Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Gunsmithing Pin hole in primer/bolt face

What do I do now? Do I need a new bolt? Bad batch of primers?

Thanks
Chuck

Winchester primers I presume. Yes, a bad batch and they'll replace them.

Yes Win Large Rifle Magnum. Bolt face is actually pitted. Is this going to be a problem or do I just shoot it?

Do a search, there is a thread about this topic on here. I recently returned 2K primers to Winchester, the paid me $45.00/K, I did not sustain any bolt face damage but there are posts about Winchester's compensation to those who did.

Same thing with a Garand I had rebuilt, including a new barrel and still-in-the-wrapper bolt.

Went to the range to zero and function-test, found this.

WLR primer, and a Garand-safe load of IMR-4895.

So I ditch the primers, is the bolt face a major problem? Elk hunt days away..

The boltface is serviceable, but discontinue using those primers.

Winchester may pay for the boltface damage. I pushed them on my Garand bolt, you may have to get a quote for repair or replacement. Stay on their ass.

Do you still have the container the primers came in with the Lot number?

They offered to pay for the etched bolt face on my Marlin X7. When I sent the rifle for repair, the shop fixed the broken ejector plunger, and returned the rifle with the bolt face just the way it was. It has worked fine ever since. I don’t use the Winchester primers anymore, though.

FC

Lots of milsurp Mausers have pitting, they work fine. If it bothers you a gunsmith will fix it by chucking it in a lathe and scraping a little off the bolt face. Do scrape out the carbon of course. A random chunk of brass does nicely. And make sure the ejector moves freely (carbon not binding it)

I do...

Lot No
HCL361G

WLRM

Persistence is indeed called for in dealing with Winchester, I completed a claim form available on-line and e-mailed it to them. It took half a dozen e-mails and phone calls, spoke to 3-4 different customer service representatives. Finally the claim was turned over to an outside firm that handles Winchester's refund account. They sent packaging and arranged for pick-up by a trucking company. Approximately 2 weeks after the primers were picked up I received the refund check. Keep records of every time you contact them and stay on them, eventually you will get compensated. The claim form mentioned is available at: HTTPS://winchester.com/support/customers/product-support

Thank you all for the input and advice! Once my elk hunt is over(Nov 3rd) i'll get all over this. I pulled all the bullets dumped the powder punched the primers and use some form a batch I know is good and am going hunting!!! I will let you all how it all pans out.. Thanks

Not a gunsmith but I have heard of TIG welding the bolt face and then re-grinding. If it is ground down only then check head space to make sure the barrel doe's not need to be set back.