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Bulged cases!
Funny, the length of exposed thread at the muzzle is just about the same size as the bulge.
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And if I only tighten the knurled nut so it is flush with the end of the barrel there is a gap at the other end, also just about the same size as the bulge.(Damn! a 2 attachment limit! Just take my word for it, I had a picture of a gap between the cocking ears and the shroud/main frame.)
Taking it apart and examining it, the bolt face comes flush with the chamber. The rim sits flush with the chamber face and the bolt face/breech face has a recess in it that encloses the rim. The bolt and the barrel are held together by the main spring no matter how much barrel is exposed beyond the knurled nut so its not a classic headspace problem. It looks as if the bolt starts recoiling before the bullet has left the barrel, allowing the case to retract just about 3/32nds of an inch while there is still plenty of pressure there. Coincident with this, about every 3rd or 4th round the firing pin missed the round entirely (no light strike marks) as if the bolt rebounded after pressing the round home.
The whole barrel/slide assembly sticks when taking it apart or reassembling it. (Well more like 'catches' rather than sticks, and a light tap frees it.) According to some posts on the internet this is due to the hammer being a little bit in the path of the barrel/slide assembly, and I can see that it is.
Do you suppose the mainspring is a bit weak, allowing the bolt to retract too soon?
Any other possibilities?
A second concern, but I doubt it is connected to the bulged cases issue, is that the barrel key and barrel seat washer are seized in the shroud/main frame. They are in the right position, but they are supposed to be removable for cleaning. I'm not too concerned about that. If repeated soaking in oil doesn't loosen them (cleaning what I imagine is old dirt and gunk seizing them) maybe I'll take a heat gun on its lowest setting and see if I can free them.