The cocking piece of the bolt travels in the groove of the tang like a train runs on tracks. If the trigger can't reach the cocking piece for any reason, the bolt cannot cock itself.
Take the trigger completely off the rifle.
Take a chain saw file and make the opening a bit wider.
Trial and error removing metal while you check to see if the trigger
has " free travel " through the opening with no binding.
Yes it can. Okay. Looking at things a bit closer I have different problems. The rifle cocks just fine when the bolt is ran. Both while the trigger is installed or not. It's when the trigger is in and is pulled it wont allow the cocker to fall forward....
Safety mounted on the trigger assembly, or the bolt-mounted safety?
If the bolt-mounted, pull the cocking piece a wee bit to the rear, then set the safety. The instructions have a fix for that, but I don't bother with the safety.
I have adjusted the sear engagement, and over travel screws with no luck. If i remove the trigger and run the bolt open and closed the cocker works just fine. Put the trigger in and no dice. Not sure what else to do...
Have you tried fiddling with the trigger-mounted safety? Does it feel like it is engaging and disengaging -- is there some resistance when moving it -- noise? Is it "off"?