700 Bolt Extraction Problem

Maybe you should try some factory rounds instead of the handloads made up to the OAL that you want to use. Or, at the least, some made up with new brass and loaded to 'book' length. You stated that you did the barrel work. What reamer did you use?
 
Last edited:
This is a new build on an older 700 action that I bought as a rifle that I tore down. This was the infamous barrel won't come off thread. I never got to fire it so the extraction problem ONLY started when I tried a feed test for the COAL that I am going to shoot. The ONLY thing the gunsmith did for me was to true up the action, lap the lugs, square the face pretty much standard action trueing. I put the rifle together and that is when I found no extraction. Whether I fire it or not, I should have extraction.

Pretty sure now where the issue is from a very basic test. I pulled a bolt from my son's 06 and placed MY bolt in his rifle. I was able to extract a fireformed case properly and easily in his rifle with MY bolt. So much for ejector being an issue.

When I placed his bolt in my action, it would NOT extract the case. So I now believe where the problem is going forward as suggested by tobnpr in #6.

End of the day, I broke some personal rules on buying used without holding it, cycling it, knowing what was done before on it and so on. For all I know, the action was trued up before and material was removed from lugs and abutment. Painful costly lesson learned and not sure what to do next. I will call the GS tomorrow morning to discuss next steps.

So basically, I now have a (in)complete rifle without an action! Scope is mounted, leveled, level added, so just a royal PITA going forward. Heck I even have 40 rounds ready for break in, 20 with Hornady brass and 20 with Sig brass to do basic fire form and testing of velocity/pressure against each other with same load.

Just mad at myself right now. Hopefully someone will learn from my dumb mistake.

Thanks for the input.
I am a big fan of the Kepner-Tregoe method of troubleshooting. "Where do we see the problem? Where don't we see the problem?" Sounds like you are applying the same methods.
 
To be clear, this is all on me and not the seller. The seller took this in on trade too so no history as well. I should have realized that when a rifle has been previously modified with a new barrel that there can be a chance the action was worked on as well. This was partly lack of "experience" on my part and my zealous need to build my .270 heavy. So not sure where this is going next but will post up.

Also for clarity, this was an "assembly" not truly a GS style build. The barrel is from Preferred Barrel, Magpul stock, Timney trigger, so pretty basic put together off a 700 LA. Done this several times without any issue but off "clean" factory setups. They all shoot great.

Maybe my experience will be a red flag for someone else rookie "assembler".! 😂
 
So my .270 Win build from hell is now twisting me up. I put it all together and was waiting for triggerguard screws. I swiped some from another rifle and decided to do a test feed which I should have done right after headspacing last week but did not. No clue why I didn't. So I load up the COAL I am going to use and it fed perfectly and bolt closed perfectly but will not extract any case I use. Double checked headspace and perfect.

I had the receiver trued up, lugs and whole nine yards done by a reputable gunsmith that I trust very much.

Fire control works fine, cocks, fires and safety works fine.

So what simple thing am I missing here to fix this extraction? I can place a round into the bolt head and it will grab it and hold it for extraction. I have built 3 other 700's and never had this problem before. I know what is probably the cause but I am hoping otherwise so hoping someone will provide a solution that I don't want to address with action.
I have used so many used Remington 700 actions that I trued them up and made excellent custom rifles out of them. If you can not get the factory extractor to work you might have to go with a Sako extractor or a M-16 extractor. It is really a easy fix and a great product when you are finished.
 
I have used so many used Remington 700 actions that I trued them up and made excellent custom rifles out of them. If you can not get the factory extractor to work you might have to go with a Sako extractor or a M-16 extractor. It is really a easy fix and a great product when you are finished.
I've read this post and something is not adding up on your extraction problem talking about the lugs being the problem especially after the bolt closes you said you swapped or borrowed trigger guard screwes from another rifle have you tried backing off on those and making sure they are not too long just a thought
 
So my .270 Win build from hell is now twisting me up. I put it all together and was waiting for triggerguard screws. I swiped some from another rifle and decided to do a test feed which I should have done right after headspacing last week but did not. No clue why I didn't. So I load up the COAL I am going to use and it fed perfectly and bolt closed perfectly but will not extract any case I use. Double checked headspace and perfect.

I had the receiver trued up, lugs and whole nine yards done by a reputable gunsmith that I trust very much.

Fire control works fine, cocks, fires and safety works fine.

So what simple thing am I missing here to fix this extraction? I can place a round into the bolt head and it will grab it and hold it for extraction. I have built 3 other 700's and never had this problem before. I know what is probably the cause but I am hoping otherwise so hoping someone will provide a solution that I don't want to address with action.
May want to check the diameter of your bolt face...possibly cut for a magnum?? I don't know....just throwing out an idea. If diameter is oversized, the bolt can be bushed and Sako style extractor installed thus saving you from purchasing a new bolt.
 
I've read this post and something is not adding up on your extraction problem talking about the lugs being the problem especially after the bolt closes you said you swapped or borrowed trigger guard screwes from another rifle have you tried backing off on those and making sure they are not too long just a thought
Front trigger guard screw not in since I put them away so I wouldn't lose them. Have new ones coming Wed from Brownells. Totally agree doesn't add up which is why I have posted but still seems to point to lugs and abutment. But I am really not certain what is going on since my son's 06 bolt will not work either.

May want to check the diameter of your bolt face...possibly cut for a magnum?? I don't know....just throwing out an idea. If diameter is oversized, the bolt can be bushed and Sako style extractor installed thus saving you from purchasing a new bolt.
Good thought but it is standard bolt face diameter. Confirmed my bolt will extract a spent 06 case from my son's rifle.
 
Whether I fire it or not, I should have extraction.
Well, yes you should...
But the cause(s) for failure to extract could be different if it occurs only with a fired case.
It's a matter of determining when- and why- the extractor is losing it's grip on the case.

If the round seats on the boltface, and you can place the bolt into battery, and then eject successfully without firing- it's not the extractor as it's gripping the case and doing its job.

Primary extraction only comes into play on a fired case, where it is relied upon to break the case free from the chamber walls.
You don't need the mechanical advantage provided by the primary extraction cam, if the case hasn't been fired and expanded...
 
Well, yes you should...
But the cause(s) for failure to extract could be different if it occurs only with a fired case.
It's a matter of determining when- and why- the extractor is losing it's grip on the case.

If the round seats on the boltface, and you can place the bolt into battery, and then eject successfully without firing- it's not the extractor as it's gripping the case and doing its job.

Primary extraction only comes into play on a fired case, where it is relied upon to break the case free from the chamber walls.
You don't need the mechanical advantage provided by the primary extraction cam, if the case hasn't been fired and expanded...
Keep us informed I'm curious of the problem hope it's a simple fix sorry for your bad experience but that's how we learn sometimes good luck on the outcome
 
If you can, post a picture of the bolt face. Remington extractors are easy to mess up they are just a spring with a built in hook that catches the rim of the case. If the extractor is bent a little out of shape it will not work properly. I fixed a rifle recently that came brand new from the factory with a bent extractor it was installed poorly and bent on installing. It would only extract every other time you cycle the bolt. I intended to just install a Sako extractor but after I pulled out the old one it was worth trying to bend it back into shape and see if it would work. It did. That may be all you need to do
 
Warning! This thread is more than 4 years ago old.
It's likely that no further discussion is required, in which case we recommend starting a new thread. If however you feel your response is required you can still do so.
Top