Rem 700 Bolt rebuild

[bh-ltr]

So I just got back from a class where I was having some issues with ejection. Its not a HUGE issue yet but it cost me quite a few seconds on some of the little competitions. What happens is sometimes when I go to eject a round from the rifle the casing ends up in the action backward. Essentially its like I threw a spent casing into the port with the case head toward the chamber. Makes for a bitch when you go to feed the next round in.

So the instructor said I should replace my ejector spring. Not sure if this is a common thing to go out as I'm fairly new to shooting this much on only the one rifle. . Round count is just shy of 1500 rounds. I've never stored the rifle with a round in it but I all the time leave it in the cocked position. So the firing pin spring is under tension but not the ejector one. He said that while I was in there it might be a good time to just do a full bolt rebuild.

So... Now the question is what all do you recommend? At some point in time I plan on shooting the barrel out on this rifle and at that point in time I'll have the action blueprinted and have a new tube screwed into it. At that point in time I'm not sure but I may just have a new PTG bolt installed into it. So based on that fact what to do......

Are these worth it?:
SPEEDLOCK FIRING PIN KITS | Brownells
REMINGTON 700 "LIGHTNING LOK" FIRING PIN | Brownells
SPEEDLOCK FIRING PIN ASSEMBLY | Brownells
REMINGTON 700 LITE FIRING PIN & SPRING | Brownells

If so which of these is best? Should I even replace the firing pin and spring? Maybe just the spring?

I'm assuming I need one of these:
EXTRACTOR, RIVETLESS | Brownells

Then the spring I actually have a problem with:
Should I go stock: EJECTOR SPRING | Brownells
or enhanced: REMINGTON 700/721/722 EJECTOR SPRING | Brownells

Do I need new pins?:
EJECTOR RETAINING PIN | Brownells

And I'm assuming that the ejector that is in there should be perfectly fine?:
EJECTOR | Brownells

Last but not least I've been considering a KMW bolt knob like this one:
http://home.comcast.net/~goniners/r700boltknob/kwmboltknob_small.jpg
Should I do that now? Or just stick it out, save the money, and wait till I put my new bolt in when the action gets blueprinted?

Thanks much for any an all advice.

If it means anything I'm VERY happy with the way this gun sits as of today. today I got 4 out of 5 rounds onto a 20" steel plate at 1200 yards in a 13 mph wind. Not bad for my little 308 700LTR.

Also if there is anything else I'm forgetting to put into my cart lemme know!

~Brett

 

[RL15]

Brett,

Sounds like your brass may be hitting the scope or mount.
check with a couple pieces of fired brass to see where the problem is.

 

[McCrazy]

Like RL15 said, run a few pieces of brass through your rifle and watch how they eject. It is much more common for the brass to hit the windage turret on the scope and cause issues than it is for the ejector spring to go bad.

 

[Frank]

Kinda hard for the brass to swap ends with out coming at least partially out of the action. I bet you probably don't work the bolt hard and fast during your usual shooting. With the clock running you put some muscle in it causing the brass to come out faster hitting the scope turrent. My hipower 700s shot in rapid fire strings for over 10 years on countless barrels still have all their original springs and ejectors except for firing pin springs. One extractor was replaced by accident. Firing pin springs were replaced every other year since they can affect accuracy. This talk of rebuilding the bolt sounds more like a AR instructor talking than a bolt gun guy.

 

[bh-ltr]

He's a big AR guy but he's also a while you've got the hood up kind of guy. The guy knows his stuff and has a VERY impressive resume as far as actual deployments and number of years training. He's also the first instructor that has shot with us and was a very impressive guy at pulling off all sorts of first round hits at all sorts of ranges.

I agree on the harder bolt working and I'll start watching for that. I do work the bolt differently when I'm head to head against someone.

~Brett

 

[bh-ltr]

Is there anything that can be done if I do find that the brass is hitting my windage knob other than calm the fuck down and don't eject the rounds that fast? Perhaps go to a different scope with smaller knobs. Right now I'm using a 1 piece 20MOA badger mount and a S&B 5-25 PMII.

