Bolt Etching Bullets Problem

[Scuds03]

Hey guys i need some help. My last trip at the range after about 500 rounds my accuracy started going out the window and I started getting FTE's. I noticed that my bolt was ething my bullets. Basically everytime a new round is chambered, as the bolt goes forward it scrapes the next one in the mag. Please watch this vid I made which goes into more detail...Hoping for some input and was wondering if one of you wouldnt mind putting a couple bullets in yours, racking the bolt, ejecting the mag, and see if the top bullet in the mag has an etch in it. It does it with any ammo, on multiple mags, and both with the gun clean and dirty. HELP!!!!

Youtube Video: YouTube - 15 22 Bullet Etching

Pics:

 

[Rustpot]

The top round in the mag will ride the bottom of the bolt, from the mag spring pushing up the top round into the bolt's path. As the bolt moves forward to load that ridge hits the back of the round, forcing it into the feed ramp and the rim slips behind the extractor.

The only thing that contacts the top round of the mag is that section of the bolt. Take a good look for a burr, sharp corner, etc. A few pics to compare ours to would be good.

I know mine doesn't do that- I've pulled the mag during a string of fire to check round count.

 

[Scuds03]

The top round in the mag will ride the bottom of the bolt, from the mag spring pushing up the top round into the bolt's path. As the bolt moves forward to load that ridge hits the back of the round, forcing it into the feed ramp and the rim slips behind the extractor.

The only thing that contacts the top round of the mag is that section of the bolt. Take a good look for a burr, sharp corner, etc. A few pics to compare ours to would be good.

I know mine doesn't do that- I've pulled the mag during a string of fire to check round count.

K I wont be able to get a pic of the bolt til tomorrow. Mine does it both from firing and hand cycling the weapon.

 

[Scuds03]

Sent an e-mail with the pics attached, lets see what they say. Customer service test for you guys

 

[whoppo]

Just a random thought and probably way off base, but maybe check to see that the barrel is tight? I can't quite picture a loose barrel causing the gouging, but it would cause the accuracy to suffer.

 

[BELT_FED]

ya and while your checking stuff take a good look at your mag and make sure it isnt cracked and maybe try a different mag all together

 

[HKster]

A few pics to compare ours to would be good.

Mine does the same thing, but not as bad.
I don't know if it has to do anything with the bolt / hammer.
I was having FTF issues, but it seems to be shooting OK now.
If it gets bad again, I'll contact S&W.

 

[Scuds03]

ya and while your checking stuff take a good look at your mag and make sure it isnt cracked and maybe try a different mag all together

I had a way busy day today and couldnt get around to getting a pic of my bolt. I have 8 mags and it does it in all of em

 

[Scuds03]

S&W e-mailed me back promptly and said that i should send it in to them. They are mailing me a Fed-Ex pre-paid mailing label to ship my gun with. Said they'd have it between 2-4 weeks to fix it.

 

[ChattanoogaPhil]

Ya know... I have griped from day1 that my rifle is a sub par shooter.

 

[RIFLEMAGIC]

I too am having this problem. Cleaned it last night again so we will see

 

[Scuds03]

I'm glad I'm not the only one, but I'm not glad if you know what I mean haha. Phil, yours doesn't look like its doing it as deeply as mine is but yep thats what I mean, I don't think that should be happening right? I don't claim to be an expert on such things but you'd think that a gash in the bullet would affect accuracy or even barrel wear right?

 

[ChattanoogaPhil]

I don't think that should be happening right? I don't claim to be an expert on such things but you'd think that a gash in the bullet would affect accuracy

Right. I'm no expert either, but I think it's safe to say that scraping chunks out of the bullet doesn't help accuracy.

I had the pleasure of talking with Mel at S&W CS. Naturally, he had never heard of this issue before. However, he seemed anxious to get my info so he could mail out a return label.

If any of y'all out there have such an issue and wish to discuss the matter with a S&W CS rep who has heard of this issue... Mel has now heard of it.

ps. Tried the same thing with my Sig522. Bullets showed no marks. Same with Ruger 22/45.

 

[Rustpot]

I double checked while at the range today, no issues here.

I'd like to see Scuds bolt, as well as anyone else having the issue just for curiosity's sake. Specifically that small bar that wraps from the breach face around the bottom and is straddled by the 2 machined valleys.

There's got to be a burr or an edge or something. I wish I could take some pictures to point out what I'm talking about, but I still can't find my camera's charger.

 

[chuck s]

Not even a single light mark on any bullets here.

