So I got to take my Model 8 to the range for the very first time last weekend. Loaded a round, lined her up, squeezed the trigger, and BANG! Success!
Wait, the barrel-
Drat! The barrel is stuck in the rear position. I broke down the rifle and sure enough, the barrel was stuck in the rearward position. Just for giggles, I inspected the action and everything inside the receiver/trigger assembly looks perfectly fine. I can return barrel into it's normal position by giving it a light-medium tap at the breach, but maybe 25% if I pull on the barrel, it will remain in the following position:
- The spots that looks like rust, are not. It's just grime from my fingers touching oily bits. As old as this baby is, there is absolutely no rust anywhere in or on this rifle.
- I put a bunch of oil (Rand CLP for those that are interested) between the barrel and the barrel jacket, and the barrel movement feels smoother. However, I can get the barrel to stick out about 1 time in 4.
- I found a stamped number on the barrel toward the breach! It says "Y 3 7". Anyone have any info on that?
Usually one of two things will cause this issue rebel: a rusty/sticky chamber where the cartridge sticks inside the chamber enough to halt forward momentum that the buffer & recoil spring are putting on the barrel to return back to position. The other possibility is something causing friction inside the barrel assembly. There could be a buildup of "gunk" as mentioned by Bandersnatch, there could be a barrel nut that, from many many firings, has slightly mushroomed and is no longer free moving inside the jacket, there could issue with the springs inside, parts could even be assembled incorrectly inside, etc.
#1 thing I would do is to disassemble the jacket, inspect the components, and thoroughly clean every part.
We purchased a Model 8 many moons ago and made the mistake of firing it, without disassembling the rifle and verifying that all the barrel components were present & installed properly. The end result was exactly what you are experiencing.
Another reason for this happening could be that you have a large enough "dent" in the barrel jacket, that the internal barrel components are coming to rest on the inside of the barrel jacket. Does your barrel jacket have any dents?
If Not, It would be my guess that the previous owner disassembled the barrel assembly at some point in time and reinstalled the barrel components improperly.
You may find after disassembling your barrel, that the recoil spring case was installed improperly:
1.) If the recoil spring case was installed first (which is incorrect) and the opening for the recoil spring was facing the muzzle of the barrel, then the buffer spring was installed, the rifle will still fire and cycle rounds until the buffer spring "MUSHROOMS" or enlarges the opening of the recoil spring case, which in turn will cause the recoil spring case to get lodged inside the barrel jacket.
Or:
2.) The buffer spring was installed properly (first), then the recoil spring case was installed "upside down" whereas recoil spring opening on the recoil spring case, faces towards the buffer spring. The rifle will again still function for a period of time, until the recoil spring gets "Mushroomed and/or enlarged", from smacking on the buffer spring. The end result is the same as in 1.)
Disassemble the barrel and inspect the recoil spring case for damage and inspect the other components too.
After you have inspected the internal barrel components and you have the situation corrected, re-install the barrel components in the proper order.
Sir,
I once owned a 300 savage m-81 that had a similar issue and figured out that the recoil spring inside the barrel jacket had some how been bent on the end that seated against the barrel nut washer. It was sticking out between the barrel and washer,which was worn enuf to allow the end of the spring to come out. It would wedge the barrel open only part of the time. After some inoportune moments deer hunting I finally got rid of it. A new washer probably would have fixed it, but once I lose confidence in a gun, I might just as well get rid of it. I don't know if this could be your issue or not but you need to dissasemble the barrel assembly anyway.
Thanks for your time,
Roger
There is one other possibility here that no one has mentioned yet. Remove the rear sight and see if the barrel frees up. Sometime people use too long of screws to mount the rear sight and they serve as a set screw on the barrel. The energy of the cartridge being fired is enough to force the barrel back, but the recoil spring is not strong enough to return the barrel back to proper position with sight screws wedging it. Just a simple check that is only two screws and a lot simpler than a barrel assembly take down.
