Mustang Gregg, praying for speedy and complete recovery!
As for the malfunction, I don't know what could have happened., unless it had something to do with the aftermarket safety, or perhaps some "trigger work" had been done, since it is a sporter. I just puller my '91 out of the safe to re-familiarize myself with it. The '91 is a cock on closing action, and when I open the bolt, the spring pressure on the striker simply pushes the bolt backwards as soon as the locking lugs clear. So once the bolt is unlocked, the pressure immediatly is off of the striker spring. Perhaps part of the sporterization was a cock on opening mod? I know they have done this on other actions, don't know about '91s, though.