Is this normal??

[blacksn95]

Bought this rifle a while ago.. Still havnt had a chance to take it to the range yet... I took it out today to clean it and noticed some small cratering like marks around where the primer would contact the boltface..
The rifle is fairly new and has prob 80-100 facotry rounds through it as per previous owner.. The mark is located at the 1-O clock position in the picture..it catches ur fingernail when u scratch at it.. The rifle is a tikka t3 in 300 wsm.. Just wondering if its anything to be concerned about..

 

[Robmcleod82]

Looks like hot gasses seeping around the primer

 

[blacksn95]

What would cause that? From what I gather previous owner was not a reloader... I just dont want it to get worse...

 

[bsand]

Leaky primers? Winchester primers have been known to cause that. But they were from reloads.

 

[blacksn95]

Any possiblity that facotry ammo could cause this? Also is it something that needs to be fixed??

 

[bsand]

you should be safe to keep firing, not much damage done. Not sure about factory ammo, but if winchester primers failed, I bet their own ammo used same primers? It's possible, but I'm no expert.

 

[Silvertip13]

I have recently seen federal ammunition fail primers causing what you have, so it is possible. It looks ugly but does not effect anything else. Fire away!

 

[guntech]

Those little craters don't cause themselves to get worse... ammunition loaded too hot or soft weak primers are the cause of it...

 

[blacksn95]

Thanks guys.. The previous owner shot a bunch of federals and fusions through it.. So I guess maybe he had a bad batch..