Hi all,
I just bought my first Rem 700 a couple weeks ago, new, and when I took it to the range, I found that the bolt is VERY hard to close over a round. I have tried both Wolf and Remington factory loads, and one's just as hard to close over as the other. I don't really have much of a problem extracting, but what I'm thinking, is it's just the bolt doesn't want to close over the rim of the case... Can anyone give me a way to lighten this up? I've watched videos where it looks like the bolt closes over rounds like butter, and it's so frustrating! Not to mention almost embarrassing when you nearly have to lay a people's elbow onto your bolt to get it closed at the range!
Thanks in advance,
Thomas
Hard to close bolt over a round in new 700. (.223)
Re: Hard to close bolt over a round in new 700. (.223)
Most factory bolt actions have a sliver of play back and forth when the chamber in empty. Does yours? Also, what if any marks are on extracted unfired rounds?
Re: Hard to close bolt over a round in new 700. (.223)
Check the headspace. It might be absolute minimum.
Put some dye or elmarko on the head and shoulder of a clean case and operate the bolt. You can even dye the bolt lugs.
SAFELY
Then look for serious contact marks. I assume the bolt closes freely when empty.
Put some dye or elmarko on the head and shoulder of a clean case and operate the bolt. You can even dye the bolt lugs.
SAFELY
Then look for serious contact marks. I assume the bolt closes freely when empty.
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TBayt
Re: Hard to close bolt over a round in new 700. (.223)
Hey guys, thanks for the replies,
I took a trip out to the storage locker earlier, (can't keep my rifles in in Barracks room... lol), and looked closer at the rifle, and noticed that I had some marring on top of one of the bolt lugs...
Turns out when I had Mr. Schmuckatelli down at the gun shop mount my bases and scope, he put one of the longer screws meant for the rear base in the rear screw hole of the front base, scraping the lug and making it hard to close the bolt, but I still don't know why it was only harder to close with a round in the chamber... As a side note, his bore sight was horrible... I had to take the bolt out and bore sight it myself the ol' fashioned way just to hit paper at 50yds.
I think I know more about rifles than that old coot.
Needless to say I'm going there tomorrow to get my money back, or at least get the equivalent back in range fees. (Sadly, there's no other ranges around)
-Thomas
I took a trip out to the storage locker earlier, (can't keep my rifles in in Barracks room... lol), and looked closer at the rifle, and noticed that I had some marring on top of one of the bolt lugs...
Turns out when I had Mr. Schmuckatelli down at the gun shop mount my bases and scope, he put one of the longer screws meant for the rear base in the rear screw hole of the front base, scraping the lug and making it hard to close the bolt, but I still don't know why it was only harder to close with a round in the chamber... As a side note, his bore sight was horrible... I had to take the bolt out and bore sight it myself the ol' fashioned way just to hit paper at 50yds.
I think I know more about rifles than that old coot.
Needless to say I'm going there tomorrow to get my money back, or at least get the equivalent back in range fees. (Sadly, there's no other ranges around)
-Thomas
Re: Hard to close bolt over a round in new 700. (.223)
That's an error that's been around for a long time; at least since the 1960s. Please don't ask me how I know...
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TBayt
Re: Hard to close bolt over a round in new 700. (.223)
John Gyde wrote: at least since the 1960s. Please don't ask me how I know...
Lmao. Thanks for the laugh.