AI AT308 bolt face pitting

[Mareshow]

I just picked up an AI AT in 308, the previous owner only fired about 90 rounds out of it, and I've put around 100 rounds. All factory ammo. The bolt face has some pitting in a ring around the firing pin. Is this a common issue with these? I'll post a pic of it tonight.

allegedly it does not affect accuracy, but just wondering if there is any concern in regards to anything else?

 

[MK20]

Is it really pitting or is it just a mark on the bolt face?

 

[m1match]

Bolt face pitting in a ring around the firing pin is an unmistakeable sign of pierced primers at some point in that rifles history. So no matter how many rounds the previous owner said were fired through it, pierced primers caused the pitting, and I'd be willing to bet the previous owner lied about that rifles history.

Edited- I originally posted before OP put a picture up- now that we see his picture I want to add, and I forgot to mention it in my OP that his issue is the previous owner shot the rifle a fair amount with serious gas leakage around the primer pockets. Which can be from seriously loose primer pockets or seriously overpressure rounds.

Nonetheless, the pitting doesn't affect the rifles safety or accuracy, go ahead and shoot it.

 

[MK20]

You can still shoot the gun just fine, but the above post is right if it is indeed pitting.

 

[MK20]

LFP AT rifles will run a 6.5 creed though, right? Cause I haven’t heard about any issues with that before this.

 

[Badfinger]

Here's a bolt from an AI .260 using Lapua brass and Federal Match primers and I don't shoot heavy loads. I replaced it.

 

[Supersubes]

Here's a bolt from an AI .260 using Lapua brass and Federal Match primers and I don't shoot heavy loads. I replaced it.

Gas was escaping though, and cutting your bolt face. This could happen if your primer pockets were worn out.

 

[ShtrRdy]

It shouldn't be like that but it's probably okay if you treat it right from this point forward.

 

[Mareshow]

Here’s the pic (original post) the pitting is just enough to get your fingernail in

 

[m1match]

Wow!! that bolt face is seriously bad looking. That happens from repeated firing with seriously loose and leaking primer pockets. It looks sooo bad that I'd probably send it to LRI to get a bushing installed in the bolt face to repair it or just buy a new bolt from Mile High

 

[Huskydriver]

Holy shit balls batman that bolt face is ruined....


Yea leaking primers or blown primers flame cut the bolt face no bueno

 

[Mareshow]

Just looked at all my spent brass, I had some reloads that I did up today and this is what the brass looks like, I shot a total of 12 rounds of this stuff

I’m thinking loose primer pockets?

 

[Huskydriver]

Just looked at all my spent brass, I had some reloads that I did up today and this is what the brass looks like, I shot a total of 12 rounds of this stuffView attachment 7612868

Look for primers with some soot usually coming from one or two spots

 

[Mareshow]

Look for primers with some soot usually coming from one or two spots

They all just look like this, looks like they’ve been pushed out a bit

 

[Steel head]

Here's a bolt from an AI .260 using Lapua brass and Federal Match primers and I don't shoot heavy loads. I replaced it.

Damn!

 

[hafejd30]

Just looked at all my spent brass, I had some reloads that I did up today and this is what the brass looks like, I shot a total of 12 rounds of this stuff

I’m thinking loose primer pockets?

View attachment 7612868

This is not your cause of damage. That bolt is FUBAR. You’d have no problem seeing what caused that damage. I think the previous owner got one over on you...

 

[whatsupdoc]

That pitting is gas escaping from loose primers.
Call LRI send them a picture and see if they can fix it. Im pretty sure they can.

 

[Jason280]

Damn, that's gnarly!

 

[Mareshow]

The Previous owner has some rep and only shot federal GM Match out of it. I don't think he would lie about something like this. I contacted AI up here in Canada to see if they can get me a new bolt head. Other than that there is a gun smith here in town but I don't remember his name. Could probably fix it though. Think its alright to shoot in the mean time?

 

[RRW]

Damn, that's gnarly!

I agree, that's nasty. Over the years I have had an AE MKII, AT and currently an AX 308. None have even remotely looked like that. I did have Wade Stuteville turn down and bush the firing pin hole when I switched to Lapua SRP brass. The rifle has had thousands of rounds through it since in both 6.5 CM and 308 Win and it looks like new. I also agree the previous owner got one over on you. Sure looks like he fired more that 90 rounds, maybe he omitted a couple of zeros.

 

[MTB doc]

Damn , that bolt face has more pitting than a 17 year-old on Accutane!

 

[Supersubes]

The Previous owner has some rep and only shot federal GM Match out of it. I don't think he would lie about something like this. I contacted AI up here in Canada to see if they can get me a new bolt head. Other than that there is a gun smith here in town but I don't remember his name. Could probably fix it though. Think its alright to shoot in the mean time?

