Rem700 bolt question

fishingdude7 · #1 12-20-2005, 12:42 AM

Question about my .223 ADL i bought recently. Ive been shooting and sometimes the bolt is hard to close when there is a round in it. When there is no round it closes nicely, its a tight fit but no problem. Sometimes it is harder to close than other times and wondering why this is. Ive noticed a brass buildup on the bolt face that I hear is normal for the 700 but not sure what is causing this difficulty closing the bolt or if i just need to break the rifle in more and it'll work itself out. Perhaps could it be the minute difference a brassbuildup on the bolt face has causing the bullet to sit slightly forward? iduno Thanks

EddieHarren · #2 12-20-2005, 05:42 AM

Are you using factory ammo or reloads?

Fiftydriver · #3 12-20-2005, 08:53 AM

I would suspect it is from variation in the headspace measurements on the ammo your using. As mentioned already, is this factory ammo, surplus ammo or handloads?

The brass on the bolt face is simply from the bolt face rubbing hard on the case head because of the increased force to close the bolt. Rem factory bolt faces can be a bit rough anyway so this is why you pick up brass smears.

Let us know what ammo your using and then we can go from there to figure this out. I would suspect its an ammo thing but it could be several other things as well. Start with one and work out from there.

Kirby Allen(50)

fishingdude7 · #4 12-20-2005, 02:10 PM

The ammo I'm using is Blackhills 52gr fullmetal jacket ammo and some winchester 55gr stuff. With the winchester stuff I had some problems pushing the round into the chamber but cant remember if it was giving me trouble closing the bolt. The blackhills tho I dont have problems pushing it into the chamber but some of them are real tough to close the bolt.

fishingdude7 · #5 12-20-2005, 03:44 PM

Hm, ok update on that situation ive been testing the win rds and the blk hills and both have given me trouble closing the bolt. The main thing I have noticed is that the scaring is really only on the rim (the very base of the case) if thats what you call it, of the round. The harder they rae to have the bolt close the more scaring around the rim that occurs and I spose that is where the brass shaving come from on the bolt. I did manage to find a roudn that closed fairly easy with and this one had very little scaring around the base, so i think that the problem may lie somehwere in the bolt face perhaps?

EddieHarren · #6 12-21-2005, 05:42 AM

I'm going to agree with Kirby. I believe you have ammo with, very slightly, different headspace lengths. Possibly Black Hills re-manufactured ammo that was resized in two different dies.

Fiftydriver · #7 12-21-2005, 10:54 AM

Do you handload any?

If so try chambering some virgin cases from say Rem or another maker to see how they chamber compared to these. There may be several thing at play here. Your chamber may be a bit tight which is generally not a bad thing unless out of spec.

Are the cases getting burred up on the actual rim or up on the case body or on the head of the case where it has the stamping of the caliber?

If its on the outside edge of the actual rim. It may be that there is something wedged behind the extractor not letting it spring back to easily slip over the case rim when chambering.

If its on the body of the case just ahead of the extractor groove on the case, it may be a tight chamber or a burr on the chamber mouth.

If its on the case head where it contact the bolt face it is probably a combination of a tight chamber and ammo with to long of a headspace measurement.

If you have a quality smith in your area that you know, may not hurt to take it to him and have it looked over. Should not be difficult to figure out what is going on.

Kirby Allen(50)