Stoeger M3500 Bolt Stuck Halfway

mikecr · July 5, 2015, 06:44 AM

I was shooting some target loads today through my Stoeger M3500. Besides it not cycling them because I probably haven't broken it in quite enough yet; the bolt got stuck halfway open. It won't open all the way unless you force it (I would have to hit the bolt handle with a mallet) it opens fine until that point. I tried taking it apart and cleaning it really well. It does it with just the bolt and bolt carrier (if that's what it is called) and not the front spring, trigger assembly, or barrel in the gun so I've ruled out any of those causing it.

I don't really want to sit and file the rail it slides on but that seems to be the only thing I can think of that would be causing it, although no idea how it would have happened all of a sudden. Hopefully there is an easy enough fix otherwise I might have to take it to a gunsmith or send it in as it should still be warrantied. Just seems like there is so little involved it shouldn't be as hard as it is for me to figure out.

Dixie Gunsmithing · July 5, 2015, 07:36 AM

Something is wrong with the bolt itself, if it's not unlocking, where the cam is not operating correctly. You'll probably have to have a Gunsmith take a look at this, if you cant find what is bad.

After the bolt travels about 3/4"-1", the head should have unlocked from the barrel, and with no recoil spring, or trigger guard group, it should slide freely in the receiver.

If the bolt will not slide freely, and it is unlocked, I would look for a bent rod, or a mis-machined bolt way in the receiver, that the bolts slide rides in.

dahermit · July 5, 2015, 08:16 AM

Quote:

I was shooting some target loads...

Handloads or factory?

Quote:

I probably haven't broken it in quite enough yet...

Not likely the problem.

Quote:

...the bolt got stuck halfway open.

Ambiguous description...a picture would be better. "halfway" may mean different things to different people.

Quote:

I don't really want to sit and file the rail it slides on

You betcha you don't...removing metal is not something that should be done by someone who does not have the mechanical skill to figure out what is wrong. Not all people are mechanically inclined.

Quote:

I might have to take it to a gunsmith...

That is what you should do. Tell him it is new, under Warranty. If it is a serous problem, he will likely tell you to send it to the factory for warranty work and likely will not charge you. If it is some minor thing, he will fix it and likely charge you a modest amount.

MarkCO · July 5, 2015, 08:43 AM

Your BCG is stuck, not the bolt. The bolt is the part that is inside the carrier. The M series Stoegers have the action bars forward of the receiver with a band around the magazine tube. The magazine tube is rough and prone to corrosion and several people have had the same sort of issues. You should be able to break it down and confirm if this is the actual issue.

If it is, you can polish the tube and then keep a good CLP coating on it. This is one of the main reasons we developed the one piece stainless magazine tube for the M3000.

mikecr · July 5, 2015, 01:10 PM

I've uploaded a picture of how far it opens. The loads were factory Winchester super target. I took everything off the bolt and it still gets stuck so I'll just have to find a gunsmith to look at it. Thanks for the information.

Dixie Gunsmithing · July 5, 2015, 01:58 PM

There's one other thing to check, and that would be the bolt release/carrier latch, as I notice the button still in the receiver. This is unique, in that it has two springs, one behind the button, and one that is compressed by the latch itself. If it didn't want to be pushed in, at the rear by the bolt, then that could keep it from going on back to the shock absorber. The latch spring could be fouled, not allowing it to be pushed it by the bolt.

MarkCO · July 5, 2015, 02:23 PM

In the photo, the trigger pin is missing.

mikecr · July 5, 2015, 07:03 PM

Here's a shot from underneath. The bolt release/carrier latch doesn't come in contact with the pieces getting stuck so I just left it there. What does BCG mean?

With the bolt completely disassembled and just the bolt carrier (the long piece that the bolt sits in and goes over the magazine tube since I'm not sure if that's the actual name) and the bolt body (no pins or anything in it) it still is getting stuck.

It's annoying at this point because I can't think of any reason for it to be happening now unless the carrier or bolt body somehow got bent or warped. I had maybe put 15 rounds through it over a period of an hour so it shouldn't have been too hot.

On a better note, my wife said I could get a new shotgun once I get this one fixed...she actually suggested it. Might have to get something better than the cheapest 3 1/2" semi auto.

MarkCO · July 5, 2015, 08:52 PM

The trigger assembly is what holds the tail of the shell latch in place, so that last photo tells us nothing.

BCG is the Bolt Carrier Group.

Dixie Gunsmithing · July 6, 2015, 02:07 AM

mikecr, If the bolt carrier is getting stuck, by itself, then you have something wrong with what it slides on or in, either in the ways of the receiver, at the rear, or the magazine tube that the ring rides over.

