Take a look at this bolt - does not look right to me.

Status
Not open for further replies.
The first thing that caught my eye was the black ring around the firing pin hole. Is that from primer leakage? Has the face of the bolt been cut?
 
If leaking primers have eroded the steel, such that you can detect a depression where the ring is, then the rifle is definitely used, abused, and far from new. As far as I know, one proof level cartridge will not cause that. It is the result of repeated firings. It did not come from the manufacturer that way.
 
denton said:
If leaking primers have eroded the steel, such that you can detect a depression where the ring is, then the rifle is definitely used, abused, and far from new. As far as I know, one proof level cartridge will not cause that. It is the result of repeated firings. It did not come from the manufacturer that way.
Click to expand...

Exactly! I'm fortunate in the regard that Ruger is willing to take this on and make it right though, so it's not as bad of a situation as it could be. I've got to be thankful for that in the very least. You know, I wouldn't have even been that bothered had the seller said "hey, we've fired this a few times" but it would have made a difference in how much I was willing to bid for it. Chalk it up to live and learn I suppose.
 
On my Ruger American the bolt is marked with the same serial # as the rifle. That could be a way to determine if it is the bolt that came with the rifle from Ruger.
 
I've seen worse on new rifles. Cleaned them up and never had a problem. Don't think you have a problem.
 
joed said:
I've seen worse on new rifles. Cleaned them up and never had a problem. Don't think you have a problem.
Click to expand...
Well, I have no reason to doubt you, but my personal experience has been different. For all I know, you're one hell of a machinist with their own shop, so maybe your idea of "cleanup" is a quick trip through the lathe or something. Me, I don't think I have enough M7 and q-tips on my shelf to deal with that, haha
 
I've had a couple of new guns come in really looking bad. One was only made about a week before I got it, so I guess it was just test fired with really dirty ammo, but the other one was made several months before I bought it. I was pretty much sure it had been shot more than just a couple of test rounds. I called the company and they said the dirty barrel was normal,and the gun was shipped out only about 5 days before I bought it. I've never seen a barrel on a gun that was as dirty as it was. Once I got it clean, it stayed clean, but it took a whole bag of patches to get it there. It was just black. Now it's just a normal barrel, and is actually very smoothly machined. It almost looked like it had paint on it.
 
My suspicion is that the bolt got swapped--either the original bolt was salvaged by Ruger from a troubled returned rifle or the seller did it. That bolt shows significant wear.
 
joed said:
I've seen worse on new rifles. Cleaned them up and never had a problem. Don't think you have a problem.
Click to expand...
that bolt would last 75 years of shooting and more. but if it is to be a new gun maybe I would try to get a new one. you cannot corrode around the firing pin unless 1000's of corrosive primers used or 10's of thousands of max loads
 
I'd like to hear what Ruger says after they look at it. I'm not to familiar with Rugers but I had a brand new Rem 700 that looked similar on the first outing after putting 10 rounds through it. It was so bad the bolt was somewhat hard to open. I cleaned it up with bronze wool, no more brass shavings and it has never given me another problem.
 
It looks to me like that bolt face is flame cut. You can run a pin across that circle and easily tell if there is any cutting into the bolt face. It there is then its usually one of two things. Someone fired a reload with worn out brass and there was leakage. Or someone fired a really hot reload through it and the brass base expanded and there was leakage. If the latter occurred then the rifle may have been exposed to an over pressure round. Either way Ruger will make it right. They have fabulous customer service and I have had first hand experience with them. I am a lifetime Ruger fan because of my excellent experience with their customer service.
 
Hello all! Just a quick update, the rifle is heading out to Ruger today, and the seller pulled a very, very standup move which was to refund $375 of my money for the hassles so all is well for now. I'll let you know if Ruger contacts me about anything else if they find something wrong with the rifle. I have to give a lot of respect for them for doing that, I didn't ask for them to do so by any means, they emailed me out of the blue after I was letting them know what was going on and they came up with this on their own. Hats off to those folks
 
Status
Not open for further replies.

Similar threads

S
  • Locked
Bolting a safe through carpeted floor
2
Replies
30
Views
9K
msb45
M
C
  • Locked
What makes you look good?
2
Replies
40
Views
2K
SARDiver
S
F
  • Locked
Marlin 60 bolt hold open.
Replies
1
Views
514
Chawbaccer
C
H
  • Locked
Grandpa's Guns
Replies
17
Views
3K
wrench
W
F
  • Locked
Open bolt indicators
Replies
20
Views
2K
bogie
B
Back
Top