Brand new ruger american ranch bolt face damage !! need INPUT

CoverFire

CoverFire

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I need input as to what's going on with my bolt.
The gun has only 30rnds fired through it since new. All 30rnds fired in 1 sitting . Hornady .223 fmj target. The one photo has arrows pointing to each ding / peened over edge ...

The culprit
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There is no way a new holt should look like this none of my other rifles have this. But whats causing it. I need concrete solid answers not opinions pls and thanks. I also see some burrs on the side of the bolt when factory machined in a circular cutout .....I will be contacting ruger tomorrow but need to know what to say when I do ...
 

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I find it hard to believe the bolt did not look like that before you fired any rounds... I do not understand how loading a round and firing can cause any of the dings you point out. If primers failed the damage to the bolt face could have occurred.

That is about the ugliest bolt head/bolt face I have seen on a relatively new rifle.
 
That can not possibly be a new bolt out of a new gun, looks well used and abused. Maybe it was returned to Ruger and got shipped out again as a new gun by mistake? Ruger quality.
 
Ruger Americans do look like that out of the box, had 2, first went back for exchange, 2nd looked the same.
The barrel exterior looked like a threaded screw, couldn't even wipe it down with a rag, it would shred the rag. The bolt had the same tool marks as yours, plus the zipper sound when working it.
They are horribly made pieces of ####, I would never advise anyone part with money for one.
 
CoverFire said:
I need input as to what's going on with my bolt.
The gun has only 30rnds fired through it since new. All 30rnds fired in 1 sitting . Hornady .223 fmj target. The one photo has arrows pointing to each ding / peened over edge ...

The culprit
View attachment 597846View attachment 597843View attachment 597845View attachment 597844
View attachment 597849

There is no way a new holt should look like this none of my other rifles have this. But whats causing it. I need concrete solid answers not opinions pls and thanks. I also see some burrs on the side of the bolt when factory machined in a circular cutout .....I will be contacting ruger tomorrow but need to know what to say when I do ...
Click to expand...

Is Ruger using investment casting for the bolt heads. Photo 3 shows serious cracks and fractures in the material grain structure. The finished bolt may have passes inspection when new however due to inferior metallurgy , the chipping may have occurred due to the stresses of firing. If left unchecked it could result in a catastrophic failure.
I would return the gun to Ruger.
 
I would guess the rifle left the factory like that. Brass cases are not going to chew up the bolt face like that. Looks like Ruger is going the way of Savage, living off their old reputation of providing a good quality well made rifle for the money but now turning out pieces of crap that should not be leaving the factory like that with pi$$ poor or non existent quality control. Friend of mine recently bought a new Savage .22 mag. that you couldn’t close the bolt. Yet when he contacted Savage they claimed every rifle is test fired at the factory, go figure.
 
guntech said:
I find it hard to believe the bolt did not look like that before you fired any rounds... I do not understand how loading a round and firing can cause any of the dings you point out. If primers failed the damage to the bolt face could have occurred.

That is about the ugliest bolt head/bolt face I have seen on a relatively new rifle.
Click to expand...
Well I bought the rifle may 17th... and took it out this weekend and shot it. Took it home to clean and noticed this. To be honest I didn't look before I shot it.... it's a new gun... didn't even cross my mind it would be damaged.. lesson learned
 
Hitzy said:
Ruger Americans do look like that out of the box, had 2, first went back for exchange, 2nd looked the same.
The barrel exterior looked like a threaded screw, couldn't even wipe it down with a rag, it would shred the rag. The bolt had the same tool marks as yours, plus the zipper sound when working it.
They are horribly made pieces of ####, I would never advise anyone part with money for one.
Click to expand...
Might I ask what rabbit hole you went down to get a replacement so I can do the same. Was on the phone today for quiet some time and never got through to a person just elevator music....
 
CoverFire said:
Might I ask what rabbit hole you went down to get a replacement so I can do the same. Was on the phone today for quiet some time and never got through to a person just elevator music....
Click to expand...

Never fired either one, sent the first back to dealer just after looking it over, 2nd came will all the same issues, sold it at a loss just to get rid of it.
Not sure what recourse you have after shooting it, Ruger would be the only option I guess.
Bolts are forged, what you see are chips and tool marks from running dull tools too fast. No safety issues, just looks like hell.
 
CoverFire said:
I need input as to what's going on with my bolt.
The gun has only 30rnds fired through it since new. All 30rnds fired in 1 sitting . Hornady .223 fmj target. The one photo has arrows pointing to each ding / peened over edge ...

The culprit
View attachment 597845

Nothin' says disgruntled worker like the cold chisel job on that bolt along with the shoddy overall finishing/defacing. f:P:
I have 3 RAR's now and the bolts are fine. (With a little finish polishing that is.) ;)
Click to expand...
 
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CoverFire said:
I I did some digging and only https://www.gravelagency.com/en/support/support does ruger warranty work . They took it on 3 months ago now. Nobody else they said . I called the other vendors listed under rugers warranty site. Called them and they said they don't do It anymore
Click to expand...

Sorry brother!

That must have changed recently. I had some work done on a Mark iv last fall and Snapshots was awesome. Hope gravel agency takes care of you dude. Good Luck!
 
yeah like others said, no way that was caused by simple firing. Physically it doesn't make sense. That bolt looked like #### when it was put into that gun. So many little nicks and dings and gouges all over it, it's like someone repeatedly dropped it against something hard (brass is soft in comparison to steel and wouldn't cause that much physical damage btw) - it's like it came out of a heavy duty tumbler with other bolts and steel parts... or someone purposefully banged it up
 
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