Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Rifles Lug broke off A-Bolt II in 300rum--elk and antelope rest peacefully all over MT!

My go-to hunting rifle broke today. The lug with the extractor broke off in the receiver after firing a shot. I'm pretty certain the breakage caused me to miss a very easy shot to boot!

Anyhow, I'm sick about it. I've been running this rifle for around 9-10 yrs. It has been flawless. I've never hot-rodded it, and after 800 or so rounds it still shoots under 1 moa consistently. I'll never fire it again, regardless of what Browning will do for me. This was too close to a catastrophic failure. My wife fired the round before, tipping over an antelope at 416yds. It scares the hell out of me to think of the results had the bolt broken loose entirely.

Details: 300 rum. 200 Accubond over 90 gn of RL-25, Fed 215 primer. For the record, I've been running this round exclusively for years (since the AB 200 came out, used the 180 before then). I've been getting 5+ shots per brass, never had the primer pockets get loose or had the bolt stick. On the brass in question, the primer is not flattened more than is usual for Federals, but there is a slight mark at the ejector pin. Also the head is not flat--the portion where the lug broke is bent very slightly, presumably where the lug gave. I think that part of the bolt face breaking away may have given the higher pressure mark on the ejector pin hole. I loaded the rounds in question a few days ago, weighing every charge. I am absolutely confident that I did not overload this particular round, or run of bullets (416 yd shots don't happen by accident).

What should I tell Browning? They said to send the rifle, and would say nothing more. I don't blame them for this initial response, but I'm worried about what will come. Will they blame it on handloads? Will they try to mail me a new bolt? I won't fire this rifle (which I absolutely love) ever again, nor do I want to sell it to someone else. I have no confidence in this action for heavy cartridges.

So here I am, one week before general season, still have my elk tag (no luck with the bow), with my broken rifle. I went to a gun shop today with all the other jerks looking for a rifle for this season. My other rifles for elk are either taken, too light (ie 223), too heavy (ie AR10, though the idea is mildly entertaining), or don't exist. I am too hard on my elk rifle to borrow from anyone. Dang.

That is indeed scary. I am glad that nobody was injured, but that would make me very nervous!

Even if Browning sends a completely new rifle, I would be thinking of those bolt lugs every time I was going to pull the trigger -- no way would I hit well with a rifle I expected to send the bolt through my right cheekbone! I would sell the rifle or its replacement, and buy something else. I am sure that others will post about how the Browning is great, and that it did not fail even if one lug did. True, so sell the rifle to one of them!

If you are really hard on your elk rifle, get a Mauser. Lots of good used ones, and even when one fails due to an extreme overload, they usually protect the shooter very well.

When I think back to the days when I and a friend were teaching ourselves rifle reloading as teenagers, I think the only reason we are both alive and unmangled is Herr Mauser's design. My friend was both enthusiastic about velocity, and never double checked his loads!

John

Send it to Browning and see what they will do for you? I would imagine they will blame half on you for your reloads? There fore they may charge you half the repair costs of the rifle? Who knows you have nothing to lose at this point! I would go to Walmart and buy whatever 700 SPS or 700 ADL they had in 30.06 ect and buy some over the counter rounds, sight it in and go hunt. After the season you can buy a "nicer" firearm and keep this for an occasion such as this.

Yep, send it to Browning... gun manufacturers are not in a position to poke good customers around too much. I would expect, nor accept no less than a new replacement. Just give them a chance before you fan the fire.

g

Ouch! That really sucks

I would get it fixed by Browning, sell it,and never look back.

I don't know what the budget will stand,but for immediate needs, I'd look for a new FN M70 EW in 300 WSM...it will more than likely shoot really well,give good performance with factory ammo,and do about all expected from a 300 magnum,right out of the box....and IME they need very little,if any,tuning.

And I doubt the lugs will ever let go....

Sorry this happened and glad ya'll weren't injured. Isn't Ultra-Mag pretty synonymous with hot-rod?

Two-lugs is time proven... Take this opportunity to upgrade to a mopdel 70 or 700. I'd not expect anything from Browning, the company, not the name. OT

I wouldn't be too concerned about it...all rifles break sometimes.

Just because a factory rifle has more than one lug...2 or more, doesn't mean that all the lugs are actually touching the receiver. It's pretty common even with only two lugs that one has primary contact and takes more of the pressure, and the other one less or none sometimes. The engagement problem multiplies as the number of lugs increases.

So...One lug has enough material strength to hold the pressure, and your rifle actually did what it was supposed to do if one failed.

