Bolt question

[CobyRed25]

I am absolutely sure this is covered somewhere else on here, but I cannot find it. Which is unfortunate.

The infamous sticky bolt. The bolt on my 91/30 is better than it was, but still gets stuck. The bolt only sticks when lifting the handle after firing. Almost when vertical. Basically, on the primary extraction ramp. The bolt sticks the worst on the first shot (cold barrel), every shot after that it still sticks, but less than the previous shot. After the 5th shot, almost no stick. I have cleaned the chamber (multiple times), and polished the cocking ramps.

Eventually, as the barrel gets hotter it will begin to stick worse with every shot, but that doesn't happen til shot #13 or further. Assuming I'm shooting at a decent pace of maybe 5 shots every couple minutes. Which is rare.

I expect the bolt to stick as the gun heats up, but I am thrown off by how it acts when I start cold (unfired). Is this normal or is there something I can do?

[CobyRed25]

Also, I'm shooting steel cased ammo. Would that contribute to this?

[SA1911a1]

The most common problem is solved by cleaning. But worst case would be needing to replace and extractor/ejector; cheap parts, readily available and easy to change.

[CobyRed25]

My extractor has some really sharp edges. Should I deburr/polish those out? I haven't noticed any gouging on the rims of spent cases....

[Junk Yard Dog]

Sticky bolt is caused in part by the transfer of the lacquer coating used on steel cased ammunition to the walls of the chamber during firing when things heat up. It can be very difficult to remove. Take a 20 gauge bronze or copper brush and mount it on a section of shotgun cleaning rod. Chuck the rod into a drill, wrap the brush with 0000 size steel wool and coat the wool with JB bore paste. Drill the brush into the chamber, do not go into the rifling. Drill it for several minutes, then clean it up and range test it. I liked boil up an electric tea kettle full of water and then pour it down the chamber to heat everything up nicely before hitting it with the brush. You may have to repeat this several times. The other thing coating the chamber walls is old dry commie cheap axle grease that they stored it away with 80 years ago.

[Rongo]

Sticky bolt is caused in part by the transfer of the lacquer coating used on steel cased ammunition to the walls of the chamber during firing when things heat up. It can be very difficult to remove. Take a 20 gauge bronze or copper brush and mount it on a section of shotgun cleaning rod. Chuck the rod into a drill, wrap the brush with 0000 size steel wool and coat the wool with JB bore paste. Drill the brush into the chamber, do not go into the rifling. Drill it for several minutes, then clean it up and range test it. I liked boil up an electric tea kettle full of water and then pour it down the chamber to heat everything up nicely before hitting it with the brush. You may have to repeat this several times. The other thing coating the chamber walls is old dry commie cheap axle grease that they stored it away with 80 years ago.

There is also most likely grease residue in the chamber. these ruskie refurbs were all packed in grease for long-term storage. That stuff gets into every nook & cranny. Some call it Cosmoline; That is incorrect for Soviet arms, they never used Cosmo, just that nasty & stubborn grease. A few cleanings, the boiling water trick and you should be good to go.

I also run boiling water down after the cleaning, which helps rinse everything out. remember to apply a light amount of oil after.