Broken Bolt Lug

[shona]

Hi,
I have a Weatherby MK V. 338 LM that's sheared a lug off it's 9-lug bolt.
No idea how it occurred & never found the broken piece. The rifle is with a Weatherby agent in Ontario awaiting a decision as to whether the warranty will be accepted or not. Prior to the damage occurring, I notice the bolt was losing its coating in places. That too is being investigated! My question is, has anyone had this or heard of this happening at all & in the event Weatherby declined this claim, how easy & $$$ is it to find a replacement bolt?

Thanks
Shona

 

[The D]

Pics? How many rounds on the rifle? Were you shooting factory ammo or handloads?

I have no info on a replacement bolt but if it hasn’t been abused too badly and the warranty is denied I would be buying a different rifle

 

[GrumpyOleFart]

Wow.
Stress fracture?
Pics?

 

[Steel head]

Need pics!

 

[shona]

Hi, Guys,
The rifle has approx 180 rounds down the pipe Max so, I don't think that can be considered as excessive use by any means! My Gunsmith thinks it's definitely a manufacturing flaw/ defective casting etc!
Either way, it's not something that should cause a Major debate with a warranty claim, I wouldn't have thought! But we shall have to wait & see!

LATE ADDITION!
Sorry, forgot to answer the question on whether I was shooting Factory or Reloads! Berger 250 Grn & Lapua Brass...Reloads!

Thanks
Shona

 

[GrumpyOleFart]

 

[GrumpyOleFart]

Hope it goes well with the claim

 

[hollowoutadime]

Powder and grains? That would certainly take down any game on this (and most) continent(s).

 

[Wheres-Waldo]

Sure does look like two lugs would be a stronger set-up for the bolt nose, especially in that extractor area.

 

[spife7980]

9 would be optimal... if only they would all touch together.

 

[jphil108]

Good thing you had those 8 other lugs keeping that bolt in battery. Seems like a huge stress concentration where the extractor pocket meets the lugs, and another one where the extractor groove meets the bolt face, no ground relief groove or anything to mitigate the stress, I don’t think I’ll be buying a weatherby MK-V anytime soon. I think spife is right about lug contact, I always thought only the first few lugs would be in contact.

 

[Im2bent]

Weatherby has reloads as an exclusion for their warranty

 

[jbuck88]

I would think it has to be a bad bolt from the factory. The weatherby action is know to be very robust and the 338LM is one of their more mild chamberings.

Either way good luck.

 

[Steel head]

I would think it has to be a bad bolt from the factory. The weatherby action is know to be very robust and the 338LM is one of their more mild chamberings.

Either way good luck.

Yea
Unless the lug engagement was wonky I’m thinking a brittle bolt or an alloy issue.

 

[Part Timer]

I had a .338LM Mark V do this exact same thing with the same lug about 8 or 9 years ago now. Round count of about 30 at that point, which was somewhat depressing as my other hand-me-down Mark V had been and still is excellent. I figured it may have been something to do with the cold as it was about -25 Celsius the day that it happened. Fortunately, I had got the rifle from Cabela's and they had accepted it as faulty after showing them what happened, refunded immediately.

 

[shona]

Well, I finally have an update on the Weatherby MK V 338LM broken bolt warranty issue. After approx 28 months of waiting for Weatherby to sort their act out, I've just been told that Weatherby no longer produces this bolt & has no way of providing one from their stockpile!

The rifle wasn't purchased new by me so whether they are just not prepared to honour the warranty & are not saying, I don't know but the rifle has never left the warranty centre in Ontario. I have had a Major headache getting any information out of this warranty centre who have been paying me lip service for over 2 years now! It was even harder trying to get an update out of Weatherby themselves!

I found out that the warranty centre had the option if the rifle was scrapped, to buy it for approx 30% of its value so maybe that was their plan from the outset,...who knows?

Anyway, the rifle is now in transit back to me & the only options I can see are to try & source another OE bolt ( rare as Hen's teeth ) I've been told or, go down the Custom route & buy another action. I recently imported a Terminus Kratos X from Joel Russo in Penn for another rifle so, I may have to do that once again! Seriously disappointed with Weatherby though!!

