Rifle bolt jamming in wet conditions

[357Ep]

Hi all

I am out every week foxing in basically any weather. I use a Mauser 18 in .223.

Whenever I'm out in rainy conditions for an extended period, I find the bolt on my rifle is extremely stiff to lift and pull back.

The kind of resistance you'd expect if there was a burr of metal being dragged around (but it's not that for the record).

I clean my rifle and bolt, I keep the bolt a little bit lubricated but not excessively. The bolt experiences the same seizing when not lubed in rainy conditions also.

It's as if the tolerance between the bolt and the receiver are so close that water ingress causes a jam.

This seizing prevents a follow up/ additional shot if ever needed as I have to work the bolt out and dry it before racking a fresh round in.

Yes, I could just not go out in the rain but that's not me. Noone else I know seems to have this issue with different manufacturers.

Is it common to Mauser 18's?

Am I doing something wrong here??

Cheers for any tips/advice

 

[Ronin]

Kernel of crushed powder inside the bolt raceway perhaps

 

[357Ep]

I don't think so. I would feel roughness from powder lodged in the raceway when it's dry no??

 

[paul o']

Have you waxed inside the wooden stock
Inlet? I
wonder if the water is making it swell and pulling on the action bolts !

 

[User00056]

Not catching on the bolt handle recess, is it?

 

[357Ep]

It's a polymer stock
"Stainless" barrel

 

[357Ep]

Not catching on the bolt handle recess, is it?

No it's not.

And when I return the bolt after drying a lnd lubing. It's silky smooth

I'm convinced it's the water ingress. But I don't know if I'm supposed to be doing something to prevent water ingress or if this is a feature of the Mauser 18's manufacture?

 

[Donkey Basher]

Are you saying that after a shot the bolt is hard to lift up & takes a lot of effort to then pull back & eject the fired case?

If so then it sounds like over pressure caused by water on the case/in the chamber which is not good news & potentially very dangerous

 

[357Ep]

No it isnt after firing necessarily.
If I load a round, walk about in the rain..., then attempt to unload the round in the chamber for whatever reason, it is stiff/seized.
So I do not think firing a round causes any issues.

I take it noone here experiences the same feature assuming you have shot in the rain?

 

[C h r i s]

Does it happen if you don't chamber a round (but bolt and raceway are wet)?

Try using a grease rather than oil, it might be galling if its all stainless.

 

[enfieldspares]

Until I read that the it wasn't only after firing I'd have blamed wet cartridges. Wet cartridges raise pressure. This also the increases velocity and affects point of impact. I've heard some at Bisley on wet raining days used to dip their cartridge just before firing in a jar of water to be consistent from shot to shot. So that all cartridges would be at the same high pressure rather than some dry, some half dry, some half wet and some well wetted. So wet cartridges give higher pressures and higher pressures can make bolts stiff to open. But if as the OP says it occurs even if the rifle has not be fired I don't know what to suggest.

 

[Ronin]

Borescope the chamber

Possibly dirty / rusty

 

[Smellydog]

Sounds like the sticking bolt is the symptom and not necessarily the cause.
If the bolt works normal wet sans cartridge then I'd be looking at to tight a chamber or cartridge combination.
I have never heard of this situation before.

 

[Andy RV]

Does your safety lock the bolt? Could it be related to the release of the safety mechanism when wet?…

 

[357Ep]

Does it happen if you don't chamber a round (but bolt and raceway are wet)?

Try using a grease rather than oil, it might be galling if its all stainless.

I'll try that thanks Chris

And yes it does happen without a round chambered

 

[357Ep]

Sounds like the sticking bolt is the symptom and not necessarily the cause.
If the bolt works normal wet sans cartridge then I'd be looking at to tight a chamber or cartridge combination.
I have never heard of this situation before.

I agree and I haven't found anyone else with the same issue.
I'll take it to a smith and contact Mauser for further advice.
It seems as though I'm not necessarily doing something obviously wrong at least.

 

[357Ep]

Does your safety lock the bolt? Could it be related to the release of the safety mechanism when wet?…

Something worth testing for sure. I'll see if I can replicate the issue at home to isolate the problem more

 

[finnbear270]

Suction / Hydraulics, water ingress around the cams?

 

[takbok]

@357Ep try some spray grease and lubricate the bolt and lugs a lot more than you normally do.

 

[357Ep]

@357Ep try some spray grease and lubricate the bolt and lugs a lot more than you normally do.

Will do
Do you mean to a level to which the grease is essentially sealing from any water ingress rather than simply lubricating?