Take the bolt carrier group out, and reverse it 180 degrees, sliding the ring on backwards, to see if the ring is catching anywhere on the magazine tube, all the way back to where it would normally go. If the ring will slide over the tube easy, then I would look inside for something, dirt, etc, to have gotten in the ways that the bolt carrier rides in. You may have to take a dental mirror and light to see what's going on inside.

To be this new, with only 15 rounds through it, you may have a warranty issue.

July 5, 2015, 06:44 AM	#1
mikecr Junior Member Join Date: July 3, 2015 Posts: 3	Stoeger M3500 Bolt Stuck Halfway I was shooting some target loads today through my Stoeger M3500. Besides it not cycling them because I probably haven't broken it in quite enough yet; the bolt got stuck halfway open. It won't open all the way unless you force it (I would have to hit the bolt handle with a mallet) it opens fine until that point. I tried taking it apart and cleaning it really well. It does it with just the bolt and bolt carrier (if that's what it is called) and not the front spring, trigger assembly, or barrel in the gun so I've ruled out any of those causing it. I don't really want to sit and file the rail it slides on but that seems to be the only thing I can think of that would be causing it, although no idea how it would have happened all of a sudden. Hopefully there is an easy enough fix otherwise I might have to take it to a gunsmith or send it in as it should still be warrantied. Just seems like there is so little involved it shouldn't be as hard as it is for me to figure out.

July 5, 2015, 07:36 AM	#2
Dixie Gunsmithing Moderator Emeritus Join Date: April 27, 2013 Location: Ohio Posts: 1,923	Something is wrong with the bolt itself, if it's not unlocking, where the cam is not operating correctly. You'll probably have to have a Gunsmith take a look at this, if you cant find what is bad. After the bolt travels about 3/4"-1", the head should have unlocked from the barrel, and with no recoil spring, or trigger guard group, it should slide freely in the receiver. If the bolt will not slide freely, and it is unlocked, I would look for a bent rod, or a mis-machined bolt way in the receiver, that the bolts slide rides in. Last edited by Dixie Gunsmithing; July 5, 2015 at 08:03 AM.

July 5, 2015, 08:43 AM	#4
MarkCO Senior Member Join Date: October 21, 1998 Location: Colorado, USA Posts: 4,308	Your BCG is stuck, not the bolt. The bolt is the part that is inside the carrier. The M series Stoegers have the action bars forward of the receiver with a band around the magazine tube. The magazine tube is rough and prone to corrosion and several people have had the same sort of issues. You should be able to break it down and confirm if this is the actual issue. If it is, you can polish the tube and then keep a good CLP coating on it. This is one of the main reasons we developed the one piece stainless magazine tube for the M3000. __________________ Good Shooting, MarkCO www.CarbonArms.us

July 5, 2015, 02:23 PM	#7
MarkCO Senior Member Join Date: October 21, 1998 Location: Colorado, USA Posts: 4,308	In the photo, the trigger pin is missing. __________________ Good Shooting, MarkCO www.CarbonArms.us

July 5, 2015, 08:52 PM	#9
MarkCO Senior Member Join Date: October 21, 1998 Location: Colorado, USA Posts: 4,308	The trigger assembly is what holds the tail of the shell latch in place, so that last photo tells us nothing. BCG is the Bolt Carrier Group. __________________ Good Shooting, MarkCO www.CarbonArms.us

July 5, 2015, 01:58 PM	#6
Dixie Gunsmithing Moderator Emeritus Join Date: April 27, 2013 Location: Ohio Posts: 1,923	There's one other thing to check, and that would be the bolt release/carrier latch, as I notice the button still in the receiver. This is unique, in that it has two springs, one behind the button, and one that is compressed by the latch itself. If it didn't want to be pushed in, at the rear by the bolt, then that could keep it from going on back to the shock absorber. The latch spring could be fouled, not allowing it to be pushed it by the bolt.

July 6, 2015, 02:07 AM	#10
Dixie Gunsmithing Moderator Emeritus Join Date: April 27, 2013 Location: Ohio Posts: 1,923	mikecr, If the bolt carrier is getting stuck, by itself, then you have something wrong with what it slides on or in, either in the ways of the receiver, at the rear, or the magazine tube that the ring rides over. Take the bolt carrier group out, and reverse it 180 degrees, sliding the ring on backwards, to see if the ring is catching anywhere on the magazine tube, all the way back to where it would normally go. If the ring will slide over the tube easy, then I would look inside for something, dirt, etc, to have gotten in the ways that the bolt carrier rides in. You may have to take a dental mirror and light to see what's going on inside. To be this new, with only 15 rounds through it, you may have a warranty issue. Last edited by Dixie Gunsmithing; July 6, 2015 at 02:23 AM.