Bolt jamming on Ruger Gunsite Scout 308

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Bolt jamming on Ruger Gunsite Scout 308

Post by Peterwho » 16 Oct 2022, 9:01 pm

I bought a second hand Ruger gunsite scout a couple of months ago, didn’t do a lot with it but now has a zertech 1-6 on it and have been using it at the range. I put a box of Remington 130 corelokts through it 2 weeks ago. Pretty happy, cleaned it and back in the safe. Last weekend I put a box of buffalo river 9.7gr and did ok. Didn’t clean it. Yesterday, shot 7 of the buffalo river and on the eight shot bolt wouldn’t come back. Handle lifted ok. Range officer gave me a mallet and piece of wood. Couple of light taps and bolt went back and shell extracted. Had a look, couldn’t see anything unusual, cycled the bolt half a dozen times, all felt ok. Loaded the nine cartridge and same problem. Mallet again, one tap only.

Cleaned it again at home, dirtier than I thought it would be for 27 shots.

I have trawled the internet, and found way too many suggestions, problems and conflicting opinions. Gun is good, gun is rubbish etc. Too much pressure….is a common suggestion.

Buffalo river ammo is a few years old but not decades so.

Any thoughts or suggestions appreciated

Peter
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Re: Bolt jamming on Ruger Gunsite Scout 308

Post by animalpest » 16 Oct 2022, 9:49 pm

I own two of the same rifles and have put up to 1200 rounds through each in a week with no issues.

Normally a sticky bolt or extraction problem points to excess pressure so hence most of the suggestions.

Primary extraction with the Ruger bolt and extractor system should be good. The primary extraction on bolt lift should have moved the cartridge case enough to be able to fully extract it.

Not knowing the history and use of the rifle, it could have been abused or neglected in the past. Without looking at it, I would suggest the chamber may be an issue.

Given the issue has only occurred when you haven't cleaned it, and you said when you did it was dirtier than expected seems to point to a issue around that.

Check the chamber and throat.
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Re: Bolt jamming on Ruger Gunsite Scout 308

Post by Billo » 16 Oct 2022, 9:59 pm

Are you using an appropriate lube on the Bolt lugs and camming surface ?
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Re: Bolt jamming on Ruger Gunsite Scout 308

Post by Oldbloke » 17 Oct 2022, 4:59 am

Can you upload close up pics of the offending cases?
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Re: Bolt jamming on Ruger Gunsite Scout 308

Post by Over The Hill » 17 Oct 2022, 1:35 pm

I have the Ruger Scout in 308W, great robust gun and never had any issue EXCEPT with Australian Outback (ADI/Buffalo River same same) 165g Gameking ammo. I only fired a few shots as every one I had to knock the bolt up and it was hard to extract. Inspection of the cases showed sign of excessive primer flattening (compared to other brands I was using at the time) and also there was imprint on the case head from the bolt extractor groove. Fired a few more rounds of Federal 180g Powershok afterwards and no issue with that, bolt and gun relatively clean, lugs greased. I have no idea why this AO ammo was showing signs of excessive pressures. It was less than 2 years old and stored correctly. I had only bought one box for testing so just gave the rest away to another shooter at the range who interestingly put it through his Tikka without any issue. This is why I test 1 box first before buying in bulk as you will usually always find something that your gun doesn't like. PS mine also doesnt like Winchester Deer Season 150g, sprays them all over the place
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Re: Bolt jamming on Ruger Gunsite Scout 308

Post by Larry » 17 Oct 2022, 3:59 pm

I have found the Australian Outback ammo both in 223 and 308 to be quite hot way more than I expected for factory ammo.
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Re: Bolt jamming on Ruger Gunsite Scout 308

Post by Peterwho » 20 Oct 2022, 9:49 am

Thank you for the replies.

I misspoke re ammo brand on the weekend. The ammo is Musgrave

I do have grease on bolt lugs and cam. I usually re apply after cleaning

I have hopefully attached a photo of the cases
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Re: Bolt jamming on Ruger Gunsite Scout 308

Post by bladeracer » 20 Oct 2022, 10:01 am

Peterwho wrote:Thank you for the replies.

