Hard bolt lift with low pressure loads.

[Clinton]

I've been having a problem with my sporterized mauser. Every so often it is difficult to raise the bolt after firing a round. These are very low pressure starting loads and it only happens with about 1 out of 10 at the most. The primers are very rounded with no signs of pressure. I'm using some pretty old military brass that I neck size with a Lee neck sizing die. Is it possible the brass is just overused and not contracting properly?

[Larry Gibson]

A Mauser CRF extractor many times pushes the case hard to the left in the chamber. If the cases are NS'd and the expansion at the web is not even (bulged out to one side) the a case head can end up kitty whompus to the extractor. The as the bolt is opened the bolt head binds and causes difficult opening. The extractor digging into the case from such also can cause problems if the case can't rotate slightly during primary extraction.

Larry Gibson

[M-Tecs]

One more possibility is that the primers are backing out but the pressure is to low to reseat them. Not sure if this could be an issue with a rifle but it is common with a revolver.

[Clinton]

The primers don't appear to be "backed out" if one can tell by looking. I'm going to try some commercial brass I have and see if it continues to do the same thing.

[Artful]

These are very low pressure starting loads and it only happens with about 1 out of 10 at the most. The primers are very rounded with no signs of pressure. I'm using some pretty old military brass that I neck size with a Lee neck sizing die. Is it possible the brass is just overused and not contracting properly?
Is this the collet neck sizer die that LEE sells? Does it do this when you do a regular full length sizing?
How low pressure are these starting loads? Could you give us the load information? (boolit, powder, charge etc)
When was the brass annealed last?

[Clinton]

Is this the collet neck sizer die that LEE sells? Does it do this when you do a regular full length sizing?
How low pressure are these starting loads? Could you give us the load information? (boolit, powder, charge etc)
When was the brass annealed last?

Yes it's the Lee collet neck sizer. I haven't full length sized for that rifle in a long time so I don't know but will try it. The load was the Lee C312-155 over 21gr of IMR-4198. I'm guess the brass was last annealed back in the 1960s :).

[JWFilips]

My Vote is with Larry: Not Really thinking it is problem unless you have to hammer the bolt back.
Fire the cases again neck sized & I think you will we golden! JMHO

[Clinton]

My Vote is with Larry: Not Really thinking it is problem unless you have to hammer the bolt back.
Fire the cases again neck sized & I think you will we golden! JMHO

No hammer needed but I do have to slap the bolt handle with the palm of my hand though. Going to try some commercial brass anyway. That military stuff I've been using is of "unknown quality".

[Hickok]

Just a question, is the bolt handle at times hard to press down when chambering a fresh round? By just neck sizing, some off the cartridge cases may be very snug in the shoulder datum line/ headspace area.

[Clinton]

Just a question, is the bolt handle at times hard to press down when chambering a fresh round? By just neck sizing, some off the cartridge cases may be very snug in the shoulder datum line/ headspace area.

No, all of the rounds chamber with minimal effort. My initial thought was the brass is just "tired" and doesn't spring back like it used to.

[303Guy]

I've had cases that are difficult to extract with light loads. That was causes by the neck expanding into depressions in the neck area. The primers were well rounded. That was with shotgun powder - I wouldn't have expected that effect with 4198 though. Still, check out the possibility.

Do those same fired cases re-enter the chamber fully without the bolt? If they do then that would confirm Larry's suggestion.

[detox]

Anneal your cases then full length resize and trim.

[kens]

can it be brass too long, needing trim to length?
I have had stuck brass before that was needing trim