6.5 Swede Carbine

[txbirdman]

Several years back I bought a 94 Swede carbine. It had the original stock but had been drilled/tapped for a scope and had a replacement safety. Had the Redfield mount with the little flipup "peep" site. I put a 4X Leupold on it and began to develop a load. Ended up with 39gr. of 4064 and 129 gr. Hornady. During load development I noticed a pit in the bolt face. In fact when the loads began to get a little hot primer would extrude into this recess. Is this a dangerous situation? What would be the prescribed remedy? Rifle shoots great but I've not shot it a great deal due to this concern.

[StarMetal]

How big a pit you talking? If it's a very small one I don't see any harm in shooting standard load, nothing super hot that is. A smith could probably correct it, unless you can find another replacement bolt cheap. Then you have to have the headspace checked if you go that route. Numrich has the bolt stripped for $41.80

Joe

[txbirdman]

I'd say it's about the diameter of the firing pin, maybe a little smaller. I thought about using JB Weld to fill the space. With the above referenced load which clocks at about 2500 fps the primer doesn't extrude but if you go up to 40 gr. the extrusion starts. The gun has matching numbers so I really don't want to change out the bolt.

[fourarmed]

The usual fix for such a thing would be installing a bushing in the boltface.

[Scrounger]

Several years back I bought a 94 Swede carbine. It had the original stock but had been drilled/tapped for a scope and had a replacement safety. Had the Redfield mount with the little flipup "peep" site. I put a 4X Leupold on it and began to develop a load. Ended up with 39gr. of 4064 and 129 gr. Hornady. During load development I noticed a pit in the bolt face. In fact when the loads began to get a little hot primer would extrude into this recess. Is this a dangerous situation? What would be the prescribed remedy? Rifle shoots great but I've not shot it a great deal due to this concern.

Using it as is won't do any harm but if you want to fix it, take it to a gunsmith. Have him fill in the cavity and firing pin hole with a welding outfit, resurface the bolt face to its correct dimension, and re-drill the firing pin hole. Half an hour of time would probably do it all... Another thing I've seen done is the gunsmith will drill and tap the firing pin hole and install (permanently) a small hardened screw, then resurface the boltface and drill a new firing pin hole.

[txbirdman]

Thanks for the advice. I think I will get the "old girl" fixed right.

[Buckshot]

Thanks for the advice. I think I will get the "old girl" fixed right.

Since it has no value as a collector, probably the least expensive way to go to "Fix it Right" would be as Joe suggested, and get a bolt from GPC. I'm willing to bet headspace will not be an issue. Otherwise I'd be inclined to either try epoxy to fill it and if that didn't work, take it to a gunsmith and have it TiG'd and then turned back flat. The instant and localized heat would do nothing to the case hardening of the lugs.

.............Buckshot

[txbirdman]

Thanks buckshot. Looks like I've got a few options to consider.