Does a stuck bolt result in a damaged rifle?

[RolandtheHeadless]

I just stuck the bolt of my .300 Win Mag with a load that was somehow way too hot. I had to hammer the bolt open, and on the case was black hole where the primer used to be.

I've never had this happen to me in almost forty years of reloading, but I assume I screwed up somewhere, and when everyone finishes telling me what an idiot I am, I'll go on. <lengthy pause>

My question to any gunsmiths or other knowledgeable posters here is this: How likely is it that I've damaged my rifle? Should I have it checked out by a gunsmith before shooting it again?

I'm leaving for Africa in four days, this is the rifle I've gotten permitted, and I have the feeling I may have screwed the pooch.

Thanks in advance for any help.

 

[stug]

You might be ok but I would get the headspace checked before firing another round.

 

[JimP]

I agree that the head space and perhaps even the chamber dimensions should be checked before firing it again.

Don't worry too much about it happening, just remember that you are alive to tell us about it.
Anyone who reloads will have a miss hap sooner or later. Some like myself get away by just having to remove a bullet from the barrel when we pull the trigger on a load that doesn't have any or too little powder in it.

 

[Mekaniks]

Oh Roland....

It happens to everyone eventually in one way or another, your just happens to be a few days before leaving for Africa.... Over Memorial weekend...

So Here are your options the way I see them,

1. Take it to a gunsmith asap and get it checked but, given that it's Memorial Day weekend good luck. If you can pull it off I think this is the best course of action. Maybe you know ( or some you know knows) a gunsmith that you can call at home this will give it a quick inspection for you given your situation.

2. If you know how, AND ONLY IF YOU KNOW HOW, pull the bolt apart and inspect the firing pin, extractor, locking lugs, bolt face ect. If all is well test fire it with a factory loaded round. This option is only if you are comfortable doing it yourself! If not,don't go there!!!

3. Notify your PH that you need to rent/borrow a rifle and leave yours at home and get it checked when you get back. This is probebly the next best option after number 1 and may be the only option based on what options 1 and/or 2 provide. There really is nothing wrong with using a loaner rifle, people do it all the time and it will save you the hassle of lugging your rifle all the way around the world.

Good Luck let us know how it turns out!!

 

[CAustin]

Great advice to use a loaned rifle on this. I should think that having to hammer the bolt open is an indication of damage!

 

[greyfox]

NO, 99% NO DAMAGE,

Rifles are steel, iron, heavy metal, Brass is soft and fluid, A stuck case or bolt is because the brass "flowed" where it's not normally, or expanded to the point of sticky-ness because of a too hot load.
Primer holes are the weak point in brass (path of least resistance...)

I've done what you did, I mis-read the charts and had a 10 grain overcharge, stuck a bolt, beat it open, shot it again, stuck another one!! DUH...LOL
Took everything home and figured out where my goof up was. Rifle was not damaged at all, but you did come pretty close to ruining a rifle and your day....

Diligence pays at the reloading bench, but your rifle should be fine....

 

[Eddie P]

Be careful hammering the bolt, I saw someone hammer the handle off at the range once.

 

[PHOENIX PHIL]

I did this once too, and yeah the feeling of being as stupid as a sheep when I realized what I did was not fun. I had the rifle checked out, no issue. As mentioned brass gives way before steel. But yeah I would look for a gunsmith that is open for work on Saturday and explain the situation. I have one at my local range who would drop what he's doing under the circumstances. If you were anywhere near Phoenix, AZ we'd have the rifle figured out in a few hours as he's open virtually year round with only a few holidays being the exception, but never more than one day.

 

[Pheroze]

I am glad you are ok! But, we have a confessional to purge your soul while you're waiting on your gun to be checked:

http://www.africahunting.com/thread...-reloading-mistakes-that-you-have-made.27669/

We await your first report of your hunt

 

[postoak]

If all you did was blow a primer it is very unlikely you hurt your rifle. As for sticking the bolt, heck that's easy to do. I've done it more than once just seating out a bullet a little too far. I don't think bolt actions have much extracting ability, despite what some people say.

 

[greyfox]

Be careful hammering the bolt, I saw someone hammer the handle off at the range once.

They are a bugger to weld or braze back on too!!!

 

[greyfox]

Roland, Where are you located?

 

[sestoppelman]

Likely no damage, but to be safe, I too would get it looked at. You didn't say what type of rifle it was. My dad stuck a Rem 700 with an overload once, hammered it open, sent it to the smith, it was fine.

 

[Hank2211]

If we had a thread for dumb things we've done . . . it would go on for pages. And pages.

 

[BRICKBURN]

Check and make sure your other loads have not been created with the same error.

I took a cartridge from a guy once, a reload. I shot it and could not even bring the bolt handle up after the shot. After kicking the bolt open, literally, I walked back (miles) to my vehicle and got my own ammunition.

After cursory inspection I loaded my regular ammunition and took a shot and found nothing wrong.

I swore never to shoot anyone else's reloads every again.


Just a thought: I assume all firearms are still "proof" tested and they use an over charge of 25 to 30% over max suggested for the caliber/cartridge.

If you happen to know what was in the over load (ie. you have another in the box you can weigh out after pulling the bullet) you could not some math and determine the likely pressure you created and see if it is small enough difference to be within the typical "proof" range.
If so, I might suggest that the result may tell you the probability of damage having occurred.

 

[JimP]

Check and make sure your other loads have not been created with the same error.

I took a cartridge from a guy once, a reload. I shot it and could not even bring the bolt handle up after the shot. After kicking the bolt open, literally, I walked back (miles) to my vehicle and got my own ammunition.

I would never let someone else shoot one of my reloads out of their rifle unless I had built that same reload up in his rifle.

I have said it many times what is safe in my rifle may not be safe in yours and vice versa.

 

[BRICKBURN]

I would never let someone else shoot one of my reloads out of their rifle unless I had built that same reload up in his rifle.

I have said it many times what is safe in my rifle may not be safe in yours and vice versa.

It was long ago when I did not even know what a reload was really.

 

[Mekaniks]

@RolandtheHeadless did you get it worked out?

 

[RolandtheHeadless]

Yes, I had a gunsmith check the rifle, and it's okay. Thanks for all the comments.

 

[stug]

That's good news, good luck on the hunt.