Gunsmithing Firing Pin Bushing

[B y r o n]

Is there any reason that a firing pin bushing should be below the bolt face?

I just got a replacement rifle from Ruger, American Predator 6.5 AI, and there appears to be a bushing in the bolt face that is a few thousands below the actual face of the bolt. I discovered it because my primers were being set back after taking it to the range today. I noticed it when I was checking for pressure signs and the primers were sticking out past the base of cartridge a few thousands even with mild loads. I've never had a bolt with a firing pin bushing and not sure if this is normal.

 

[mdmp5]

Is that caliber small primers?

 

[B y r o n]

You may be able to get cases with small primers but I think for the most part large rifle primers is the norm. At least the Hornady brass I have is large rifle primer.

 

[mdmp5]

Reason I ask is that I rebarreled a 308 to 6.5x47, which has a small primer. The original firing pin was destroying the primers, so my builder improvised and drilled out the center of the bolt. He then threaded in a bushing with a smaller hole and turned down the firing pin. I was wondering if there was any similarity between my bolt and yours. My bolt face is flush though, so it sounds like there might be an error on yours. I’ll take a pic for you later

 

[Gene Poole]

This is a NEW rifle from Ruger? I'm not familiar with the bolt on that model. Do they have bushings from the factory?

 

[LRI]

If your rifle is OEM and unmolested (as in, has not gone to a shop for work) then it is highly, highly unlikely that you have an altered striker or a striker pin bushing installed. They just don't do it that way. They'd of had the pin turned down smaller and drilled a smaller hole to start.

If your bolt has been worked on and it is in fact recessed, then it opens the door for issues. Primers extruding out past the case head face is certainly possible.

A couple photos would be extremely helpful to conclusively diagnose this.

 

[B y r o n]

This is supposedly a new unmolested, unless done by Ruger, American Predator AI in 6.5 Creedmoor. It was a replacement for my previous rifle that had a bolt timing issue. Here is what it looks like and what happens to the primers.

As you can see in the above photo there are two distinct machining marks, circular on the bushing and more of a swirl on the rest of the bolt face.

On the above photo the gap to the right shows how far the primer has backed out, the left actually has more clearance because of the way my caliper was machined.

I've sent the information to Ruger and waiting for their response. Not being familiar with the Ruger American rifle I wasn't sure if they used firing pin bushings or not. I know why they are normally used but hadn't seen one on a factory rifle so I thought I'd ask

 

[Rthur]

This is supposedly a new unmolested, unless done by Ruger, American Predator AI in 6.5 Creedmoor. It was a replacement for my previous rifle that had a bolt timing issue. Here is what it looks like and what happens to the primers.

View attachment 6886812

As you can see in the above photo there are two distinct machining marks, circular on the bushing and more of a swirl on the rest of the bolt face.


View attachment 6886813

On the above photo the gap to the right shows how far the primer has backed out, the left actually has more clearance because of the way my caliper was machined.

I've sent the information to Ruger and waiting for their response. Not being familiar with the Ruger American rifle I wasn't sure if they used firing pin bushings or not. I know why they are normally used but hadn't seen one on a factory rifle so I thought I'd ask

Damn, no beuno
Haven't seen that version before.

R

 

[B y r o n]

Damn, no beuno
Haven't seen that version before.

R

Your right and Ruger agrees. The rifle will be going back to Ruger to get fixed.

 

[LRI]

I don't think you have a bushing. I think someone ferked up when setting the job up and it got missed. It could probably be saved by bushing it, but if it were me I'd be returning that rifle and demanding replacement or having it sent back for warranty replacement. I would not accept it being "fixed" in this case. You fix that by putting a new bolt in it, setting the HS, and then moving on.

Buzzing the face flat would fix it also, but then there's a litney of cascading effects. Excessive clearance on the extractor, coil bind on the ejector, and additional unsupported case as it would likely require trimming some off the breech on the barrel for the case to "reach" the bolt.

None of this is good.

Bolts, regardless of bushed or not, should not look like that. As your photo illustrates, it's extruding primers. Generally something to be avoided.

Good luck.

C.

 

[B y r o n]

I appreciate the feedback. In fact UPS picked up the rifle this afternoon and it is on its' way back to Ruger to be remedied. I'll update once I know how Ruger plans to take care of it.