Will this M305 blow up in my face?

Iceblood

Iceblood

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Hi guys I'm still kind of new to uploading pics so bear with me! There have been a lot of threads concerning catastrophic failures of M305 rifles lately. I bought a used M305 from a gun shop almost a year ago, but didn't have much time to shoot it (about 80 rounds with no troubles at all). The bottom of the bolt looks like the drainage hole was attacked by a dremel! I'm worried that this may impact the structural integrity of the bolt. I showed this to a gunsmith and he told me to "keep an eye on it"; but it's not unsafe. After seeing more than a couple blown up norcs my questions are:
Is this a dangerous condition?
Will buying a USGI bolt fix this problem? Is this a "drop in" part?
Does this seem like internal wear or bad quality control/dremel?
Where can I get a new bolt for this thing?! (If it needs replacing)

Input from some m14 gurus would be appreciated. Thanks!

photo_zpsf4a4db93.jpg
 
That's no good. Have seen that "once" before in a older thread, last year perhaps. Just get another norc bolt no need for GI
 
Yucky! First thing I would do is talk to the store you got it from & go from there. That is not normal, nor is it normal wear...

Cheers
Jay
 
Its not a critical place on the bolt but maybe a sign of soft metal or improperly manufactured bolt.

Replacement bolt is the way to go but are not drop in, they need to be lapped in and checked for headspace. Not a major operation though.
 
Thanks for the swift responses guys! Where can I order a new bolt for this rig that isn't 400 dollars? Websites for Marstar, Dlask, and M14.ca have turned up zilch
 
That looks just like my bolt from last year. My very first post on this site I believe.
I never fired the thing. It was a 2011 model Longy.
I don't think any body did it with a dremel, it just came from China that way.
I upgraded to a 2009 model LOL and have no problems at all. :)
 
"...new to uploading pics..." Nicely done.
"... Is this a "drop in" part?..." Nope. Has to be fitted for headspace. Another bolt isn't going to be cheap, but shouldn't be $400. Marstar is the Canadian distributor. Call 'em.
 
I've got a stripped norinco bolt that fits most of my norc "tighter" than most. I was saving it for the next real loose headspaced rifle to come along and do a bolt swap.... But my next and last build to complete my stable will be a LRB M25 with a custom .338 federal barrel if I ever get one made LOL
Pm me if you want
 
You know, it has been a while since I was into the M14 platform but at one time I owned half a dozen different Norcs and a M1A and never had any problem like what I now, seemingly more frequently, read about. Has anyone ascertained if the problems being seen are all arising out of a particular batch or are these issues ones that have, more simply, developed over time and across a number of different Norc generations ? I must say that while I occasionally miss the M14 type rifle, stories like this make me leery of dipping my toe back in the water other than repurchasing a M1A or the even more pricey LRB.
 
you can see the vien of contamination running in the steel, there is a discolored pitted blight near the bottom and some discouloration on the right side that forms a line that would sujest the steel in that location is not up to spec. I would not shoot with this bolt.

If it was dremeled.. it looks like it was done with the intent of "hidding" the bad steel quility by attempting to remove the most visable impurities.

On a side not this kinda thing was a magor issue on mild steel coming out of china. I would find holes in the steel that looked the same as that, with the same coloring. Often I would be welding a beed and the pudle would simply explode and drop a hole, and the inside of the steel would look likee swiss cheese full of black rot.
 
the simple explanation is they milled the arch too shallow and created a very thin portion of steel where there is normally a small 1/16" ish hole
the bolt, camming thru the safety bridge, sliding on the hammer during recoil to lockup, the arch dragging over the mag and rounds there in as the bolt chambers a round....... all areas that would put "high" wear forces on the arch of the bolt's belly. thin metal...... don't much matter how you harden the bolt...... in this application it will fail....... and it has.

bolt is trash, plain and simple.
ejector spring is probably buggered too.

salvage the firing pin, extractor, spring and detent and ejector for hard to find spares and find a donor bolt.
 
Thanks for all the advice everyone! Sadly I am rather short on funds right now so it looks like this gun's going to be a safe queen for a while. That's ok I have several other guns to muck about with in the meantime.
 
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