Pitting on a bolt face?

P

pyscodog

Active member
A while back I ask about a rifles value and told about its poor condition. It has some pretty bad pitting around the bolts firing pin hole, about the same size as a primer. What is the main probable cause of this? Loads way to hot or improper maintenance, ect? Is this a repairable problem or is bolt replacement the only cure? Just FYI, no, I didn't buy the rifle, just curious on how one would repair it!
 
Leaky primer pockets, hot loads. Gas cutting. Very common. Never had one bad enough to worry about but should be repairable, face it or face and bush maybe. Depending...

- DAA
 
Pierced primers cause a great deal of that. Savage fixes it in about ten minutes. Remington etc. fix it in about three weeks and about the same amount of money with the bolt getting a tour of Texas.

Greg
 
Originally Posted By: GLShooter Savage fixes it in about ten minutes. Remington etc. fix it in about three weeks and about the same amount of money with the bolt getting a tour of Texas.

Greg

lol.gif
 
What rifle are you talking about???? If it is an older military bolt gun the pitting is probably caused by corrosive primed ammo. You never know, if it's a newer rifle someone might have bought corrosive primed ammo surplus or at a gun show and fired it in the rifle. There is still quite a lot of it around. As I understand it, 1943 stamped ammo was the last year of corrosive American stuff.
It's hard to believe someone fired that many rounds with loose or oversize primer pockets to firecut the boltface. One or two or even 20 rounds wont cause that unless the primers are really ready to just fall out...I don't know how they would have gotten the rifle to battery. But, all it takes is one leaky corrosive primer that was not cleaned up right away {who runs home and scrubs down the bolt face????} and you will have pits within 24 hours.
The only other cause I am aware of is if someone cleaned the bore with powerful copper remover like Sweets 7.62 and stood the gun up so the cleaner ran down the chamber to the bolt face ad then never got wiped up. That will absolutely pit steel and quick.
 
I've seen it a couple dozen times on bolts that never saw corrosive primers. Common as dirt.

Have two or three in the safe right now. Not bad enough for me to worry about. But my 'smith has fussed about it a couple times. He likes to bush the firing pin hole anyway and I like them done that way too so those ones don't have it anymore.

- DAA
 
Originally Posted By: msinc As I understand it, 1943 stamped ammo was the last year of corrosive American stuff.


Various US arsenals discontinued use of corrosive primers on different dates. No .30 Carbine ammo manufactured during WWII or after used corrosive primers. The following is most complete listing I have seen listing both by date, arsenal and caliber:

U.S. GI Non-Corrosive Primers

It only takes one pierced primer to gas cut a bolt face but what OP describes sounds as if there were several.

Regards,
hm
 
Its a 700 Remington 308. The whole rifle looks like its been rode hard and put away wet. I set around thinking how I might buy it and rebuild but then when the numbers start adding up, its not such a good idea. Some is pure cosmetic that is no problem but the bolt will drive me nuts. Its a perfect circle, the size of a primer all around the firing pin. Bad enough to hook a fingernail on. It does have a stainless fluted barrel threaded for a break or suppressor. I keep hoping someone will buy it before I give in.
 
The asking price of the rifle, which they are firm on, and cost of repairs makes it more than it worth to me. I was just asking about repairing the bolt.....but ya never know. LOL
 
Originally Posted By: DAACommon as dirt.

^^This.

Leaky primers, enough scorching around the ring ends up leaving a complete (rough) circle. Face or face & bush are the cheapest options, as DAA mentioned, Not sure if Rem calls it normal wear and tear, or warrantable repair. New bolts are around, smiths to face or face & bush are around...

Mostly I just don't worry too much about it, of all the things I'd spend money repairing or replacing in my guns, a pitted bolt face gives me the least concern.
 
Common as dirt???? Been at this in my shop for over 30 years and I have seen a whopping two rifles with it.
If it's that "common" then Ruger must use rarer steel than Remington...I have a Ruger bolt gun that had 100 rounds of reloads that were loaded with #6 1/2 primers. Every one of them was fired and they all leaked and perforated. It must take more than that because there is not a pit one on the bolt face.
 
I had 3 rifles I bought new that had that happen to. It was caused by some bad Remington 7 1/2 primers. It seems that Remington had a recall on their 2 anvil designed primers and replaced them with a newer 3 anvil design. The older design would blow the side out of the primer, causing it to leak, which in turn would pit the bolt face.
Remington paid Greg Tannel of Gre-Tan rifles to install bushings in the bolt face. The rifles were a Ruger Ultra light in 223, a Remington model 7 in 17 Rem. and a Kimber Montana in 17 Rem. They also replaced all of the primers I had left with the newer style and that was a considerable amount.
The pitting will also happen with hot loads and loose primer pockets or pierced primers like others have indicated.
 
So.......other than cosmetics, this isn't a real problem with proper function? I can repair the stock, thats an hour or so in the garage with a can of Krylon or if I get froggy, I know a guy that can squirt it with some dura-coat. I also have a friend that does fantastic recoil pad installs. Here I go again, talking myself in to another project.
 
Since it's a used rifle, and is where you work (if I understood correctly?) maybe they would let you take it to the range and "test drive" it before you buy? Cosmetics aren't a big deal but if it's a bit rough I would want to see how it shot before I bought it.
 
Originally Posted By: 204 ARSince it's a used rifle, and is where you work (if I understood correctly?) maybe they would let you take it to the range and "test drive" it before you buy? Cosmetics aren't a big deal but if it's a bit rough I would want to see how it shot before I bought it.

Actually never thought about that. Guess it won't hurt to ask. All he can say is no.
 
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