Thread: Brass on bolt face

Hi all

I've just come back from the range and while putting my .22-250 back in the safe, noticed that there is a fair amount of brass on the bolt face.
I haven't seen this on any of my other rifles, just wondering if this is normal?
Factory ammo if that makes any difference.

I would say that's abnormal. Looks like a lof of brass. Not necessarily hazardous though.
What brand of brass ?

Originally Posted by 30.06king

I would say that's abnormal. Looks like a lof of brass. Not necessarily hazardous though.
What brand of brass ?

It was mostly some older highland ammo that I got when I brought the rifle, several years ago. With a few rounds of Hornady varmit ammo.
No problems extracting brass after firing

What strikes me about that bolt face is how dirty/rough/dull it looks. Mirror finish is much easier to clean, nothing much sticks well to it.

A build up of brass on the bolt face acts like a shim; so the firing pin has to travel further not to mention the bolt being harder to close. That doesn't look bad, but I'd clean it off and keep an eye on things in the future.

Was the Highland ammo new or handloads? Looks like the cases may have been over length to the shoulder.
GPM.

Originally Posted by grandpamac

Was the Highland ammo new or handloads? Looks like the cases may have been over length to the shoulder.
GPM.

I was thinking the opposite

That brass has been fair rattling around in there under pressure

Some of the Hornady factory ammo, especially 'super performance' can be pretty hot if you have a tight chamber.
I was getting pressure signs with it in my 6.5 Grendel.
Extractor marks on brass, lots of brass on bolt face (like you), cratered primers, etc.
What Hornady ammo were you using?

Originally Posted by Bos

A build up of brass on the bolt face acts like a shim; so the firing pin has to travel further not to mention the bolt being harder to close. That doesn't look bad, but I'd clean it off and keep an eye on things in the future.

Are you seriously suggesting a tiny smudge of brass filling the low spots on that bolt would affect the length of firing pin travel and therefore ignition ?
An un measurable amount of loose brass

Originally Posted by akaroa1

Are you seriously suggesting a tiny smudge of brass filling the low spots on that bolt would affect the length of firing pin travel and therefore ignition ?
An un measurable amount of loose brass

The bolt will be in battery too be able too fire.
The case will be in the chamber as far as it can go either with or without the smudge of brass.
When fired the firing pin will have driven the case forward anyway if there was a fraction of looseness to the shoulder.
Same difference either way the firing pin will not have "travel further" than it ever had or does in that particular rifle

had it happened with brand-new factory rifles during the "break in period" but it stops happening after a couple of hundred shots give the bolt face a good clean with an old toothbrush and a bit of mild solvent like Hoppies

Originally Posted by Cordite

What strikes me about that bolt face is how dirty/rough/dull it looks. Mirror finish is much easier to clean, nothing much sticks well to it.

I parkerized all the metal work on the rifle as the blueing was in terrible shape when I brought it, so it's all dull metal.
Was wondering if that was why it's taking so much brass on

Originally Posted by Dan88

I parkerized all the metal work on the rifle as the blueing was in terrible shape when I brought it, so it's all dull metal.
Was wondering if that was why it's taking so much brass on

It possibly is the reason, I notice a build up of brass on the extractor also, were you single loading or feeding from the magazine?

Originally Posted by 19Badger

It possibly is the reason, I notice a build up of brass on the extractor also, were you single loading or feeding from the magazine?

I was feeding from the magazine, but fed a couple of rounds as singles

Here are some pics of the bases of the cases and the ammo packets