It would be pretty hard to fire a bolt action rifle without the bolt closed completely. I'm not saying it couldn't happen under any circumstance, like have an early detonation from who knows what but without the case pulled up tight to the bolt, the firing pin couldn't strike the primer. When this happened all kinds of soot & burnt powder residue went into the bolt & it left a circular burn the same shape & diameter as the primer. This was brand new Win brass. It wasn't loaded hot either. I had a total of 4 or 5 from the bag that did this.
A while back I had a box of WLR primers that were defective. Winchester made good on it by replacing 2 bolt heads & a new box or WLR. but the bad ones would burn thru the back right at the edge where it rolls to become a radiused edge. They had micro cracks along that rolled edge. They made a real mess of a bolt face. The cases & primer shown in the photos caused me to have to disassemble the bolt & clean all the ash & residue out of it. When I'd chamber a round I could feel the action of it was all scratchy & tight.
Frank in Fla
Reply With Quote
Bookmarks