Ever seen this?

[jmad_81]

So I've been having alot of trouble getting my Rem 700 CDL 270 WSM to shoot good consistantly. I got one load for 130 e tips to shoot a quarter inch at one hundered one day and then shoot 8" at 200. shot it again at 100 and couldn't get it under two inches. So I got home took my gun a part and started looking things over trying to see if I could find anything that stuck out.

Here is what I found...

There is a worn spot on my bolt face that is causeing some strange marks on my brass. See below. The worn spot is thte vertical line just left of center of the bolt face.

I get this mark on every different load that I shoot, hot or not. When I do get to hot I get the round extractor marks. I'm pretty sure this mark is not a good thing. The mark on this piece is right under the winchester stamp on the head.

Has anybody ever seen this? I'm thinking about sending it to my smith to get the action trued and lapped hoping that it will take care of the problem. Won't get it back by deer season but I'm starting some loads for my 338 WM and 200 gr. ETs tonight so not really worried about not having it, especially if it doesn't shoot!

Whats your thoughts.

 

[FOTIS]

Have you tried any other bullets or loads?

 

[longwinters]

Maybe it is just the angle of the pic, but it looks like the primer is cratered also.

Long

 

[jmad_81]

I have tried 130 ABs & ET, and 140 ABs. Have shot one box of both 130s and two boxes of the 140 ABs.

There is a touch of cratering on most of the primers more so towards the side that has the shinny mark on it.

 

[DrMike]

jmad_81,

It is difficult to see precisely from the photo, but it would appear that your bolt is not trued. Perhaps the lugs are somewhat sloppy, allowing some movement when you fire. I would think that your smith could address this issue fairly easily.

 

[Antelope_Sniper]

I agree with DR M.
You already suggested what I would try...true the bolt face, lap the lugs.

 

[Ridge_Runner]

but that wouldn't cause it to shoot that eraticly. many rifles slightly crater primers, even at below max pressures, most of the time due to the hole in the bolt for the firing pin to protrude through being a touch too big.
RR

 

[DrMike]

That doesn't look like cratering due to excessive pressure; it looks relatively normal. I would suggest that there is a bit of stretch in your chamber, so that the case is pushed back to the bolt face. This is an issue of headspacing, however, it does not appear excessive.

 

[Guest]

I'm thinking you may have a slightly longer chamber, as well. And maybe it's just the way the picture looks, but I'm thinking it appears your primers are tophatting, as well as cratering a tad. When you deprime these, are they tophatted at all? The edges of the primer appear to have lost a lot of their radius, in the photo.

As for the bolt, it seems like maybe it's got a rough face, and needs some truing. Again, as has been said, do what you're thinking, and you'll likely be fine.

Oh, and the E-Tips are temperamental, and can give you good groups one day, and minute-of-barn-door accuracy the next, without you changing anything.

 

[Desert Fox]

Looks to me like the boltface need truing. Factory rifles are notorious for these. I have a Model 70 Winchester with a boltface that looks like moon crater. Also, only one lug has full contact with the reciever. I left it alone because the rifle shoots really good. But brass were toast after every 3 firings. It's now with my gunsmith to be trued and barrel being set-back.

 

[jmad_81]

Guys thanks for all the input. The primers slightly squared, but not anymore than the lesser loads I have shot out of it. The pics are not the best I know but they are the best of the six I took. One of my bolt lugs is kind of marred up as well, don't know if it is from not being square or some of the brass I had that was not getting compleatly resised. Hoping the smith can fix that as well. It caused a small bur on the bottom of the bolt lug that makes it hang up some times when I chanber a round. I think working the action over will make a big difference. I know a few guys that have some factory rifles that they have had the action worked over and they shoot better than their high $ custom guns.

Putting load development for this gun on hold. Starting on my 338WM and 200gr ET tonight.

Thanks for the input.