MS 1903 problem...rather unique one

[GunnerAsch]

I managed sto scrounge up a MS 1903 barreled action in the white, from an old guy..who seems to remember it was in a fire. Cringe. So this may simply be a lesson in learning. The springs DO have some temper left..shrug. I found a blob of something Lead like in the magazine well. No idea of what it was, or where it came from.
Anyways..the issue Im having is removing the bolt. After soaking it in Kroil for 2 weeks..all the parts came free..except for the bolt. It jiggles a tiny bit, it wiggles a tiny bit...but it simply wont turn. Ive used the hammer/ingot method..Ive even put a piece of pipe on that butterknife bolt handle..and while it will move a tiny bit..it wont turn. The cocking piece wont retract either and its in the down position. I machined a fitment to go around the cocking piece and used a slide hammer..and it wont move in the slightest bit. Something is obviously stuck down deep inside.

Any suggestions? Im not familiar enough with the MS to know how it works and cannot find a decent exploded diagram of the action itself to figure out what Im missing...if anything. Anyone know what could have melted that deep in a not badly damaged action?

Without being able to remove the bolt..I cant even unscrew the barrel.

Help!

[nanuk]

why would you not be able to unscrew the barrel?

[pietro]

It sounds like it was in a fire hot enough to melt a chambered brass cartridge case, which most likely flowed back/down/around the bolt's locking lugs & through the FP hole, especially if the rifle was standing butt-down during the fire.

If that's what happened, IMHO the action's pretty much trashed.

Before cutting it up as scrap, I'd have a hardness test done on the action & bolt body, to see if cutting the barrel free would be worth the time/effort - after all, there may be hope .



.

[flounderman]

If the springs have some temper the action is probably ok. If it was too hot, it can be reheat treated. there was a place in denver did a 1917 for me. the fireing pin is probably locked in the bolt is why it won't open. could be rust, could be lead that soldered it in. Barrel should unscrew. might have to apply some heat to the bolt. If it is lead holding it, heat would remove it. If it would be brass, which I doubt, maybe amonia. It is possible there is rust in the lug raceway, too. reheat treating will salvage the action if it needs it and if you can get it apart. the trigger could be locking the bolt, if it is in a depresed position.