~Brett

 

[sinister]

I had a 700 where the ejector pin hole was drilled in the wrong place. Cases would extract, but once the extractor let go the empty sat right on top of the next round in the internal magazine (the ejector didn't push the base of the case out far enough to dump overboard). Was annoying as hell until my gunsmith figured it out.

I like the Tubb and Blackheart International Speedlock pins and springs.

 

[The_FNG]

Have a look at your windage knob, if it's hitting, you might see some brass stain there.

 

[popeye089]

I find that when people run bolt actions slow and try to be methodical, they tend to have more malfunctions. I've seen this in a lot of actions from a lot of makers. Run the bolt. These actions are containing 60,000+psi People need to realize their baby soft hands aren't going to damage these rifles. I think most shooters forget that these are tools, not Faberge eggs. Run them and don't mind the scratches. It just adds personality.

 

[bh-ltr]

Took a look at the windage knob and there are no brass dings. There are bumps and scrapes from riding in the car out of a case and just bumping on bunkers and stuff. As far as the malfunctions I do find they are more prevalent when I am trying to go faster. I'm not a methodical type. I've got a fairly practiced method which involves opening with the blade of the hand, curl the fingers and slam it rearward towards my face. Then sending forward with the thumb wrapping the fingers around the trigger guard and slamming it forward and down before slipping back into firing position. Its something that works very fast for me and allows me to remain on target for quicker follow up shots.

Sent from my HTC6500LVW using Tapatalk 4

 

[sinister]

That's how you should be cycling it. In the National Match Course or the International Course (shot with a Remington 700 or Winchester 70) if you don't you'll be hosing yourself. Kinda like short-shucking an 870 pump shotgun.

In the National Match Course you have 60 seconds to go from standing to sitting to shoot 10 rounds (two separate 5-shot magazines, mag change required) at 200 yards, or 70 seconds for standing to prone (two magazines of 5 with a mandatory magazine change). In the International Course you have 60 seconds to shoot 10 shots at 100 or 300 Meters, standing.

Either way, if you have a short shuck or empties landing in the rifle you're hosed.

The stock 700 bolt is a good piece of gear -- you might want to have the handle welded to the bolt body, or have a bolt secure the handle shaft. A round bolt handle helps with fast cycling.

 

[popeye089]

Run it fast and run hard is what has always worked for me. Every time I have seen a malfunction it has been with slow cyclers. Also make sure if you are using an internal magazine, make sure the rounds are seated fully to the rear. If they aren't you may see a failure to feed. This is especially prevalent in long actions using a small action round I.E. 308 in a long action

 

[Supersubes]

Do you handload? High pressure rounds that cause ejector marks on the brass can actually cause the ejector to slam in the bottomed out position. The roll pin that retains the ejector rides in a half moon shaped cut in the ejector itself. When the ejector bottoms out, the half moon cut squashes the roll pin. The pin then binds the ejector in all or part of it's travel. You may be able to feel this by working the ejector by hand throughout its travel. It should not bind at all. I keep all the parts you linked on hand for repairs. Was the gun purchased new or used? It is common for people to trim a coil or two off the ejector spring to keep the brass from ejecting too far. Range guns usually, where bolts get worked slow, and the shooter wants the brass to stay on the bench.

A couple things can cause poor angle of ejection. It could just be the tooth in the ejector being slightly mishapen, or the ejector itself has an angle to its face. The relationship between those two parts in combination control the engle of ejection. You can actually reshape the ejector to change the case trajectory. Brass stains on the ejection port, or scope turret will tell the tale.

As mentioned above, watching the angle itself will tell you most of what you need to know. Since it only happens when you are working it fast leads me to believe the ejector is lagging on kicking the case free. If the bolt reaches full rearward travel before the ejector pushes the case sufficiently outside the action, the rear bridge of the action shrouds the case head causing it to do a clockwise 180 in the action.

Buy the parts you listed and do a process of elimination. You can compare the old ejector spring with the new, and see immediately if your spring is missing coils or sagging. Remember, if you remove your old extractor, it is junk and cannot be reused.

