Remington 700 picks and choses when to fire

[Wallrat]

Dang. I wonder where Wallrat got that disturbing video.

I had an issue with occasional misfires recently with a rifle chambered in 9.3 X 62 I was handloading for. Here are some things to consider:

Check your firing pin protrusion. I believe it should be in the ballpark around .035" to .055" but there's lots of data on the Internet which can confirm that. It's easy to check with a dial caliper or take it to a proper gunsmith if you're not comfortable checking it yourself. As folks have mentioned previously, gunk can get inside the firing pin channel and a little brass chip or old solidified grease can cause inadequate protrusion through the bolt face. If the rifle has been firing without a hitch until just recently, it's more likely an ammo problem, not a gun problem. I sure wouldn't change out any springs or get a new firing pin until you've cleaned the bolt, and especially the firing pin channel, thoroughly.

In my case I was over-doing it with the sizing die. The 9.3 X 62 shoulder is not very substantial and it's sloped gently. The .366" diameter bullet is not much smaller than the case body. It took me a while to sort it out but I found I was creating too much headspace by sizing my cases too much. Once I backed the sizer die out a few thousandths (the exact amount I don't recall) I still had no problem closing the bolt and my problem went away. Minimum headspacing is the way to go for a number of good reasons. It seems the firing pin was striking the primer with adequate protrusion and energy, but the impact forced the under-sized case deeper into the chamber instead of detonating the primer. It seems the short gradually-sloped shoulder was not in firm contact with the chamber and the extractor had enough slop and flex in it . . . so the cartridge periodically slid forward enough to rob the primer of the energy it needed to ignite. Sometimes a cartridge would "go off" on a second attempt and sometimes it wouldn't. This was obviously a matter of setting the shoulder back only a few thousandths of an inch too much. This phenomenon is rare and with cases which have a more significant bearing surface on the shoulder I don't believe it's as likely to occur.

The last thing to consider, from my perspective, is the primer itself. Some are definitely harder to ignite than others. If you have a clogged firing pin channel, or a weak spring, or a firing pin on the low side of adequate protrusion, a hard primer can certainly be difficult to detonate. My experience seems to indicate CCI primers are the hardest, with Winchester and Remington primers softer and Federal the easiest to set off. I have no scientific way of measuring this, but those are my observations after loading a LOT of rounds since 1977. Again, there may be some data available on the Internet to support or debunk what I'm saying. Your mileage may vary, right?

Good luck sorting out your problem and happy hunting Sir.

I'd seen it somewhere before…you know how the Internet is. So when this thread came up it seemed like a good time to give it another play. It's a good reminder. My guess is that it was the first hang he'd seen. Almost the last one.

 

[crm3006]

That sounds like way more work and time than just taking the bolt apart, and you still don't know how much gunk might have accumulated in the backside of the bolt head. And really, the only thing you have to do is unscrew the firing pin/spring/striker assembly from the bolt body to clean it all. Give a rinse with brake parts or carb cleaner, dab it with a towel to see if its clean, and repeat till all the grease and oil is out. Same thing with the bolt head. I use long q tips to make sure the inside is clean, then back together. If you have to lube it, I use a small drop of clear rem oil with Teflon. Some run them dry, especially in cold weather.

As stated in this thread many times, too much oil/grease attracts dirt and will eventually cause light strikes. It also gets stiff when cold. I bought a Savage 110 on the cheap many years ago. Previous owner stated that it wouldn't go off about every 10th shot. Even showed me some dented primers. I offered to replace the main spring for him, but he was done with it and just wanted to move on. Upon disassembly, I found that there was so much greasy gunk packed between the spring coils that they hardly had space to move.

Brownell's sells a Remington bold disassembly tool that is very easy to use. Takes out all the stress and strain. I am sure other suppliers sell this or similar tools. Seems to me it beats the convoluted and complicated procedure that one poster went through. Plus, with a bolt disassembly tool in your gun kit or possibles bag, you can strip and clean the bolt and be back hunting or shooting in way less time.

