Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Rifles Do you call BS or is this likely?

We know what caused the failure; the rifle was being asked to do more than the design would allow. I said fatigue simply because the action did not fail on the first shot but after a few. I was not there for the firing so was not able to monitor headspace change or lug deformation.
I have seen lug and seat deformation in various actions. Some as the result of severe overloads and others from using loads which were just a bit on the hot side for a period of time. A Sako L61 had gained about .006" in head clearance after firing around three hundred rounds of a load which I considered to be too hot and had warned the owner. On this rifle the lugs were visibly deformed.
A Browning A-Bolt showed just the opposite. The lugs looked fine but the seats were set back over .010"
These were cases where deformation was evident and I considered the rifles to be unsafe. With the 340, I considered the rifle in that chambering to be unsafe from the get-go but, as I said, I wasn't there for the shooting; I only saw the result which confirmed my initial assessment.
I agree that the OP is on the right path and should get good service from his rifle. As to the original question regarding brass deformation as a result of bolt deflection; I don't doubt it. GD

Often, old cheap stuff seems cool. Perhaps precious memories of when we were younger. I think you can trust Greydog.