-- Chuck

 

[Scuds03]

I double checked while at the range today, no issues here.

I'd like to see Scuds bolt, as well as anyone else having the issue just for curiosity's sake. Specifically that small bar that wraps from the breach face around the bottom and is straddled by the 2 machined valleys.

There's got to be a burr or an edge or something. I wish I could take some pictures to point out what I'm talking about, but I still can't find my camera's charger.

Hey man I tried about half an hour to get a decent picture with my digital camera but the macro setting isnt good enough to focus with a good enough close-up distance to get a pic with a enough detail to inspect anything on the bolt.

I know what part of the bolt you are talking about and if I run my finger nail along the bottom land of that center "bar" from the rear toward the front of the bolt when I get to the edge my nail hangs up on a bur at the end. I think thats where the problem lies. I could polish it down with a stone but I already have a shipping label on the way from S&W and don't want any tool marks on my bolt when I send it if you know what I mean haha. Plus I want them to see the bur so they know of the problem if anyone else calls with the same issue.

 

[Scuds03]

Right. I'm no expert either, but I think it's safe to say that scraping chunks out of the bullet doesn't help accuracy.

I had the pleasure of talking with Mel at S&W CS. Naturally, he had never heard of this issue before. However, he seemed anxious to get my info so he could mail out a return label.

If any of y'all out there have such an issue and wish to discuss the matter with a S&W CS rep who has heard of this issue... Mel has now heard of it.

ps. Tried the same thing with my Sig522. Bullets showed no marks. Same with Ruger 22/45.

I cantacted S&W through e-mail and they didn't even question my problem they just said this:

I am sorry to hear about your issue. Please send me your mailing info, serial number and phone number with area code so I can send you a pre-paid FedEx return label so we can get the firearm back here at the factory to make sure that is within factory specifications at no cost to you. We stand behind our products and will make this right for you.

Regards, Steve

I just put an order in for a pre-paid, pre-insured FedEx return label. Please allow around 5 business days for delivery. Please follow the instructions that will be included in the package. Include a letter with your contact information and a description of the issue. We stand behind our products and will make this right for you.

I would say that we will have your gun between 2-4 weeks.

Regards, Steve

 

[HKster]

I cantacted S&W through e-mail and they didn't even question my problem they just said this:

I am sorry to hear about your issue. Please send me your mailing info, serial number and phone number with area code so I can send you a pre-paid FedEx return label so we can get the firearm back here at the factory to make sure that is within factory specifications at no cost to you. We stand behind our products and will make this right for you.

Regards, Steve

I just put an order in for a pre-paid, pre-insured FedEx return label. Please allow around 5 business days for delivery. Please follow the instructions that will be included in the package. Include a letter with your contact information and a description of the issue. We stand behind our products and will make this right for you.

I would say that we will have your gun between 2-4 weeks.

Regards, Steve

I contacted S&W USA and they can't help me because I am in Canada. (BTW, in Canada, customer has to pay for shipping to the service centre. My insured shipping is $45 through Loomis......ouch.....I am pissed.

Here is a reply from S&W USA.
"Hello, I do wish there was an allowance for guns outside the US. We are not that big yet."


Here is the reply from Canada service centre:
"I can assure you that the scraped bullets will not damage the barrel in a hundred years. The scraping is caused by the bolt running over the mag and the bullet and is normal."

I am super choked now. This is my 1st & last S&W product. I am not impressed with their Customer Service.

 

[Scuds03]

Man they are hard on the Canadians! Your experience sounds much much differnet that the "We stand behind our products and will make this right for you." response I got.

A mild scratch on the bullet is one thing but a full on gouge with a small ball of metal pushed up toward the tip of the bullet like my pictures show leaves room for worry. Even if it wouldn't damage the barrel in a hundred years, I don't want my gun ruining my bullets. There has been a couple times where the bolt hasn't seated all the way forward because it got stuck dug into the bullet. That seems like an OOB waiting to happen to me.

 

[Slider_]

I just checked my DUR for this. It's doing it too. Seems like some are worse than others though. Nowhere near scuds. I think my worst one looked like hkster or phils. Tested it with velocitors, cci sub sonic, and blazers. The gouge was deepest on the blazers. But a couple of the velocitors had dents in the casing. I noticed a super tiny lip on the center piece of the bolt that loads the rounds. Looks like it was starting to deform from something. It's like metal used for the bolt is weak. I'll try sand the lip off since it hasn't gotten bad yet and get back to you guys