Id send that bolt to mile high and have them replace the bolt head.

 

[MTB doc]

My guess is that rifle has more miles on it than a Thai hooker.

 

[RRW]

The AE MKII I had was a work gun and had over 2000 rounds through it and looked nothing like that. Again I have a hard time believing the previous owner only fired approx. 90 rounds of factory ammo through that rifle.

 

[lte82]

That bolt is screwed. I’d ask for my money back.

 

[MK20]

The guy you bought the rifle from owes you a new bolt head unless you got a screaming deal.

 

[NoLegs24]

@Mareshow man, I thought yours was the pic that @Badfinger posted. Was going to say that you’re fine. Until you posted the pic

Sorry to laugh at your expense. Def hit up AINA. I’m sure they’ll replace it at a cost. Have previous owner pay for it, if that’s the case.

 

[Mareshow]

@Mareshow man, I thought yours was the pic that @Badfinger posted. Was going to say that you’re fine. Until you posted the pic

Sorry to laugh at your expense. Def hit up AINA. I’m sure they’ll replace it at a cost. Have previous owner pay for it, if that’s the case.

Spoke with the original owner he thinks it was a bad heat treatment or something. Like I said he has rep (works for a big gun store here in Canada). I have no reason not to believe him. I've contacted the warranty rep for it.

That said I just noticed this and before this it still shoots tight groups so I dunno. I'm going to keep using it and monitoring it till a replacement shows up then I'll replace it.

I did a bore inspection after I cleaned it and it still looks like a brand new barrel so I don't think he's lying about round count.

I do wish we had the resources here in Canada like you guys do in the states. not a whole lot of support here for it which sucks.

 

[MK20]

He is lying to your face. If he works at a big gun store that means that he is more likely to be an idiot than the average joe.
HE IS FUCKING YOU OVER.

Tell him he sold you a fucked up rifle and he needs to fix it. A bad heat treat won’t do that to a bolt.

 

[lte82]

It shouldn't be like that but it's probably okay if you treat it right from this point forward.

This is false. Once you develop pits like this the chances of this happening again increase and leads to even deeper pitting. The brass / primer area is no longer properly supported and your primers have a much easier chance of “leaking” more hot gas out, even if the brass is good. It needs to be replaced or repaired (not sure if even possible at this point though). If you have a tiny pit in one or two spots it may not be an issue. This was caused by neglect and misuse.

 

[THEIS]

Spoke with the original owner he thinks it was a bad heat treatment or something. Like I said he has rep (works for a big gun store here in Canada). I have no reason not to believe him. I've contacted the warranty rep for it.

That said I just noticed this and before this it still shoots tight groups so I dunno. I'm going to keep using it and monitoring it till a replacement shows up then I'll replace it.

I did a bore inspection after I cleaned it and it still looks like a brand new barrel so I don't think he's lying about round count.

I do wish we had the resources here in Canada like you guys do in the states. not a whole lot of support here for it which sucks.

Hi,

That makes absolutely zero sense IMO.

Why would you "side" with him that it is from a bad heat treatment YET say you will continue to use it??

That is NOT how any of that works. IF you believe it is from bad heat treatment; CEASE utilization immediately because the next thing that could fail is the bolt lugs and you have a nice monocular vision from now on.

THAT being said.....I am not following the bad heat treatment excuse at all!!!

He is screwing you like a 5 cent 19 year old in Phucket.

Sincerely,
Theis

 

[phlegm]

*casually panics while walking to the safe*

 

[Supersubes]

Spoke with the original owner he thinks it was a bad heat treatment or something. Like I said he has rep (works for a big gun store here in Canada). I have no reason not to believe him. I've contacted the warranty rep for it.

That said I just noticed this and before this it still shoots tight groups so I dunno. I'm going to keep using it and monitoring it till a replacement shows up then I'll replace it.

I did a bore inspection after I cleaned it and it still looks like a brand new barrel so I don't think he's lying about round count.

I do wish we had the resources here in Canada like you guys do in the states. not a whole lot of support here for it which sucks.

See these little dimples? Thats where they tested your bolt for hardness. It passed, and they shipped it.

Think of this another way, why would the part of your your bolt face, which touches nothing but air(gap created by the primer and primer pocket radiuses), be pitted? Why would those pits look like gas cutting from leaking primers? If it quacks like a duck...

The seller is full of shit, plain and simple. Anybody with half a brain doing normal maintenance would have noticed that during. Ive owned many dozens of bolt actions, including a stack of AI’s, and not a single one of them had a pitted bolt face that couldn’t be traced to a leaking primer. What you have there only happens one way.

Whether or not you go to war with him is up to you, but you should get it fixed either way.

