the mannlicher carcano

[Bob Prudhomme]

The extractor claw remains stationary as the cartridge is being picked up by the bolt. When the cartridge is first contacted by the bolt, as the bolt moves forward, it is pushed along by the bottom part of the face of the bolt. The extractor claw does not extend down far enough to cover the bottom part of the face of the bolt. As the cartridge is pushed along, it begins to ride up along a ramp onto its way into the chamber, slowly elevating it. Eventually, the rear of the cartridge rides up onto this ramp, and the base of the cartridge is lifted into the space between the face of the bolt and the extractor claw. The claw fits neatly into the groove in the base of the cartridge.

It doesn't always work this nicely, though, especially on shorter cartridges such as the .308. I had a .308 deer rifle made by the Midland Gun Co. of Birmingham, England that had a Mauser type action. If I was even slightly too aggressive when chambering a cartridge (usually about the time I was trying to take a bead on a large buck), the cartridge would jump ahead just enough to get ahead of the extractor claw, without me knowing. With the cartridge in the chamber, I would try to close the bolt behind it, to no avail. I imagine if I pushed hard enough, I could eventually force the extractor claw over the base of the cartridge, but I believe I stood a better chance of snapping the claw off. This is how I know Lutz and his panel were full of crap.

I usually pushed the cartridge in so far that I couldn't even shake the cartridge out of the chamber. I finally resorted to keeping a cleaning rod in my pickup, just so I had something to push the cartridge out of the chamber with.

I eventually lost this rifle in a house fire, but I wasn't exactly heart broken.