Ok gang, I need your expertise. I've never had a Mac90 before.   I just bought a Norinco Mac90 today, and I'm not sure what the deal is with the mechanism that locks the bolt back.  I can rack the bolt all the way back and all the way forward multiple times, and I can also slide the bolt about 1/2 way back at which point it will sometimes lock open in this position.  In order to get it to release, I just barely tap the bolt handle and it will spring forward which is just what the guy I bought it from did.  My question is:  

Is there something wrong with the gun?  It just seems odd to me that there isn't some more definite way to lock the bolt back, and it also seems odd that simply tapping the bolt handle will release the bolt to spring forward.  I'm not quite sure what the internal mechanism is that actually holds the bolt back once you lock it open, but if simply barely tapping it will cause it to spring forward in the closed position, it seems like something must be broken or not working right in the gun?  Or is this normal?  The gun appears to be in almost new condition with a wood thumbhole stock and a rubber recoil pad, and the guy I bought it from says he only ran about 1 or 2 magazines of ammo  through it.   Help.  Thanks.

never did   never will

Nothing is wrong


There is no bolt hold open on the last round. Some Chinese mags have a bolt hold open mag follower, but they are rare.

AKs do not hold the bolt open when the mag is empty


What is happening half way back is the bolt carrier is hanging up on the hammer as it goes over the top of it. That is also normal. It's not a bolt hold open. Tap it and it slams forward. It's normal.


If you want a bolt hold open, manually done, you can buy or make a safety selector lever with a notch cut in it that will hold the bolt back as the bolt carrier handle slips in the notch. But what is the point to that? It only works when you put the lever to the safe position.

That doesn't tell me anything. " Never did never will" what?

Thank you very much; now that is helpful.  By the way, this bolt issue is without any rounds in the gun as I haven't shot it yet.  It also occurs whether the magazine is in or out of the gun.  If that changes anything, please let me know.  Not that I need a bolt "hold open" option.  I just wanted to make sure nothing is wrong with the gun.  Thanks for your help!

Makes no difference. What you are talking about is nothing more than the bottom of the bolt carrier rubbing up against the top of the hammer with friction and causing it to hang up because it isn't moving fast enough. If you rack it all the way back and let it go or shoot it, it will not hang up. Also the more the gun is used, the less it will hang up as those pieces wear a bit.

Do not ever rely on that to keep the bolt open with rounds in a mag or even empty as you will either load the chamber or scare the shit out of someone as it lets go when the gun is supposed to be safe..

welcome to the dark side.

Mach,

Given that the gun looks to be in darned near new condition, I thought there was probably nothing wrong with the gun, but I sure feel a lot better now after hearing from you!  What you said explains even more why such a light tap or even a little touch would close the bolt.  It also sounds like the gun really is pretty new and has hardly even been shot too given these conditions, and that is all the better as far as I'm concerned.  This "dark side" thing is feeling pretty good!  Thanks again!