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Bolt and Bolt roller questions w/ pics

6K views 33 replies 13 participants last post by  Closingloop 
#1 ·
Hoping I can get some feedback. After searching this site, I'm still left with some questions.

Rifle is a circa 2002 M1A Scout, bought it used in 2008, so unknown round count. I've only fed it NATO surplus and my handloads (which are generally pretty mild).

The bolt tail is peening, but I'm not sure if some peening is expected/acceptable. Until a week ago, the hammer was the SAI stock one (non-USGI). I redid the internals of the trigger group with GI parts, since the trigger pin had sheared in half (easy fix, but annoying). Bolt is marked B00038 below the SAI part #, so I think that means it's machined bar stock.

Second, I think the bolt roller is beating itself on the right side bolt lug area, and hitting the upper part of the receiver (under the rear sight). I haven't done the 'paper' test under the roller yet. I'm not sure how much clearance is specified for that area, so rather than a piece of random paper of unknown thickness, I'd rather take my gauges and check for a hard and fast number.

Pictures have red around the areas in question. Just hoping someone can steer me right, though I suspect this rifle is going to end up back at SAI.

Thanks!



 
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#5 ·
Thanks, but that's storage greasing, not 'functional' greasing. I put the rifle up a couple years ago after I got the Standard, so I greased the bejeebers out of everything, oiled the bore, etc (high humidity area around here). Reading the forums here the last few days got me curious, so I pulled it out of storage to take a look.

I wiped off enough to snap the pictures before work this morning. :)

Already have my label and RMA from SAI, so away it goes tomorrow. Curious to see if they fix it correctly, and if they give me a new headspace tag.
 
#6 · (Edited)
I understand. Just to help you out in the future, you may want to visit the site of Poly Gun Bags. They sell very reasonably priced rifle-length plastic bags that are heavily impregnated with chemical rust preventive. They work exceptionally well and enable you to store your firearms dry and avoid both the application and the cleaning of preservative grease.
 
#7 ·
I understand. Just to help you out in the future, you may want to visit the site of Poly Gun Bags. They sell very reasonably priced rifle-length plastic bags that are heavily impregnated with chemical rust preventive. The work exceptionally well and enable you to store your firearms dry and avoid both the application and the cleaning of preservative grease.
Those are very cool, thank you. Would save me from using up the last of my Plastilube!
 
#10 ·
It might be the angle of the picture so check, it looks like your barrel is over rotated.

Not a empirical test but the feed ramps should be centered over the op rod guide, in your pictures it appears not centered.


Jim
 
#14 ·
I noticed this also and the barrel stops short inside the receiver. Pictures may be misleading, but it looks like almost an 1/8 of an inch. Notice how far back the feed-ramps are from the edge of the receiver. No feeding issues or damaged brass?
 
#12 ·
Quick update.

Sent the rifle off 2/2, got it back 2/16 (would have had it Friday, but I missed UPS and SAI did not tell me they'd shipped, even though I told them to let me know <- their idea, not mine).

Forged bolt, 1.632 headspace. Interesting mix of bolt guts. New FP and new ejector plunger, but same extractor and roller. I'll take it out this weekend and see how it shoots. :)
 
#15 ·
The clocking/timing issue is an artifact of the camera angle and the angle I was holding the rifle. The barrel is actually timed corrected in terms of clockface orientation.

As for the depth of the barrel in relation to the receiver ring, I'm no expert to start with. I do know I was allowed a quick look at 3 GI M14's (literally allowed to look-no-touch), and estimate each had a 1/16-3/32" gap like my Scout. Whether that means 3 other rifles out there are built wrong, or that it's supposed to be like that, I don't know. I haven't found out build details on the M1A (just haven't had time to dig around here).

In the past, the rifle did not chew brass, and it's significantly easier on it than the Garand, or even one of my AR's (I know, apple to crabapple to orange...).

I've spent enough time and money learning the AR platform and the Garand, buying the necessary tools, etc. But I admit despite owning at least on M1A for the past few years, I'm still just getting started on my education about their inner workings, dimensions, tolerances, setup, tooling and so on.

That said, if anyone wants to lay some specific dimensions on me to go and measure, I'm glad to. It's only going to get me more edumuhcated that much sooner!
 
#16 ·
That said, if anyone wants to lay some specific dimensions on me to go and measure, I'm glad to. It's only going to get me more edumuhcated that much sooner!
Unfortunately any dimensional measurements of a real USGI M14 compared to any commercial "M14" will be moot. There simply is too much dimensional slop in the commercial receivers to gather any useful data from other than the commercial receivers are typically NOT up to USGI specs.

Henceforth why building each commercial receiver is a 'custom' build all to itself.

More useful info will be gathered from your upcoming range experience.
 
#21 ·
Not looking to ride anyone. I'm asking because I don't know any better. Would a bolt swap change magazine retention? I can see many things the swap could screw up, but magazine retention is not one of them. Basically, I'm asking if I'm missing something.
 
#24 ·
Question.....as I know nothing about these rifles.....but just bought one. I see in the picture (pic 2) a nick in the upper left side of the receiver. I have a similar one on my M1A. Is that the way they designed it? I was cleaning the rifle and some cloth got stuck in it as the nick is pretty sharp. Any input on this please?
 
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