Glen,
I don't pretend to be an expert gunsmith but I do shoot a 1900 AE. I cannot account for the inconsistant firing pin strikes if you have a clean gun. The wear marks on the receiver rails suggest to me that the receiver may have been damaged as a result of an attempt to remove the barrel. The drag you experience could be anything but I can relate a personal experience: I had a similar problem with drag and the toggle not fully returning to battery. The problem was the leaf spring (a replacement - probably an ancient aftermarket part). the "ears" on the top of the spring where it engages the link on the toggle were rubbing against the bottom of the breach block. Some carefull fitting solved the problem. You might try putting a piece of scotch tape on the bottom of the breech block and cycling the action - scars on the tape will tell the story. On another note - I notice that you are using commercial ammo. I suggest that you reload and work up to the minimum load that functions. Best of luck.
KFS
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