Sloppy firing pin - any UK remedies?

[MikeJ]

Good morning,

Whilst I have yet to experience a pierced primer, I'm alert to the possibility that it could occur at some stage if primer cratering becomes excessive. In the US there appear to be quite number of people bushing the firing pin channel in the Remington bolt to achieve a better fit (presumably with a new firing pin too) so that cratering is avoided or reduced. This doesn't seem to be a common modification in the UK but I was wondering whether anybody on here knows of it being done in this country (and by whom) or whether it's just not worth bothering about? I always use CCI primers; the image is typical of the cratering observed whether with a light load of 42.6gr N140/168gr SMK or a heavier load of 44gr N140/175gr TMK.

Any thoughts please?

[DaveT]

Neil Mckillop did mine to fix just such a problem.

[MikeJ]

Thanks Dave - that's good of you to respond. He's not too far away, so I'll give him a call!

[snakeman]

MikeJ

 

I'd strongly recommend dropping your charge by a couple of full grains... then test again

42.6g of N140 with a 168g bullet is not a "light load" by any means......and, the 44g with a 175g TMK is excessive

ATB

 

[duey]

My first thought when seeing the charges of N140 is that the first is borderline excessive at best and the second could be potentially dangerous 

 

if you know of other people shooting these loads then they may well have completely different chambers that allow different bullet build lengths etc that allow such charges

 

just my thoughts and I have shot 168gr with 40gr N140 in my rifle and that was pushing the max for that set up 

[phaedra1106uk]

Vihts max load for the Sierra 168 is 42.6 so that's pretty close, however Vihts data is usually slightly on the conservative side.

The 175 however is 2.6gr above max recommended.

https://www.vihtavuori.com/reloading-data/rifle-reloading/?cartridge=30

 

[MikeJ]

Snakeman, Duey, Phaedra - thank you all very much for your comments, all of which are taken on board and appreciated.

I'm not surprised to sense some raised eyebrows at the 175 TMK load...……. it was 42gr NOT 44gr as I originally posted. My apologies; a slip of the finger, although it is nonetheless at the top of the Vihtavuori load table.

I'm happy with the 168 SMK load - this was worked up from far lower values and gives me best accuracy although at the high end of the Vihtavuori table and just above the Sierra suggested load maximum.

The cratered primers have been evident from day one, with both my own light loads (i.e. starting much lower than the 42.6gr) and with factory loads (which one would expect to be safe in any rifle that they are designed for) - hence my feeling (in the absence of any obvious signs of high pressure) that the firing pin fit is just sloppy.

However, all comments noted - I'll start again at 38gr and see if I can achieve good accuracy with a lower charge (even if the primers are still cratered!).

 

[palo]

I do believe it's a Remington thing. My Remmy 204 does the same thing with all of my loads. 

Anyone know how much it costs to get the bolt sorted ? 

[bradders]

 

[Vortex]

My remmy does the same. When I re barreled it to 6.5 creedmoor it was worse. I did use CCI 400 primers at first but got blown primers in hot weather with loads that were not too hot with n-150,.

realised after that 400s are no good for the presures of a creedmoor and switched to 450 magnums.

not as bad cratering now but still craters. Even factory ammo craters in my remmy. 

 

 

[snakeman]

Have Remington fixed this bolt problem?

[Leeman]

It's not a problem for Remington or the majority of their customers!

[palo]

Pacifictoolandguage sell an oversized firing pin for the Remington 700 which should solve the problem. Shipping costs are expensive though. 

[DaveT]

I think the fix involves bushing the firing pin hole to a smaller size and honing the pin to suit rather than fitting an oversize pin.

Again and per my earlier post...talk to Neil McKillop.

[palo]

5 minutes ago, DaveT said:

I think the fix involves bushing the firing pin hole to a smaller size and honing the pin to suit rather than fitting an oversize pin.

Again and per my earlier post...talk to Neil McKillop.

Maybe. I don't really know but Holland's also sell an oversize pin that they say will solve the cratering issue but they don't ship outside USA.  I did see some positive reviews online. 

[MikeJ]

On 8 October 2018 at 7:58 PM, Leeman said:

It's not a problem for Remington or the majority of their customers!

I think I agree with you. I was perhaps getting unnecessarily concerned. Just shot some more with various charges; the same "cratering" and primer appearance regardless of whether loaded with 38gr or 42gr N140. I shall leave things as they are.

[MikeJ]

On 8 October 2018 at 9:36 PM, DaveT said:

I think the fix involves bushing the firing pin hole to a smaller size and honing the pin to suit rather than fitting an oversize pin.

Again and per my earlier post...talk to Neil McKillop.

Yes Dave, that's it. I did speak to Neil; thanks for the steer.

[Dellboy]

any use ?

[MikeJ]

On 10/6/2018 at 3:28 PM, MikeJ said:

Snakeman, Duey, Phaedra - thank you all very much for your comments, all of which are taken on board and appreciated.

I'm not surprised to sense some raised eyebrows at the 175 TMK load...……. it was 42gr NOT 44gr as I originally posted. My apologies; a slip of the finger, although it is nonetheless at the top of the Vihtavuori load table.

I'm happy with the 168 SMK load - this was worked up from far lower values and gives me best accuracy although at the high end of the Vihtavuori table and just above the Sierra suggested load maximum.

The cratered primers have been evident from day one, with both my own light loads (i.e. starting much lower than the 42.6gr) and with factory loads (which one would expect to be safe in any rifle that they are designed for) - hence my feeling (in the absence of any obvious signs of high pressure) that the firing pin fit is just sloppy.

However, all comments noted - I'll start again at 38gr and see if I can achieve good accuracy with a lower charge (even if the primers are still cratered!).

 

After a year of not having reloaded any .308 I thought I had better get some done and dug out the 175 TMKs. I gave Sierra a call this afternoon on their "Technical Helpline" and asked whether they had yet published any data specifically for the 175gr TMK and N140. Helpful chap advised that yes, they had, and it was 38.1gr to 43.8gr. Somewhat over the Viht maximum of 41.4gr. I don't have a Sierra load manual so don't know whether or not the advised charges are the same as for the 175gr MKs.

Although I don't propose to go anywhere near 43.8 I do feel a little more comfortable that my earlier 42.0gr loads may not have been too excessive, and I'm going to start again now with loads from 38.0gr to see how they perform at 200 yards.