I misspoke re ammo brand on the weekend. The ammo is Musgrave

I do have grease on bolt lugs and cam. I usually re apply after cleaning

I have hopefully attached a photo of the cases


Never heard of it so I Googled it.
One of the first hits was this.
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Re: Bolt jamming on Ruger Gunsite Scout 308

Post by Peterwho » 20 Oct 2022, 10:08 am

64C529CB-300D-434C-A2F1-67DC4C95C57C.jpeg
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Cases in same order as per previous post.

The case on the left has a significantly larger firing pin mark

I was not smart enough to keep the two cases that jammed the bolt separate. My first post was not as clear as it could in that I has no issue in raising the bolt handle either time. It just couldn’t be pulled back without timber and mallet persuasion.

The gun, whilst secondhand, has had very few shots through it, no marks on gun indicating any form of misuse or abuse. Bolt face and extractor almost unmarked as well.

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Last edited by Peterwho on 20 Oct 2022, 6:45 pm, edited 2 times in total.
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Re: Bolt jamming on Ruger Gunsite Scout 308

Post by Peterwho » 20 Oct 2022, 10:26 am

Thank you Blade. I have followed a few more of those links. Not sure the ammo is worth preserving with. It is probably older than I thought, not that age of ammo within reason and being appropriately stored are necessarily of concern. Box has no indication re age, other than bilingual printing in English and Afrikaans.
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Re: Bolt jamming on Ruger Gunsite Scout 308

Post by Larry » 20 Oct 2022, 4:23 pm

It looks like the neck of the cartridge is engaging the lands. Can you see rifling marks on the neck.
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Re: Bolt jamming on Ruger Gunsite Scout 308

Post by Oldbloke » 20 Oct 2022, 4:46 pm

Larry wrote:It looks like the neck of the cartridge is engaging the lands. Can you see rifling marks on the neck.


Could be. Pics not quite up to the task
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Re: Bolt jamming on Ruger Gunsite Scout 308

Post by animalpest » 20 Oct 2022, 8:17 pm

Larry wrote:It looks like the neck of the cartridge is engaging the lands. Can you see rifling marks on the neck.


Or jamming up against the end of the chamber. There is no way a case can engage the lands.
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Re: Bolt jamming on Ruger Gunsite Scout 308

Post by Oldbloke » 20 Oct 2022, 8:35 pm

animalpest wrote:
Larry wrote:It looks like the neck of the cartridge is engaging the lands. Can you see rifling marks on the neck.


Or jamming up against the end of the chamber. There is no way a case can engage the lands.


I think that's what Larry meant/intended.
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Re: Bolt jamming on Ruger Gunsite Scout 308

Post by straightshooter » 21 Oct 2022, 7:03 am

Judging by the scuff marks on the case heads in the photo, then pressures are sufficiently hot for the case to fully expand longitudinally in the chamber, press firmly against the boltface and become tight to extract.
The cases are then difficult to extract because at that point the bolt has rotated past the primary part of the extraction cam which has the most extraction leverage.
With this type of action the problem is likely to lie in the relationship of the extractor claw to the boltface. If the claw is too far from the boltface the primary extraction is wasted in taking up the slack without dislodging the case.
If this is in fact the real problem then there are a couple of possible fixes.
I would be inclined to leave well enough alone and treat it as a warning sign that pressures are high and if handloading back off.
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Re: Bolt jamming on Ruger Gunsite Scout 308

Post by Peterwho » 21 Oct 2022, 11:20 am

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Thanks for the replies so far. No reloading done by me. Learning curves for rifles is steep enough. Some more pictures. The cases have a variety of marks, but interesting to note the 2 bottom right don’t have rounded necks anymore.
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Re: Bolt jamming on Ruger Gunsite Scout 308

Post by dnedative » 22 Oct 2022, 4:21 pm

Try some ammunition that's not nearly 50 years old and see what happens ;)
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Re: Bolt jamming on Ruger Gunsite Scout 308

Post by in2anity » 31 Oct 2022, 11:02 am

Peterwho wrote:but interesting to note the 2 bottom right don’t have rounded necks anymore.

That's just a dent from ejection - wouldn't pay much attention to it.
At what point does lack of maintenance become patina?
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Re: Bolt jamming on Ruger Gunsite Scout 308

Post by Peterwho » 01 Nov 2022, 3:55 pm

Thanks for that in2anity.

I think I will give up on that ammo.

I went to Seaham on the weekend and put half a box of Remington corelok through and performed perfectly.
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