r/canadaguns • u/hockeyfanatic777 • May 22 '26
Fix my gun Mosin M38 bolt sloppy when cocked
It’s my first time taking this rifle out, and when I chambered a round I noticed how loose this was. I was hoping for some guidance as I’m unfamiliar with them.
It’s nice and tight when uncocked.
This seems unsafe to me so I unloaded the rifle and shot my Garand instead before it started raining.
I’d appreciate any help!
A gunsmith is out of the question, as the closest one is 800km south of me.
EDIT: well, thanks for the sassy help I guess lol. Just wanted to confirm it was safe as I’m still learning. My Enfield, and K98 wasn’t sloppy at all so wasn’t sure if this was wrong or unsafe.
Edit 2 thanks for all the actual help and info! It’s very appreciated
68
Upvotes
1
u/Fed_Informant May 25 '26
As people in the comments have made more or less clear, the sloppy bolt is expected of a mosin.
You did state that it was also sloppy whilst the gun was loaded, but understandably, in the video you filmed it without a cartridge in the chamber.
But the amount of slop portrayed in the video is about as much slop as I get when my civil guard Finnish Mosin is unloaded and the bolt is closed and cocked. And I've put a ton of ammunition of all varieties through it.
The bolt isn't just falling out of battery at the slightest touch. Which would be a concern.
Anyway, I'd check the spring and the headspacing if you're REALLY concerned. But I'd say it's perfectly safe to shoot.
DO NOT compare it to any other WW2 bolt actions or even any other bolt actions at all. They are fundamentally different in design and handle differently. They are not a standard to go by as a consequence.
With the exception of a Finnish mosins, Mosin Nagants will always feel whacky and weird when compared to its contemporaries.
I'll also mention that you should clean the rifle; there are a lot of people on here that shoot the gun right out of the box without cleaning it first. It doesn't look like you're one of them, but I figured I'd mention it.