[fguffey]

I would suggest removing the extractor from the bolt, the front of the extractor protrudes forward and into a slot cut in the barrel. If the barrel is not indexed and the slot on the barrel is not aligned with the extractor groove on the right side of the receiver, the bolt will not close, unless the the extractor is removed. 1/8 turn of the barrel is = to .0125, the gap between the front of the receiver and seating surface at the end of the threads can be measured with a feeler gage, pulling the barrel up .0125 is a work out. If the face of the barrel is flat it is from a 303 P14, if the face of the barrel looks like a shaped charges (cone, con-caved) it was removed from an 03, look for a date on the top of the barrel behind the front sight.

There is a chance the parts are mixed, a 303 P14 bolt will not close because the bolt on the left side hits the face of the hits the barrel on an 03 barrel, the outside of the cone on the 03 sets further back than the P14 barre. this requires fitting as when going to if the 303 bolt is used in with an 03 barrel.

F. Guffey

 

[fguffey]

Short chamber and bolt closing, unless you were using a go-gage or cartridge of some type the bolt not closing was not related the chamber, It is possible to use a gage and or cartridge to determine case protrusion from the head of the case to the seating surface at the end of the threads then measure from the face of the front receiver ring back to the face of the bolt, the difference in the two measurements indicate head space, the go-gage is .005 longer than the full length size case from the head of the case to it's shoulder,

The barrel must be indexed before the bolt can be installed with the extractor, after the barrel is indexed, head space can then be checked.

F. Guffey

 

[fguffey]

The effect each bolt has on head space can be measured, the problem is finding a bolt that makes enough difference. There is not .002 difference in the 25+ bolts I have, most are new replacement 03A3s.

F. Guffey