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Old November 16, 2018, 08:56 PM   #1
RebelRooster
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Join Date: January 7, 2007
Posts: 4
Hard to open bolt on P-17

Wasn't sure where to post this.

I was sighting in a new (to me) rifle this afternoon. It's a P-17 that has been built into a very nice sporting rifle. The ears have been removed, the action is bedded into a nice after market stock and it has a good blue finish. This firearm has been around for a while but is in overall good condition. Someone put a lot of effort into the build and it shows.

After firing the first round I noticed that the bolt drug when I opened it. A light tap to finish bumping it open and it easily extracted the spent case. This is a first for me, I examined the case and the only thing I noticed was a light wear mark above where the webbing would be in the case. No sign of high pressure. I could chamber the spent case easily closing the bolt on it. When attempting to open the bolt again the same drag was present. I fired another four rounds through it with identical results. This was new bargain factory ammo. I found a few rounds of IMI ammo in the safe and fired three rounds of that. There was still a very light drag on the bolt but very little force needed to open it. Extraction wasn't an issue in either case.

factory ammo feeds and extracts easily if I don't fire the rifle.

I don't have headspace gauges for 30.06 and it doesn't really seem to be a headspace issue.

Has anyone encountered a similar issue with a bolt rifle?
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Old November 16, 2018, 09:25 PM   #2
44 AMP
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Join Date: March 11, 2006
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It could be a slight "set back" of the locking lugs. Meaning that the lug recesses in the receiver have been "smooshed" a tiny bit by pressure. This can be from overpressure rounds or it can be due to improper heat treatment of the steel.

If its the action steel, it will only get worse over time with further firing. IF the rifle steel is good and it was hammered by overloads sometime in the past, it shouldn't get worse firing in spec ammo.

Sounds like your gun is right on the beginning edge. Slight drag when opening the bolt, ONLY after firing has shoved the locking lugs back against the seat (which is now just barely beyond where it should be)

headspace sounds like it is still within acceptable range at this point, but if its the rifle steel being too soft, then over time (more firing) it will increase until it becomes excessive, and can go to the point of case failure.

The same approximate result can happen if the bolt lugs are not "in spec" (such as slightly too soft). This may be visually apparent, but often not until things have gone past the point of no return. Replacing the bolt with a good one is relatively simple, compared to replacing the receiver.

Repair may not me possible. Depends on exactly what the problem is. Re-heat treating the action may, or may not be possible or practical. If the action warps during re-heat process, its scrap.

Anyway I just guessing, offering a POSSIBLE cause for the problem you described. There are other possibilities, I think, though none comes to mind right now.

Get the headspace checked, and measured, so you can track it. ANY change in the feel of operation, get it remeasured, and if it has changed, stop shooting the gun, and begin investigating your other options

Good Luck!
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Old November 16, 2018, 10:04 PM   #3
RebelRooster
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Join Date: January 7, 2007
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Thank you sir.

The rifle came with around 200 rnds of hand loaded ammo. I have set this aside to be recycled into reloads of my own manufacture. I do not shoot other peoples reloads. It is entirely possible that he was running hot loads, but the only way to find out is to fire one of these loads over my chrony and i'm not willing to do that.

For this rifle I may load some lighter loads that will serve for my needs shooting whitetail.

This rifle will see little service, basically a loaner for an annual deer hunt. Don't like target shooting with an '06.

Again, Thank you for the courtesy of replying to my post.
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Old November 17, 2018, 10:32 AM   #4
HiBC
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Join Date: November 13, 2006
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Forgive me if I'mtelling you something you already know.

The P-17 was built as a "cock on closing" rifle. The striker spring would be compressed by the final < 1/2 in of the bolt being driven forward.

Thats OK.It works. Its different than the Sprngfield,the Mauser 98,and most commercial bolt rifles. They cam the cocking piece back as the bolt handle is lifted.Compressing the striker spring adds a noticeable resistance to lifting the bolt handle.

An outfit called Dayton-Traister made a conversion to change the P-17 to a "cock on opening" system. It was a very common ....practically a standard...modification to make to the P-17 when sporterizing them.

Try this:
Check for sure the rifle is unloaded

Open and close the bolt so the rifle is cocked. Open the bolt again. There should be no "drag"

Pointed in a safe direction,pull the trigger .The rifle will dry fire.Now,its not cocked. When you raise the bolt handle,do you feel the "drag"

If so,you are just feeling the cam compressing the striker spring. Normal.
A tiny bit of grease on the camming surface is good.
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