Help with ORF vz.58 build

[mp517prct]

I pressed the barrel in on a GO gauge until the locking block lugs touched the reciever lugs, then I tried the NO GO gauge and the bolt did not lock up, drilled and pinned the barrel, then took it to the range.

First, the rounds feed up out of the magazine, and hit the rear of the barrel, at approximately 7 o'clock. My reciever (007XX) is well beyond the block with incorrectly milled feed ramps.

Second, manually feeding rounds into the chamber the rifle does not fire, the striker falls, there is a faint mark from the firing pin touching the primer, but no indentation.

Third, opening the bolt with a chambered round requires stepping on the charging handle with your foot.

Did I press the barrel in too far? If I did, anyone have any ideas on pressing the barrel back out?

[mp517prct]

More pics

[jk47]

Wow! I am no expert but, I'm pretty sure that the go - no go gauge is strictly for proper lock up. It would appear you have a much more severe problem and multiple problems at that. It almost sounds like the bore axis of the barrel may be too high. You may have a problem with the receiver itself. Try to contact OBIWANBONJOVI, he has built these guns on ORF receivers. He has a post on this page under: Built one for a friend. I hope this helps. Good luck with this one, please keep us posted as I would like to build one myself some day. Hang in there you will get through this.

Joe

[CzechPoint]

Check out http://www.theakforum.net/

Once you register, you can go to the Czechosovakian board.  Lots of discussions on builds.  Use the search function first as you'll learn from past discussions.

Dan

[Against-the-Grain]

If it was just the light mark on the primer that was the problem, I would wonder if the striker was hanging. However, it should not be that hard to eject a round.

[mp517prct]

I found the problem with the hard extraction was caused by 2 burrs in the chamber from when I was trying to press the barrel out of the reciever stub, with some jewelers files and some fine emery cloth, I have since solved that problem.  I think that was also the cause of the light primer strike, as the cartridge was not fully in the chamber, and the firing pin was just pushing the cartridge farther into the chamber.  Now extraction is no longer a problem.  This also probably caused my headspace gauge to do the same, and thus my headspace is off.

P.S. I picked up some spent cartridges at the range to work on removing the two burrs, so I'm not using live ammo to check the chamber.  I painted the last 3/8" of the cartridge with a sharpie marker, then inserted it into the chamber, noting the orientation of the headstamp, then slaming the bolt closed.  I did this until the drag marks no longer appeared on the cartridge.  I then lightly polished the rear of the chamber with some emery cloth wrapped around a cartridge.

Also, if the bore axis of the barrel is too high, I may be able solve this problem with a piece of phenolic epoxied on to the feed ramp.

[ObiWanBonJovi]

I would suggest a light chamfer at the bottom edge of the barrel, to allow proper feeding.  The light primer strike, may be caused by the hammer rails being slightly too low, I have encountered this several times, the striker will tend to bind in the bolt on its way in, this can also lead to increased force being required to open carrier.

[jk47]

It sounds like you have already done some great diagnosing. Mechanical things don't always behave the way they are supposed to. Good work.