REM 541 bolt question

[roysha]

I have in my shop a 541S that allows the front of the bolt to rotate freely unless the magazine is in place. If the magazine is taken out the front of the bolt will turn from the weight of the top part of the bolt and the only way to close the bolt is to rotate it back level and carefully close the bolt. I've had this apart and cannot see anything missing or worn or broken or otherwise amiss. My question is; what is supposed to keep the front of the bolt front doing what it's doing? I have the REM factory repair manuals and there is nothing in them about this problem that I can find. HELP!

[VA Jim]

I have a 581, which I think is the same action. The ejector rides in a slot in the bottom of the bolt. Perhaps the ejector is broken off.

[roysha]

Thank you for the response.

I am a bit confused now. I have 2 different REM schematics (REM repair manuals) for the 580/541 family of rifles and one shows a separate ejector with 2 holes in it that attaches to the receiver and the other in which the ejector is apparently on the magazine guide. All the 541S schematics show only the latter style. Since the magazine guide is missing on the rifle I have, I am going to assume that the projecting tip of the magazine guide is the ejector. Would this be correct? I did find a replacement magazine guide but they couldn't tell if my assumption about the ejector was correct. I can find no place on the receiver for a separate ejector to screw on to.

[VA Jim]

I should have worded my response a little better. The ejector is part of the magazine guide on mine. The slot in the bolt then rides on the ejector keeping it from twisting. Sounds like that's what you need. Sorry I confused the issue.

[roysha]

Thank you.