 

[Mareshow]

See these little dimples? Thats where they tested your bolt for hardness. It passed, and they shipped it.
View attachment 7613261


Think of this another way, why would the part of your your bolt face, which touches nothing but air(gap created by the primer and primer pocket radiuses), be pitted? Why would those pits look like gas cutting from leaking primers? If it quacks like a duck...

The seller is full of shit, plain and simple. Anybody with half a brain doing normal maintenance would have noticed that during. Ive owned many dozens of bolt actions, including a stack of AI’s, and not a single one of them had a pitted bolt face that couldn’t be traced to a leaking primer. What you have there only happens one way.

Whether or not you go to war with him is up to you, but you should get it fixed either way.

Exactly my thoughts as well. I got a pretty good deal on it (paid 5K Canadian, new they are 7K here) I'm going to see what the replacement costs are going to be and go from there. If its obscene I'll probably make a stink, but if its not then I'll just fix it and move on with life. I hope they don't make me buy a whole new bolt. Just the head would be preferable.

 

[Kiba]

Last bolt I saw that was that bad belonged to a friend... Defective winchester large rifle primers were pinholing at the radius of the primer cup and he didn't notice-- after about 60 rounds the failing primers left a hell of a trench on the bolt face from the gas cutting, similar to your bolt. Wasn't even a hot load... just defective primers.

If that is already a small firing pin bolt head, I'd send it in to replace the bolt head and inspect the firing pin.

If it's currently a large firing pin bolt, I'd have a small firing pin bolt head installed and swap to the small firing pin at the same time when you send it in.

Either way, the previous owner should be paying for it-- you got taken for a ride if it wasn't disclosed. Sounds like he knew about it though since he gave you the BS "bad heat treat" excuse.

Fyi, a new bolt head and installation is going to run about $475, and about $90 for a new firing pin if the current one is damaged.

 

[Supersubes]

AW bolt, just a hair under 10K rounds, all original parts. I can see one tiny pit at 7 oclock. I pierced 3-4 primers years ago with a 6.5x47 barrel which caused some firing pin hole erosion.

 

[hafejd30]

If you truly believe it’s bad heat treatment then there’s no way I’d continue to fire til failure

 

[BuLLet]

AXSA Bolt with about 1000 rounds on it. 308 and 6.5 Creedmoor.

 

[celltech]

Why does the OPs bolt have *4* hardness checks when everyone else on here just shows 1???

 

[lte82]

Why does the OPs bolt have *4* hardness checks when everyone else on here just shows 1???

Probably because the bolt got sent in to get re-checked because of the pitting and it was determined to be user error and got sent back.

 

[BLKWLFK9]

Damn son. that bolt face looks like shit. Dude that sold it would have to see me.

 

[nn8734]

I just picked up an AI AT in 308, the previous owner only fired about 90 rounds out of it, and I've put around 100 rounds. All factory ammo. The bolt face has some pitting in a ring around the firing pin. Is this a common issue with these? I'll post a pic of it tonight.

allegedly it does not affect accuracy, but just wondering if there is any concern in regards to anything else?View attachment 7612859

 

[BuLLet]

I didn't like the way they looked and ground off the extras.

Why does the OPs bolt have *4* hardness checks when everyone else on here just shows 1???

 

[jlficken]

Bolt face pitting in a ring around the firing pin is an unmistakeable sign of pierced primers at some point in that rifles history. So no matter how many rounds the previous owner said were fired through it, pierced primers caused the pitting, and I'd be willing to bet the previous owner lied about that rifles history.

Nonetheless, the pitting doesn't affect the rifles safety or accuracy, go ahead and shoot it.

Can't it also happen due to loose primer pockets when gas escapes around the outside of the primer?

 

[m1match]

Yes I just forgot to include that in my first post in this thread

 

[j-huskey]

Can't it also happen due to loose primer pockets when gas escapes around the outside of the primer?

Yes. That's the most frequent cause.

 

[THEIS]

Hi,

OP.....It should not be too complicated in you getting a new bolt from AINA or MHSA since USML Sec 121 has been changed to remove 98% of firearms and firearm parts out from under DDTC ITAR control and moved into a simple Dept of Commerce regulation.

It would be a simple document submission on their end and update to the AES system by them.

Sincerely,
Theis

 

[Ravenworks]

Probably because the bolt got sent in to get re-checked because of the pitting and it was determined to be user error and got sent back.

And I'd bet that's where the original owner got his story about a bad heat treat.
I would bet if you called with your S/N you'll learn more history.

 

[Hennig]

The guy who sold you that is a cunt.

 

[Lawrence60]

Damn!

That is not good as other people have said the previous owner did one on you bought a ruger in .44 mag owner showed me a photo of it looking perfect when I got it he had cut the front sight down buyer beware and check everything before parting with your hard earned