Pretty likely it never had a wear plate at all, just the bolt engaging with the flat bolting surface of the barrel lug. This premature wearing of these surfaces was the reason for the invention of the hardened plate that was soldered in place, then the pinned replaceable bolt plate and finally the "shouldered" plate.
My guess is that it never had a hardened plate installed and is the primary reason for the up and down looseness.
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__________________
"I'm a Setter man.
Not because I think they're better than the other breeds,
but because I'm a romantic - stuck on tradition - and to me, a Setter just "belongs" in the grouse picture."
George King, "That's Ruff", 2010 - a timeless classic.
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