If any of you guys know of an OE bolt kicking around though, please let me know as I would really prefer to keep things Original!

Thanks
Shona

 

[BR7.62]

can you see the corrsponding receiver lug w/ a mirror or bore scope or something?
if its buggered up at all from the break might not be a good idea to just throw a used bolt it.
i would think ebay would be the best bet though, you can set up a search. i bet you one has been sold on there in the last 28 months.
thats a bummer.

 

[shona]

can you see the corrsponding receiver lug w/ a mirror or bore scope or something?
if its buggered up at all from the break might not be a good idea to just throw a used bolt it.
i would think ebay would be the best bet though, you can set up a search. i bet you one has been sold on there in the last 28 months.
thats a bummer.

I've been so desperate to get the rifle away from the warranty centre that once they agreed to release it, I made the mistake of giving them my ship to address instead of that of my gunsmith. If I had taken the time to think about that sensibly, that's where it would heading right now! As you rightly say, it will need a closer inspection ie: adjacent lugs & bore scoped to get a better picture. In the meantime, I will keep trawling the Ads as you suggest.

Many Thanks for the speedy response!
Shona

 

[whatsupdoc]

To really inspect for cracks in the receiver the barrel needs to be removed and inspected and there still
may be an underling crack that is simply not visible.

They can X-ray the receiver for cracks but I doubt the cost is worth it.

 

[whatsupdoc]

Accessories - Misc Weatherby Mark V parts

Have some misc Weatherby Mark V parts to get rid of. Not sure what they’re worth so pricing is negotiable. Mark V Bolt- off a 6mm Creedmoor. Unsure of round count but does not appear to have been used much. $200 OBO Mark V bolt off 6.5-300 Weatherby. Also unsure of round count but appears to...

www.snipershide.com

 

[shona]

To really inspect for cracks in the receiver the barrel needs to be removed and inspected and there still
may be an underling crack that is simply not visible.

They can X-ray the receiver for cracks but I doubt the cost is worth it.

I understand & I'm a firm believer in,.... " if you don't know what to look for". then, give it a man who does so that's why my gunsmith will be making that determination for me.

Thanks
Shona

 

[Tokay444]

If it’s a casting, then it was doomed to fail from the start.

Hi, Guys,
The rifle has approx 180 rounds down the pipe Max so, I don't think that can be considered as excessive use by any means! My Gunsmith thinks it's definitely a manufacturing flaw/ defective casting etc!
Either way, it's not something that should cause a Major debate with a warranty claim, I wouldn't have thought! But we shall have to wait & see!

LATE ADDITION!
Sorry, forgot to answer the question on whether I was shooting Factory or Reloads! Berger 250 Grn & Lapua Brass...Reloads!

Thanks
Shona

 

[Tokay444]

I understand & I'm a firm believer in,.... " if you don't know what to look for". then, give it a man who does so that's why my gunsmith will be making that determination for me.

Thanks
Shona

Does he have magnaflux inspection equipment?

 

[shona]

Does he have magnaflux inspection equipment?

Sorry, but I have No idea what that is myself.

 

[shona]

I'm guessing it's some form of metal X-ray thingamy jig....lol

I'm just the trigger-puller in this show so, please excuse my ignorance...lol

 

[Wannashootit]

9 would be optimal... if only they would all touch together.

This.
I suspect most of us would assume the failure was lack of contact of at least several of the lugs against their abutments.
Thing is, you don't know whether the problem was with the bolt itself or the receiver. I suspect it's possible as well that there could be a defect in the machining of the abutment "rings" inside the receiver, either by spacing or concentricity, which overstressed and sheared the lug.

Could be the receiver lug ring where the lug failed was subject to plastic deformation from the load as the lug sheared, possibly causing a structural failure there (magnaflux suggestion). Too many unknowns for me- I wouldn't want that bolt inches from my forehead given the event and the effort/time/$$ needed to ensure the rifle is safe may not be worth it. JMO. Also, I have no idea of Wby's machining tolerances but I suspect a bolt replacement might change your headspace, possibly enough to require barrel/chamber work.

