Anything to worry about if my Krags bolt move during dry firing?

[S.B.]

Model of 1898, just curious?
Steve

[Ned Butts]

Does it happen with a spent case or new unfired case in the chamber or only on an empty chamber?

[Kragrifle]

Maybe not, but a No Go gauge isn?t too expensive so get one and check . You just need a case to check the Go part of it. Let us know.

[S.B.]

I've only tried this with empty chamber. When time permits, I'll check like this and reply? Thanks.
Steve

[butlersrangers]

How does it move? Rotate closed? Rotate open? .... or is movement fore & aft?

Is there a few thousandths gap between the rear of your Bolt's guide-rib and the receiver?

Normally, there is a slight movement, of a stripped Krag bolt, fore and aft in the receiver.
With the bolt pulled rearward, until the locking-lug stops against its receiver recess, there should be a paper thin gap between the rear of the bolt rib and receiver.

With a cartridge in the chamber most of the bolt's back and forth travel is eliminated.

In the old days some people 'lapped' the bolt locking lug, on U.S. Krags, so that the rib became an additional lug, (like on Norwegian & Danish Krags), and made contact with the receiver.
IMHO - This practice on U.S. Krags simply increased head-space and ground away the lug's heat-treat.

If the 'movement' is rotational:
Are there any burrs on the 'cocking-piece' incline or the Bolt surfaces that the 'cocking-piece' moves through?

Slight movement is likely no big deal.

A 'Field Gauge' with .073-.074" rim thickness is the most useful with the Krag. If a bolt closes on the Field Gauge, I would replace the bolt.

New Old Stock model 1898 Bolts can be bought for $60 from 'Movieman630' on ebay.

Krag guide-rib clearance.jpg

[butlersrangers]

FWIW - I was finally able to examine seven U.S.Krags in 'dry fire' mode. (One model 1896 action, four model 1898 actions, and two model 1899 actions).

All seven Krags, with the striker-mechanism 'cocked', showed a slight downward movement of the rear of the bolt/bolt-sleeve/and cocking-piece, as the trigger took up the slack of the first stage of the two-stage trigger mechanism.

This movement occurred both with the chamber empty and with an unprimed case in the chamber.

The degree of downward movement varied slightly, between actions.
All of the Krags had acceptable headspace and are good shooters and benign with brass.

This might be the movement that the O.P. was noticing? It appears normal in U.S. Krag rifles and carbines.

[S.B.]

I checked and mine is just fine with an empty in the chamber. Thanks.
Steve