Stiff Bolt Handle on SC 03a3

[CTM VT 2K]

Took my SC 03a3 to the range a week ago, shooting fairly good groups at 100yds (~2MOA) with unsorted HXP. Had a problem though - occasionally the bolt handle would be VERY difficult to lift open. Never had that before with new production ammo, other sessions with HXP, and never had a problem when dry-firing (snap caps, etc). Didn't break anything evident, and everything APPEARS to function correctly. The brass all looks like I expect (There is some minor pitting in the chamber which shows on the brass, but does not effect extraction), it just felt like I needed a hammer or a crow bar to lift the bolt handle sometimes (but not always). Any ideas as to what is going wrong?

[7.62x63mmUS]

My guess would be the pitting or the chamber needs a good scrub. Had an M48 that was the same way, like I literally needed to beat the bolt open with a hammer. Scrubbed the chamber with some Hoppes and a shotgun brush. Problem solved.

[Randy A]

If there is no problem with extraction then I would say, cocking. I have seen them do that before, work fine for a couple then bind. In one case I found that the owner had left the retaining collar off of the main spring. When cocking the coil end would try to climb over the striker shoulder and wedge between the striker and bolt bore, occasoinally.
Let us know what you find out,
Randy

[wesvb]

Clean the chamber, make sure the ammo is clean, take the bolt down clean and lube the internals using a good high pressure grease on the cocking ramp.
My rifles run smooth as butter until I shoot HXP. Some of the Greek ammo is little on the large size and can make the bolt hard to open.

[Roadkingtrax]

HXP runs long, and have seen this myself when shooting it in bolts.

Never had a problem outside of Greek surplus, so it has been relegated to M1's only.

[CTM VT 2K]

Taking out the caliper, reviewing the brass from the last range session, and the answer is: Oversize case length. Three rounds were WAY oversize compared to the rest. When fed through and dry-fired, the snap caps are smooth, the "normal" brass is a little tighter, the oversize brass is a #!*@% to even close the bolt, let alone "fire" it. Guess I need to either measure my rounds before range day to exclude oversize, or just accept the challenge on cycling the bolt with these rounds (e.g. training only, not match).

[canes7]

For giggles, if you still have your brass from that range session, look at the extractor grooves for differences. Some have reported shallow grooves on certain years HXP but I have yet to see it.

[CTM VT 2K]

There are different configurations on the extractor grooves across the mixed lots I used. They are not a predictor of this problem.

[gunny]

What should be the optimum case length? ( or are y'all going to make me get up, miss somma Pawn Stars, an' go look it up?)

[lapriester]

Typical HXP problem. It will often be hard to chamber some rounds as well. I had 3 saved rounds in 2006 at the Western Games 1903 match when round 7 could not be extracted from the chamber and no one had a BFH handy. A wooden mallet later helped extract the round. That was in a pristine M1903 Remington with a perfect chamber. All other ammo I feed it functions perfectly. I have a 1903A3 that also has issues with HXP. About 10-20% of some lots are very long in the shoulder. I have a couple rounds that won't chamber in a 1903 at all. It almost looks like I put a No-Go gage in the chamber.

Larry