Remington 700 firing pin problem

[long-shot]

This is a well used Remington 700 with a total of around 7 thousand rounds thru it so I'm not complaining about the rifle, but I was getting some really odd results yesterday. It was piercing primers (which it has never done) and getting light primer strikes during the same day using ammo that was loaded using the same lot of primers and loaded on the same day.

I pierced at least a dozen primers, and towards the end of the day I was getting my light strikes. By the end of the day I couldn't get the bolt to go into battery so there was definitely something wrong. I pulled the firing pin/shroud when I got home and it was stuck. I freed it, and tossed it in an ultrasonic sink for a few minutes. There was also a ton of crap in the lug recesses that I'm cleaning out now.

I really think that enough carbon built up in the firing pin assembly and lug recesses to cause inconsistent primer ignition.

What do you guys think?

Rifle specs:
Remmy 700 (.308)
Hart Barrel
175 SMK, 43.5 grains Varget, CCI 200, Win hulls
AAC Cyclone K

 

[Hateca]

Re: Remington 700 firing pin problem

Yes or you had something else in the bolt body causing you issues. If you pierced primers you could have also burnt the tip of that pin off. Check pin protrusion to be sure you don't need to replace the pin.

Also based on my book that load is over max. You could have a pressure issue especially running with the can.

Have you run this load before? If yes and you were fine what if anything has changed? New lot of powder, running the can for the first time? If this is an old load something has changed to cause to pierce primers.