700 bolt with no initial extraction cam

guntech

guntech

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I know others have encountered this but this is the first for me... I have finally come across the worst tolerances on a bolt/action concerning the initial extraction...

So bad the extraction areas are 100 thou apart... and the rotational timing is off slightly as well causing the lugs to hang up on extraction.

It's too bad because the rest is really good. Some of the tightest bolt to raceway diameters I have seen... threads very close too.

Now I have to remove and re index the handle... something I hate doing...

ahhhhh!
 
Not my favorite job, but doing it can improve the action. I wouldn't use the original handle - I'd go with one of the aftermarket ones.
 
I like the Hollands Gunsmithing "Tactical Bolt Handle". Longer than the original, excelolent leverage, good scope clearance, but the knob is not a great oversized thing. Just checked, Brownells list is $52. Ouch.
 
Here is a pic of the factory bolt handle and an aftermarket of unknown make (I think PTG) that was given to me... Unusable as far as I am concerned...

IMG-3771.jpg
 
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Here are some pics of the existing problems...

IMG-3768.jpg


IMG-3769.jpg

The camming area on the action

IMG-3770.jpg

Small 'dent' on the camming area of the bolt
 
That aftermarket handle does look like a PT&G, and would require a higher scope mounting to achieve clearance.
I put together a 700 long action rifle in .30-06 using scrounged parts. Bolt body didn't have a handle - it had been torn off. I did have a Brownells universal handle, the one contoured like a Ruger 77. The saddle portion is full width across, no camming provision. So, I had to cut the cam. Worked very carefully, jigged the handle in the best possible position and silver brazed it in place. I use Brownells silver solder paste with flux. After I cleaned things up, it almost fit. I lapped the camming surfaces to final fit. It now has the best camming action I've seen on a 700. Immediate full engagement. If I get a chance tomorrow, I'll take some pictures.
 
gunnut870 said:
Why not ship this back to Remington? This should never have left the factory if they had decent quality control.
Click to expand...

Likely a customer's gun in for work, used, and probably worked just fine. Other than needing to crank the bolt handle up hard enough to clear the locking lugs at the front, thus the dent.

It ain't right, and it will be when done.

Seconded for seeing some, if not in action, some photos of the setup and process.

Thanks!
 
I know how Guntech feels about this situation.

Brazing on a new bolt handle or even utilizing the same bolt is a pain in the butt.

I haven't seen this happen on late manufactured Remington 700s. I had it happen once with a Mod 700 short action and another time with a long action. Both were older rifles that I had picked up from estate sales.

Their stocks had the "pressed checkering" that was a cost cutting measure back in the mid seventies.

Even though they were purchased a few years apart, they both shared the same as new condition. The owners hadn't bothered to return the rifles for repair or bolt replacement and they were relegated to the back of the closet.

Both suffered from exactly the same issue Guntech describes. There were three options to fix them.

One was to simply heat up the bolt handle, near the root and bend it up a bit. NOT MY IDEA OF A GOOD FIX.

Another was to take off the original bolt handle and replace it with a custom handle. Not really a good option because of the low mounted scopes and I had already paid to much for the rifles.

The only viable option was to take off the original handle and silver solder it back on. This entails some tricky heating techniques as does replacing the bolt handle. Still a pain in the neck and in my case, the only reason it was financially viable is that I was doing the work myself.

Considering the price of a new bolt, if you can find one, I don't know which would be the cheaper option these days.
 
gunnut870 said:
I do not get this; it is clearly defective workmanship from the factory and therefore should be covered by Remington.
Click to expand...

:agree:

Ruger doesn't have a precise warranty per say.
They urge you to send your unit in and they will evaluate whether it's shawddy workpeepolefolkship
and repair/replace as needed.
This I didn't know until late last year.

Butt, there be a condition that it has only being firing factory ammo.
So a wee fibz would be in order when that question be asked.
 
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