No, I have not encountered this problem. Have you stripped, cleaned and properly lubed it ? Sounds like the bolt is not rotating and disengaging to me.
I don't know if this would cause the problem but do you have the retaining pin in properly? Its not supposed to sit flush but the o-ring needs to seat into the carrier. The first time I disassembled my carrier, I was worried about pushing too hard and I wasn't seating the retaining pin properly.Maybe something with the firing pin and that retaining pin?!
Depends on how many times you dry fired it prior to purchasing the snap caps.I'm pretty sure I have my retaining pin in properly like you described.
Here's an update... got my snap caps in.
I can manipulate the bolt all day long with no problems with nothing chambered as long as I don't pull the trigger. Once I pull the trigger... the bolt gets locked forward and I can't retract the bolt easily if at all without taking apart the gun.
Using a snap cap... I pull the trigger... and with tremendous difficulty (Like buttstock into the ground and me shoving down the charging handle, I can get it to eject the snap cap and chamber the next one)
This... isn't normal, is it? I'm thinking it has to do with something revolving around the firing pin causing the lugs to not rotate back out!