridge...

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v220/Sadgeon/DSCN1296.jpg

It made me wonder, what ammo should I stay away from?

*edit* holy crap the picture's huge! Haha I didn't expect it to be gigantic.

I picked up a tin of the same stuff shizzlore. When I opened the sealed tin and saw what the ammo looked like I thought man that crap will never shoot! But every single round out of the lot shot perfect. But 90% of it blew apart like the one you have pictured. I don't know if it was due to the fact that the brass was old and had corroded, or if it was just cheaply manufactured. I've bought some other Bulgy ammo that looked great?

I don't buy any ammo in a sealed tin anymore unless the seller has one opened for display, even then you could still get a box of ugly's. It's getting to the point now that all the dealers are busting open the tin's and selling the packs individually to make a larger profit. You can't go wrong with Brown bear or Silver bear 54R if you can find some at a price that you don't have to take out a second mortgage on your home to buy!:D

Hmmm, thanks for the info.

That was the first shell to crack open like that. So far I haven't had any problems with the ammo though. It shoots fine, I just wanted to make sure I wasn't at risk firing unsafe rounds.