Thread: Norinco EM332 — help please

hello there

the Lovely Wife has an Norinco EM332.

i don't think she's cleaned it much: i took it out for an airing and after a couple of rounds, the bolt wouldn't budge more than 5mm — i can close it fully, and i can open it… but i can't pull it back more than 5mm. to state the obvious, no new rounds can be chambered, and i can't remove the bolt for cleaning.

i've put some oil around the bolt in the hope of loosening it but no deal.

please can someone advise what i can do.

First thing I would do would is spray a good amount of release agent around the action and let it soak in, my understanding is they have very tight chamber tolerances. I would love to own of these so would be first in line to buy it if you want to move it on ☺

Is it a live round still in the chamber or an empty? If it is corrosion holding it then a bit more push with a cleaning rod may provide the force to get it open. If it a live round DO NO TRY THAT!!!!. If it is freely moving and stopping because it is hitting something, then I will have a look at my nephews one and see if there is anything I can glean from it that may help. That might take a day or so, though.

@nor-west: will have a go with some CRC and some more patience. cheers for that.
@timattalon: had fired a round and tried to chamber a fresh one when the bolt got stuck. (but i'll check just in case i misremembered.) the bolt is moving freely those 5mm until it just stops. not sure pushing with the rod will make a difference as i'm already tugging pretty hard on that bolt (but let's see how desperate i get). there's no feeling of grit when the bolt hits the 5mm mark — it just stops like it's hitting something. thanks for that — and thanks in advance for checking out your nephew's rifle.

Just to clarify - is there a live round in it now?

Are you able to post a picture of the action and the bolt position.

First thought was an action screw sticking proud and hitting the bolt.

Have you tried removing the stock?

I will dig out my EM later and see if I can find any point in the bolt travel that has a tight mechanical spot in its travel that might correspond to yours but that photo would be helpful.

+1 on the live round, if it is a live round do this somewhere safe pointed in a safe direction and be careful.

Other then that perhaps a trip to your local gunsmith might be in order?

Sounds like the seer might be catching on the bolt? maybe removing the trigger group will let you open the bolt.

Worth a Long shot - you may have a spent case jammed in maybe also with a live round. I have a EM332 and if one does not cycle the bolt quick enough the spent case will not eject clear of the breech, bounces back in.

Originally Posted by Slug

Worth a Long shot - you may have a spent case jammed in maybe also with a live round. I have a EM332 and if one does not cycle the bolt quick enough the spent case will not eject clear of the breech, bounces back in.

Yeah mine is the same. Can be maddening if you forget. I notice mine also ejects out the left hand side sometimes as well.

Originally Posted by zimmer

Yeah mine is the same. Can be maddening if you forget. I notice mine also ejects out the left hand side sometimes as well.

Maybe you need to modify the helper.

Originally Posted by ZG47

Maybe you need to modify the helper.

Tried that and now she won't come to the range with me anymore....

Don't use CRC 5.56 on your gun, you will destroy the bluing!

The only thing I can see to stop the bolt moving more than 5mm is the rear action screw.
If this has come loose It may be protruding into the bolt behind the cocking piece

Just thinking of the obvious

Have you removed the magazines?

Bolt may be catching on the mag lips.

Otherwise the rear action screw sounds like it needs further investigation.

Cheers
Pete

Had a similar problem on the Annie 1410 - after replacing the barrel/action into the stock.
The rear screw protruded into the bolt raceway and stopped the bolt being opened properly.
On a hunch, removed the rear screw, bolt cycled fine.
A quick 'touch up' on the grinder - no problems since.
Checked the Anshutz site for screw lengths, both the same.
Guess the timber (it's 40+ years old and still puts 5 almost in the same hole, from a clamped rest), had softened a little and pulled the action in closer, so the rear screw jammed the bolt when opening, IIRC - the bolt was a little hard to get in but went in OK.
Thought it was my rushed fitting of bolt and having some misalignment issues.
Just a thought mate.