Headhunter
.22LR
No, that isn't the problem. Field tested today having swapped bolt slides between my 500 and 590, and the issue continues.
However - I have now tried swapping bolts, and can manually rack the 500 [with 590 bolt] and get the safety to move, sometimes quite dramatically. Closer inspection shows 2 things:
1. The 500 bolt firing pin spring is thin and has around 8 coils, whereas the 590 is thicker steel and only has around 5 coils and, more significantly
2. There seems to be vertical play in the bolt lock pin - I watched a video on disassembling the bolt, which looked very easy, yet when I tried it was difficult to the point where I snapped the pin punch I was using. I have ordered spares from Brownells as it looks feasible that the bolt lock is malfunctioning, causing the firing pin to be held in a rearwards position sufficiently to impact on the safety block when racked rearwards.
This is speculation at this point, but when the spares arrive in around 10 days I will attempt disassembly again and see what transpires.
However - I have now tried swapping bolts, and can manually rack the 500 [with 590 bolt] and get the safety to move, sometimes quite dramatically. Closer inspection shows 2 things:
1. The 500 bolt firing pin spring is thin and has around 8 coils, whereas the 590 is thicker steel and only has around 5 coils and, more significantly
2. There seems to be vertical play in the bolt lock pin - I watched a video on disassembling the bolt, which looked very easy, yet when I tried it was difficult to the point where I snapped the pin punch I was using. I have ordered spares from Brownells as it looks feasible that the bolt lock is malfunctioning, causing the firing pin to be held in a rearwards position sufficiently to impact on the safety block when racked rearwards.
This is speculation at this point, but when the spares arrive in around 10 days I will attempt disassembly again and see what transpires.