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AI AT308 bolt face pitting
- Thread starter Mareshow
- Start date
Jesus Christ... how has this not just ended at “I got fucked so I decided to take it as a lesson and buy a new bolt assembly.” Even if it’s 1,000 MBD (Make Believe Dollars), just spend it and drive on with a lessons learned ribbon. 
I’ll give my honest opinion on how I would handle this,
That’s not an unreasonable price for the new bolt. You get SFP so that’s a bonus if your current one is LFP (even tho the old one can be bushed)
I’m personally a forgiving type of guy. Unless I think the guy straight up passed the rifle off knowing there was this much damage on the bolt Face I’d just let it go. As there is a good chance he never even noticed the damage
Take it as a lesson learned and something to ask for pics of or personally check out when making the purchase
Now if the guy knew about it and didn’t tell you that’s a different story. Otherwise just put it on let go and order the new bolt so you can get on with enjoying the rifle
Just my opinion
He works in a 'Big' gun store. I'm sure he knows how to examine a rifle, even those that come into the store to be purchased. Let alone his own firearms. He pulled the wool over OP eyes.
This is my exact reasoning as well. I honestly think he never even thought to check. I believe him that he was just shooting GMM, the original owner was shooting 260 rem out of this and I think thats where the damage happened. I bet like myself, the 2nd owner never even thought to check the bolt face, something I will never do again. In part its his fault for not even noticing, but its also my fault for not asking, used guns are sold as is, now if this was vindictive or intentional thats another story, but truthfully I don't think it was.
Why on Earth wouldn't you ever check your bolt face? That should be routine when cleaning your rifle, one would think.
I don’t get that either. I don’t clean my bore every time but I do clean the chamber and bolt and give it a once over. I store the rifle with the bolt out so it gets also gets a visual look over as well. Any issues like brass buildup under the extractor gets noticed right away and cleaned out. My AX 308 has over 6000 rounds through it and the bolt face looks like new. The majority of ammo through it has been Federal Gold Medal Match and Ruag Swiss P but when hand loading I don’t use brass with loose primer pockets or try to load 308 Win projectiles to 300 Win Mag velocities either.
I was about to post a picture of my bolt and ask if anyone knew why it had a dimple in it. Mine only has one. I assumed it was from testing at the factory
Why does AI not simply sell the bolt head as a separate part? That would make shit like this
an easy fix.
an easy fix.
Because people who are stupid enough to fuck up the bolt face are certainly stupid enough to fuck up the bolt head install.
Yep, and then blame AI.
Basing things on the lowest common denominator is just an unfortunate universal truth.
AI will replace the bolt head only at an authorized service center or the factory, but they will not sell the bolt head by itself to an end user.
They won't sell it separately because the bolt head is pinned and epoxied into the bolt body and they probably don't trust an end user to do it correctly. Get the epoxy prep wrong and it won't bond. Use too much and you obstruct the firing pin. Set the roll pins too high and they bind in the action. And don't forget bubba who knocks the pins out and finds the bolt head won't budge so he heats everything up with a torch to loosen the epoxy and gets things hot enough to mess with the heat treat of the bolt body.
And like it was said above, whoever did it will probably call or complain online that it's AI 's fault, lol.
They won't sell it separately because the bolt head is pinned and epoxied into the bolt body and they probably don't trust an end user to do it correctly. Get the epoxy prep wrong and it won't bond. Use too much and you obstruct the firing pin. Set the roll pins too high and they bind in the action. And don't forget bubba who knocks the pins out and finds the bolt head won't budge so he heats everything up with a torch to loosen the epoxy and gets things hot enough to mess with the heat treat of the bolt body.
And like it was said above, whoever did it will probably call or complain online that it's AI 's fault, lol.
Did not know that the bolt head was epoxied to the bolt, the action to the chassis yes. Seems like they decided
that the roll pins were not enough, odd.
The older bolts from the AW, PSR, AT, AE, and AX/AXMC certainly had both epoxy and roll pins holding the bolt head in. Acts as both a liquid shim and would also let the rifle keep running even if the roll pins fell out.
Maybe the newer bolts use the roll pins only, but I'm guessing AI still epoxies the bolt heads on the ATX and AXSR even if they no longer epoxy the action to the chassis.
Regardless, AINA will not sell a customer just a bare bolt head, factory service center item only. It's hard enough just to buy a firing pin from them if you want a spare or want to send a second firing pin along to get turned down while you're having the firing pin hole bushed...
With the cost of the replacement bolt $750 (Canadian) I'd definitely go after the seller if you haven't already done so. Even though you purchased the AT in 2021. I've been shooting for 50 years and have never seen a bolt face as pitted as your AT. 90 rounds thru it, horse lucky.
maybe 90 rounds of .308....
what about the 1000s of hot loads that were shot through the previous .260 or 6.5cm barrel that was on it that made those pits?
Seriously, he might not be intentionally lying and that .308 barrel may only have had 90 rounds, but its obvious from that bolt face the BOLT has seen more than 90. I think given the fact that AI rifles are mutli-caliber its probably a good idea to request bolt face pics prior to buying used. I certainly will be with any future preowned AI purchases
what about the 1000s of hot loads that were shot through the previous .260 or 6.5cm barrel that was on it that made those pits?
Seriously, he might not be intentionally lying and that .308 barrel may only have had 90 rounds, but its obvious from that bolt face the BOLT has seen more than 90. I think given the fact that AI rifles are mutli-caliber its probably a good idea to request bolt face pics prior to buying used. I certainly will be with any future preowned AI purchases
The seller lied, he said he bought it new, he actually bought it second hand, original owner shot 260 rem with it and a LFP. That caused the damage. I bought a new bolt and sold the gun.
See above, Same here I since sold it and bought a new AX but yes definitely going to do so in the future. I'd like an AXSR one day
This is gas cut , by a peirched primer , cuts metal like a gas-axe , had it happen to a Sako 75 in 223rem , running fed primers , std ADI load , it was soft/thin primers , 2 rounds cut the bolt head up , to do the damage shown , it looks like 3-4 rounds at lest to do that damage .
Simply thin weak primers and warm to hot loads .
My AI has had 2-3k 308 handloads thru it , looks virtually new , a slight discolour primer ring on the bolt face and thats IT .
Simply thin weak primers and warm to hot loads .
My AI has had 2-3k 308 handloads thru it , looks virtually new , a slight discolour primer ring on the bolt face and thats IT .