 

[Brad Norman]

I'd seen it somewhere before…you know how the Internet is. So when this thread came up it seemed like a good time to give it another play. It's a good reminder. My guess is that it was the first hang he'd seen. Almost the last one.

I do wonder why was this being filmed in the first place? I watched it over and over and I cringed every time! Very good reminder of something we shouldn't need a reminder for at all. It's a bit like seeing someone standing on the tracks as a train hits them. Good reminder NOT to do that! Yikes!!

 

[Harry Knutz]

I do wonder why was this being filmed in the first place? I watched it over and over and I cringed every time! Very good reminder of something we shouldn't need a reminder for at all. It's a bit like seeing someone standing on the tracks as a train hits them. Good reminder NOT to do that! Yikes!!

The more I look at it, The more I don't believe it's real,

: Why is this being filmed?

: The velocity of the hat moving seems a little slow for something moving 1200 fps.

: There is no debris that flys off of the hat etc.

: No wad falling away.

: Could have been a crosman co2 shotgun with no projectile? If you watch it closely around the pump section, You see vapor after it happens. Just a thought?

: Could have been an airline rigged up to it somehow? Just a thought?

Pic of crosman co2 shotgun

 

[Wallrat]

I saw a clip of the guy afterwards. It was real. His forehead was messed up. I think he was a newbie…filming himself. That's pretty much verified by him looking down the barrel.

 

[Chesterrose79]

Disassembled the bolt and am in the process of cleaning the bolt and pin assembly. Afterwords is it recommended to use a lubricant that doesn't freeze up? Or leave it bare? If it's recommended to us a lubricant what one? Or type?

 

[Lee7588]

Disassembled the bolt and am in the process of cleaning the bolt and pin assembly. Afterwords is it recommended to use a lubricant that doesn't freeze up? Or leave it bare? If it's recommended to us a lubricant what one? Or type?

I use a CLP may not be the best but it works for me

 

[Chesterrose79]

I use a CLP may not be the best but it works for me

Thank you

 

[crm3006]

Disassembled the bolt and am in the process of cleaning the bolt and pin assembly. Afterwords is it recommended to use a lubricant that doesn't freeze up? Or leave it bare? If it's recommended to us a lubricant what one? Or type?

I would spray the whole assembly down with Rem Oil® and wipe it as dry as possible with a clean, lint-free cloth. You won't get all the Rem Oil® by wiping it down, but what is left will provide sufficient lubrication, without attracting gunk.

 

[M1A1ABRAMS]

For the life of me I can't understand why anyone would do that.

Cause you can. lol

 

[LoneTraveler]

How old is the your 308 rifle? The 700 Rem. Has been around since 1962. I saw my first 700 Remington in 1963, In the Chinon, France Rod and Gun Club while serving in the U.S. Army.

Tearing down the bolt and a good cleaning job would be the place to start. If that does not solve the problem, Its time for a new spring. Check the primers close. If there is a feelabe sharp edge, Right at the edge of the firing pin dent, From the firing pin moving from pressure. The firing pin is weak.

When I inherited the first 722 Remington in 222 Rem. that came to our home town about 1952, From my father in 1995. It was piercing primers, and failing to fire, Replaced the firing pin gun back shooting like it did when he bought it.
Be safe, Good Luck finding the problem and cure.

 

[simo hayha]

Demon possessed

 

[alancthomas]

I agree with the other posters. Clean the bolt well and just as general maintenance with the amount of rounds on it I'd replace the spring. I'd bet money that'll take care of your issue.

I had a 40x in 6mm that did the sane thing , I then took the bolt completely apart Cleaned and lubed ! End of story !

 

[Muledeerhuntingfreak]

I have a Remington 700 308. Has about 5000 rounds on the action. Just recently about every 50 rounds it will fail to fire. I will eject the round and there will be a firing pin imprint on the primer that seems the same as all of the other fired rounds. I'll put the round back in the gun and it will fire. Could this be a firing pin issue or a spring issue? Or both? Thank I'm advance for your knowledge.

Merry Christmas

Thanks for your service