 

[MrMarty51]

This is some mighty interesting information. I will be aquiring a new to Me 700 this weekend, I`ll be thinking of this thread when I take it to the range for the first time.

 

[bh-ltr]

I'm quite a bit off of high pressure loads but my ejected rounds don't go very far at all. A pile forms quite close to me and I'd not mind at all if the pile was another 4 or 5 feet away. Think I'll go ahead and order some of these parts.

~Brett

Do you handload? High pressure rounds that cause ejector marks on the brass can actually cause the ejector to slam in the bottomed out position. The roll pin that retains the ejector rides in a half moon shaped cut in the ejector itself. When the ejector bottoms out, the half moon cut squashes the roll pin. The pin then binds the ejector in all or part of it's travel. You may be able to feel this by working the ejector by hand throughout its travel. It should not bind at all. I keep all the parts you linked on hand for repairs. Was the gun purchased new or used? It is common for people to trim a coil or two off the ejector spring to keep the brass from ejecting too far. Range guns usually, where bolts get worked slow, and the shooter wants the brass to stay on the bench.

A couple things can cause poor angle of ejection. It could just be the tooth in the ejector being slightly mishapen, or the ejector itself has an angle to its face. The relationship between those two parts in combination control the engle of ejection. You can actually reshape the ejector to change the case trajectory. Brass stains on the ejection port, or scope turret will tell the tale.

As mentioned above, watching the angle itself will tell you most of what you need to know. Since it only happens when you are working it fast leads me to believe the ejector is lagging on kicking the case free. If the bolt reaches full rearward travel before the ejector pushes the case sufficiently outside the action, the rear bridge of the action shrouds the case head causing it to do a clockwise 180 in the action.

Buy the parts you listed and do a process of elimination. You can compare the old ejector spring with the new, and see immediately if your spring is missing coils or sagging. Remember, if you remove your old extractor, it is junk and cannot be reused.

 

[hdbiker1]

8541 Tactical has a youtube video of what a bad extractor will do, which is what you're seeing. On that note, I'd replace the extractor and replace the factory firing pin spring for good measure.

 

[mark5pt56]

I just tweaked a 700 bolt that was doing the same thing. The ejector was stuck about half way(approx 1/8" from bolt head) I removed it, polished it and cleaned the channel. It now throws the brass better than any remington I've ever had. Original spring by the way.

 

[bh-ltr]

Just found the 8541 tactical video here:
Remington 700 Failure to Eject - Extractor Failure Demonstration - YouTube

Yes this is EXACTLY what is happening to me. I've ordered a bunch of drifts, all the pins that I could possibly lose, a new ejector, a new extractor, all new springs, and a bolt mainspring tool. Also got the cup drift that I need to finally clean my P220 slide. Going to be a fun day when all this shows up. Appreciate all the input gentlemen. Very much dig this site and how helpful you all can be!

Now if it wasn't opening day of hunting season I'd be out setting up targets with my dad this weekend. Oh well we'll give em a while and then we'll go back to our old shooting grounds.

~Brett

 

[mackdrvr]

^^^^^^ I have that same ring.

 

[bh-ltr]

Ok so to close the loop:

I first removed the ejector and cleaned the hell out of it and replaced it with the Wolf extra strength spring. I cycled a few rounds and immediately decided that I didn't like the feel when closing the bolt on a live round. The bolt was just a bit harder to close and while it was ok it just didn't feel comfortable compared to what I'm used to.

I then pulled the Wolf spring and replaced it with a stock Remington replacement spring. I then cycled a few rounds and it was still yet a stiffer close than I was used to but it feels more like the gun did when it was new. So I took the rifle to the range and ran some speed drills. the problem was MUCH improved but it did still happen a few times.

I then pulled the ejector out and replaced it and then went back to the range. I ran some more speed drills. Ended up going through 75 rounds without a single failure. I think I've got this one licked. Now I need to order another main spring so that I have one on hand when/if its needed. Unfortunately the one that I ordered was LA and I've got an SA.

Thanks for all the advice and tips gentlemen.

~Brett