But unless Browning has a Warranty Repair Station nearby, or even if they do, it looks like you'll need to pick up another rifle to go hunting with this season...the good news is that it's only a $400 problem.

TC

Unnerving? yes. Close to catastophic failure? No. Design flaw? no. Get you something basic to hunt with this season until Browning returns your repaired or replaced deathray.

You do need to send the rifle back to Browning - they need to have a look at it and work out why it happened. It might save somebody's life! As Topcat says, it is likely that the lug that went has been the only pressure-bearing lug. Even if you aren't running hot loads, the bolt thrust running back through that lug from a RUM cartridge (both high pressure and large bolt face) would have been enormous. It is not suprising it would have eventually failed due to fatigue. I don't think you can attribute the failure to any fundamental failure of a three-lug design.

take a breath. send it back. visit wmt and pick up some form of reliable 30-06, 270, 308, etc., add a scope you probably have around the house, grab a couple factory loads and zero your rifle. i'm quite confident it will shoot minute of elk. you won't miss yout elk opener either. when browning returns your repaired rifle, put it in the safe "for old times sake" and start planning for the new rum.

Yeah hotsoup gave you the path and put the scope off your A bolt on there for familiarity to get back on track. Get it to Browning and repaired or replaced and move on,you didn't quit driving the last time some dick almost hit you did ya? Hey it came apart, but you are ok right? Time to move on. Magnum man

I had a New Haven Model 70 SS laminate that I purchased after the NH plant closed. The Bolt handle was not properly indexed . I sent it into Browning and they fixed it no charge and I had it back in 4 weeks. COmpared to Remington or Beretta customer service they are heads and tails above them.

To the OP send it back to Browning and I am sure they will send you a new rifle... No company wants one of their customers walking around with a bolt stuck in their forehead.

Have a drink or few to calm nerves.
Send rifle in.
Go buy Tikka in appropriate cal.
Buy some Blue Box ammo.
Sight in and curse the accuracy of above combo.
Go kill elk and other necessary critters.
Worry about busted rifle after season.

That's what I'd do...

That sounds like a good plan there...

Best guess is they'll fully inspect the receiver and if found to be undamaged they'll most likely just fit a new bolt to the action and send it back.

A quick look at Alliant shows for Speer 200 gr:
Federal 3.6 24 Fed 215 Reloder 25 88 2,942 <- the '88' is 88 grains.

http://www.realguns.com/articles/345.htm reviews a 700 CDL in .300 RUM, and has load data for AB 200 gr. CCI 250 primer. Max load of 88 gr RL-25.

Your load of 90-gr could be on the hot side for that rifle.

Read Terry Wieland's article about upping loads to destroy a couple of rifles. P17 Enfield and M96, if I recall. The lugs held on them, although they had to be hammered open to continue the tests.

I wouldnt tell any manufacturer that I sent a rifle back to that I was shooting reloads.

I would think that a case would rupture or a primer would pop if it was a case of overpressure from a reload, so if that didnt happen, keep it to yourself. Sounds like a material failure, dont let them shift the blame to you.

Agreed on most points. Send it back to Browning for assessment and appropriate remedial action. If they send your old rifle back fixed, into the safe for memories' sake. If they send you a new rifle, sell it and buy your ideal replacement rifle. In the interim, either go to Walmart and grab a suitable 700 in '06 or whatever they have that suits you and go hunting, or find a Tikka or Mdl 70 EW on Gunbroker or elsewhere. Also agreed on using your old scope, if it is serviceable. I understand your losing confidence it that rifle forever. I would too. But grab some sort of replacement rifle, go zero it, and don't lose the season because of what happened. It never hurts to have a good spare backup rifle in case your primary has a prob. So buy your backup now, go hunting, and then get your ideal rifle after the season when you have more time to shop. Good luck!

I'd guess that was a material defect , as this sort of thing happens very rarely It's amazing how strong most bolt action designs are . A friend had an old Carcano that we wrecked one day , just for the heck of it . We pulled the bullet from a factory round and replaced the powder with a case full of Bullseye pistol powder . We secured the stock to an old truck wheel . and ran a string from the trigger around behind a 3' Maple Tree about 50' back . At the shot , the barreled action splintered the stock and came right out the back side , tumbled a few times and stopped . The bolt was still in the receiver , but it would never open again . I was amazed that it held together Because the Carcano isn't a robust design , must have been made with German steel . This was back when you could buy a Carcano for $10.00 .

Get some good pics before you send it back.

(And don't let John Moses see this.)