Simple enough when you get the rifle back to put layout fluid on the back of the remaining lugs and run it in the receiver. I'd be curious as to what contact patterns exist with the remaining lugs.

 

[Holliday]

Weatherby has reloads as an exclusion for their warranty

About 10+ years ago my brother bought a Weatherby in 7 rem mag. Came with a 1-1/2” guarantee…..

 

[sinister]

The basic bolt design with nine separate, smaller lugs is weak. Add to that the bolt thrust of even moderate 338 Lapua rounds and you're hosed.

The Remington 788's nine bolt lugs were toward the rear of the body and nowhere near the extractor cut in the bolt face.

A master welder might be able to salvage that for you -- but you've got to find the right guy who can properly weld, mill, temper, and stress-relieve.

 

[FredHammer]

Well, I finally have an update on the Weatherby MK V 338LM broken bolt warranty issue. After approx 28 months of waiting for Weatherby to sort their act out, I've just been told that Weatherby no longer produces this bolt & has no way of providing one from their stockpile!

The rifle wasn't purchased new by me so whether they are just not prepared to honour the warranty & are not saying, I don't know but the rifle has never left the warranty centre in Ontario. I have had a Major headache getting any information out of this warranty centre who have been paying me lip service for over 2 years now! It was even harder trying to get an update out of Weatherby themselves!

I found out that the warranty centre had the option if the rifle was scrapped, to buy it for approx 30% of its value so maybe that was their plan from the outset,...who knows?

Anyway, the rifle is now in transit back to me & the only options I can see are to try & source another OE bolt ( rare as Hen's teeth ) I've been told or, go down the Custom route & buy another action. I recently imported a Terminus Kratos X from Joel Russo in Penn for another rifle so, I may have to do that once again! Seriously disappointed with Weatherby though!!

If any of you guys know of an OE bolt kicking around though, please let me know as I would really prefer to keep things Original!

Thanks
Shona

Damn, that reminds me of the Fierce Rifle CS nightmares! Not to mention their garbage quality control to begin.

 

[shona]

This.
I suspect most of us would assume the failure was lack of contact of at least several of the lugs against their abutments.
Thing is, you don't know whether the problem was with the bolt itself or the receiver. I suspect it's possible as well that there could be a defect in the machining of the abutment "rings" inside the receiver, either by spacing or concentricity, which overstressed and sheared the lug.

Could be the receiver lug ring where the lug failed was subject to plastic deformation from the load as the lug sheared, possibly causing a structural failure there (magnaflux suggestion). Too many unknowns for me- I wouldn't want that bolt inches from my forehead given the event and the effort/time/$$ needed to ensure the rifle is safe may not be worth it. JMO. Also, I have no idea of Wby's machining tolerances but I suspect a bolt replacement might change your headspace, possibly enough to require barrel/chamber work.

Simple enough when you get the rifle back to put layout fluid on the back of the remaining lugs and run it in the receiver. I'd be curious as to what contact patterns exist with the remaining lugs.

Wow!
That was some seriously deep thinking there from Wannashootit! My heads spinning now, so much so that I'm seriously wondering whether to just go with a Custom action & be done without the fear of ending up like Gus in Breaking Bad....lol

 

[spife7980]

Ditch the turd.

 

[Threadcutter308]

Spife is usually right. As usual.

 

[shona]

Ditch the turd.

FLUSHING!!!!!

 

[shona]

Just as a thought! Working with a donor 338 LM stock as a starting point. What would you guys consider building? I have an Edge, both a 300 & 30-378 WB & a 300 Rum.

I have to admit to having a love of the Big Hitters for sure but if I intend to build off this one, I would like to improve yet again on performance preferably with a beltless cartridge.
I don't shoot enough to worry about burning out barrels so, no issues there!

I will be sticking with a .590 BF which is a smaller BF anyway so, other than the 300 PRC, what would you all suggest? I would be using the rifle mainly for long-range hunting. Northern Ontario has some really nice Wolf hunting!
Thanks
Shona