Bolt Rotation Problem

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akmtnrunner

Bearcat
Joined
Jan 11, 2018
Messages
7
So I just took my new Hawkeye FTW to the range to work up some hunting loads. Immediately after the first fired round (which was a starting load), I rotate the bolt back up to slide out but the bolt stops rotating before the final ~5 degrees of bolt rotation. I have to lower it back, which is more difficult than it should be, and pull up with great force to get it to rotate all the way to be able to then slide out. Most of the 20 rounds are like this. I also tried some older rounds that worked great in a previous rifle with the same type of action with the same result. All loaded rounds chambered perfectly, this problem only happens with fired brass.

There seemed to be no correlation between load pressure and bolt sticking.

I chatted with a range instructor on the way out about it and we came to the idea that since it was mass-produced rifle, there's some metal burrs, roughness, or something unfinished and it should sort itself out after breaking in. But this is not an insignificant problem. Were it not a Ruger, I certainly wouldn't have cranked as hard as I needed to to get the bolt rotated all the way ;)

I know the 'right' answer is to send it back to Ruger, however, I really want to take this rifle on a hunt this weekend and I want to solve this now. I've polished up the trigger and actions on these Rugers so I am equiped to do some light gunsmithing. Does anyone have some ideas to fix this problem myself?

Thanks
 

recumbent

Buckeye
Joined
Nov 2, 2005
Messages
1,044
Location
South West Indiana
I would check the primers for signs of pressure. Will it chamber a factory round and bolt rotate easy?
Then I would disassemble the bolt clean and check for burrs lube and reassemble.

Let us know what you find.
 

akmtnrunner

Bearcat
Joined
Jan 11, 2018
Messages
7
Primers look good. However, there are scrape marks over the head stamps. Usually about 5mm by 5mm.

It will chamber and close on every round I have perfectly (including old rounds I used for a previous rifle), though I don't have any factory ammo to fire from it. I am using brass that I used Hornady FL resizing dies on. They're on their 2nd or 3rd firing.

The below problem seems to be similar, and it sounds like it was an ejector issue. Thoughts?
https://www.thehighroad.org/index.php?threads/are-all-m77-hawkeye-bolts-this-bad.708596/
 

akmtnrunner

Bearcat
Joined
Jan 11, 2018
Messages
7
Update, since getting back home I've tried some old fired cases from the previous rifle and there is the same problem. So, I've ruled out overpressure and/or excessive brass expansion. I've also taken a closer look at the bolt caming, and the difficulty was definitely correlated to the bolt caming forward. It's as if the bolt is trying to cam too far forward. It explains the scraping on the case head.

Any ideas?
 

mike7mm08

Buckeye
Joined
Mar 14, 2005
Messages
1,709
Location
Milwaukee Wisconsin
I would take a good look at the extractor, not ejector. Sounds like it is fit very tight combining with the expansion of a fired case is binding things up. I would remove the extractor from the bolt and try closing the bolt on a fired case. If your good then the extractor needs some work. Might just be a rough surface that needs some very careful and minor cleanup with a file or stone and then polish or the extractor might need to be adjusted.
 

akmtnrunner

Bearcat
Joined
Jan 11, 2018
Messages
7
Thanks for the advice so far.

I have tried it without the extractor, no difference. To get the case back out, I had to bang on a wood dowl fro the muzzle pretty good with a rubber mallet. I've inspected all metal surfaces of the bolt, and there doesn't appear anything out of the ordinary there.

I've manually twisted the bolt to cock it while out of the receiver, then twisted it back to watch the firing pin, and it does quickly retract.

Any other ideas? I may just have to send this back to Ruger for them to figure out.
 

blammer

Single-Sixer
Joined
Oct 6, 2007
Messages
283
Location
Nebraska
This may be too late to help you on your hunt. Here's some hail-Mary suggestions you might try:

I had an SKS that I cleaned but would start sticking cases after a few rounds. Eventually, I ran a slightly-oversized bore brush on a drill for a few passes into the chamber. This fixed it. But SKS was loaded with grease when I got it.

As a workaround, you might take factory ammo with you and try shooting it. You'd at least stand a chance of getting more than one shot out of it. Shooting some factory ammo successfully would rule out reloaded-ammo issues in any case.

Since rifle is new, to me that puts rile parts on top of the list of suspects.

Good luck.
 

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