Remington 700 SA Bolt Replacement

**LawDel** · 03-12-2023, 12:45

A little assistance, please.

Fired a over pressured load through my Remington Police Tactical in 308 this morning.

The case blew out the primer, enlarged the primer pocket and expanded the case. I needed to hammer the bolt open and back with a rubber mallet. While removing the swollen case from the bolt face, I sheared off a piece of the retaining rim on the bolt face.

The firing pin assembly looks fine.

Is Formalito the way to go?

Thanks.

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**A-R** · 04-12-2023, 22:17

You could try to find a new original or after market bolt.

These are not much of a hassle to obtain in the US, but may be more difficult here in SA.

However, looking at the pic you posted, I think the damage is in a non-critical area and should not affect the functioning or safety of your rifle.

Do have the rifle checked by a competent gunsmith and do get the extractor replaced.

**krieger** · 05-12-2023, 01:13

what did you use for powder? detonator cord. Take it to a good gunsmith. If the chamber is OK then a new bolt gets headspaced to the barrel and you good to go.

**BBCT** · 08-12-2023, 00:06

Obviously there's a whole lot of us out here that now want more info on exactly what happened so we can all learn........

Wrong Powder? Wrong bullet weight for the powder? Your reload? Somebody's else's reload? Factory ammo?

Picture of the case?

Share the love................. ;-)

**LawDel** · 08-12-2023, 18:48

Originally Posted by BBCT

Obviously there's a whole lot of us out here that now want more info on exactly what happened so we can all learn........

Wrong Powder? Wrong bullet weight for the powder? Your reload? Somebody's else's reload? Factory ammo?

Picture of the case?

Share the love................. ;-)

Started load development on Hodgdon Varget. My first use of the brand and powder. Have been loading Somchem S341 up to this point with great results.

Loaded 168gr Hornady ELD’s. Hornady online load data specified that loads from 32,5 - 44gr’s were within their minimum to maximum allowances.

Started loads at 42gr’s of Varget, and worked my way up to a max load. The second last load was at 43,5gr’s, and the primers seemed fine. Slight flattening, but nothing to be too concerned with (or so I thought).

Moved up to 44gr’s. The first shot hit right where I was aiming at 100m. Tried to reload and open the bolt, but no go. Used a rubber mallet to open up the bolt to find the case heavily bulged and expanded and primer completely blown out and missing. When attempting to remove the brass, I damaged the bolt face and extractor.

Interestingly, the load data on the Hodgdon Varget tin states 46gr’s max load for a 168gr bullet.

The gents over at Gunworx said they have repaired this type of damage before, and the Remington Police Tactical will be off to them at the end of the month.

Thank you all for the assist.

**A-R** · 08-12-2023, 20:42

This is a good reminder that you can never use the max load in the manual and expect it to be safe.

The max muzzle velocity, corrected to your barrel length, is a much better guide.

**Andrew Leigh** · 08-12-2023, 20:51

Originally Posted by LawDel

The second last load was at 43,5gr’s, and the primers seemed fine. Slight flattening, but nothing to be too concerned with (or so I thought).

Moved up to 44gr’s. The first shot hit right where I was aiming at 100m. Tried to reload and open the bolt, but no go. Used a rubber mallet to open up the bolt to find the case heavily bulged and expanded and primer completely blown out and missing. When attempting to remove the brass, I damaged the bolt face and extractor.

I am finding it hard to believe that you went from a "fine load with no signs of pressure" to 0.5gr. later having to use force to open the bolt. Pressure is exponential, but I think that your final charge may well have been greater than 44.0gr. and that you measured or dispensed incorrectly?

Normally primers tell a story (they are not the definitive pressure indicator) but will show incremental flattening and not transition from being OK to where you ended. What is the chance that your either seated differently and or overcharged the case.

**LawDel** · 08-12-2023, 21:51

Originally Posted by Andrew Leigh

I am finding it hard to believe that you went from a "fine load with no signs of pressure" to 0.5gr. later having to use force to open the bolt. Pressure is exponential, but I think that your final charge may well have been greater than 44.0gr. and that you measured or dispensed incorrectly?

Normally primers tell a story (they are not the definitive pressure indicator) but will show incremental flattening and not transition from being OK to where you ended. What is the chance that your either seated differently and or overcharged the case.

Been reloading for rifles for 30 odd years now. Have never had anything like this happen to me before. The checks and balances I have used over these years have severed me well over eight rifles calibres.

I loaded five shot strings per powder load, so when I got home, I pulled the bullets of the other four rounds, and they all landed at 44gr’s.

Always a first time to learn an expensive lesson in life I suppose.

**oafpatroll** · 08-12-2023, 22:21

Originally Posted by LawDel

Been reloading for rifles for 30 odd years now. Have never had anything like this happen to me before. The checks and balances I have used over these years have severed me well over eight rifles calibres.

I loaded five shot strings per powder load, so when I got home, I pulled the bullets of the other four rounds, and they all landed at 44gr’s.

Always a first time to learn an expensive lesson in life I suppose.

Thanks for posting about this. Sobering reminder to 'careful complacent' people like me that no amount of measuring and quality control makes you a superhero.

**BBCT** · 08-12-2023, 23:41

Originally Posted by LawDel

Started load development on Hodgdon Varget. My first use of the brand and powder. Have been loading Somchem S341 up to this point with great results.

Loaded 168gr Hornady ELD’s. Hornady online load data specified that loads from 32,5 - 44gr’s were within their minimum to maximum allowances.

Started loads at 42gr’s of Varget, and worked my way up to a max load. The second last load was at 43,5gr’s, and the primers seemed fine. Slight flattening, but nothing to be too concerned with (or so I thought).

Moved up to 44gr’s. The first shot hit right where I was aiming at 100m. Tried to reload and open the bolt, but no go. Used a rubber mallet to open up the bolt to find the case heavily bulged and expanded and primer completely blown out and missing. When attempting to remove the brass, I damaged the bolt face and extractor.

Interestingly, the load data on the Hodgdon Varget tin states 46gr’s max load for a 168gr bullet.

The gents over at Gunworx said they have repaired this type of damage before, and the Remington Police Tactical will be off to them at the end of the month.

Thank you all for the assist.

Thank you for sharing that.