Help with a Savage rifle

[Jcann]

Was out today with my son getting some trigger time shooting long range with my reloads for his 260. These loads were pushing the limits as far as pressure. We had slight heavy bolt lift and ejector marks on the case rim. Well, low and behold we ended up blowing a primer completely out of a case. I believe it was due to a loose primer pocket. It completely knocked the detent ball out from underneath the extractor (thankfully we found it on the shooting mat) and it also damaged the ejector spring. The extractor, spring, and ball seem to be working fine but the ejector is not ejecting the round. Does anyone know where you can get a new ejector spring or ejector/extractor kit? His rifle is a Savage Predator Hunter Max 1 which I believe is a 10/110 action if I'm not mistaken

 

[dennishoddy]

I don’t believe in loose primer pockets for the most part. It only takes a couple pounds of pressure to install them. The bolt face retains them when the round reaches 40-50 thousand PSI unless there is an over pressure problem and that sounds like what the gun had.
All that being said, it’s not a perfect world and there may be loose primer pockets.

 

[Oklahomabassin]

Gene Sears probably has some.

 

[swampratt]

I worked up loads in my 30-06 Mossberg 100ATR with H4350 and 155 sierra Palma bullets.
I was above 3200 fps when I started getting sticky bolt lift.
I tried just .3 gr more load and stuck it really good had to force the bolt open and I busted the extractor and spring and ball went in the grass somewhere.
I E mailed Mossberg and told them what I did and that it was my fault and I love the rifle it shoots excellent and they guy on the phone asked for the serial number and my name and address I gave him the information and 2 days later I had 2 springs 2 check balls and 2 extractors in my mail box for FREE.
I slowed that load down to 3176 fps where even on 100+ degree days it never showed any signs of over pressure.

Too bad that bullet sucked on deer. Just pencil right through.
That is fine because it kicked way too hard for any enjoyment.

I would Email Savage and see what they do.

 

[Jcann]

I ended up finding all the parts I need at Midway USA. I went ahead and ordered an extractor, extractor spring, detent ball, ejector plunger, ejector spring, and roll pin.

It took some time to get the ejector plunger and spring out of the bolt head. The spring was completely mucked up and the roll pin had a pretty good gouge in it.

I shot these same reloads last year; 43.6 grains of H4350 behind Berger 140gr Hybrids. They run with a muzzle velocity of 2,886 fps. I was thinking my powder temp may have been part of the problem. I had my reloads in the pick-up while I was cutting a pear tree down for my dad. After I finished with the tree we had dinner and then my son and I drove to the range on dads place and set up our target. It was then that we took the ammo out of the truck. That was at about 1730, basically they had been in the hot truck all day.

I de-milled the rest of the reloads and will start over using new Lapua brass and Hornady 143gr ELDX bullets. The Remington brass is starting to get long in the tooth now. I'll run an OCW starting off with 42.0gr of H4350 and work up from there at 0.3 grain jumps.

 

[Cowcatcher]

Sounds like you got it handled. Like Swampratt mentioned, hollering at Savage would probably have gotten you some free parts. They fixed me up quickly when I had an issue on one of my rifles. They sent me a snap ring, snap ring pliers, set screw, bolt cap and new bolt handle when all I asked for was the set screw.

 

[swampratt]

Jcann were these reloads made last year?
It could be the heat in the truck or could be the bullet "bonding" to the case neck.

If you have any reloads from a year ago you might want to try and seat them a few thousandths deeper and see if you hear an audible pop before the bullet begins to go deeper
OR feel extra force on the ram handle for the initial movement of the bullet.

If you have crimped these loads you may not notice this phenomenon.

When I experience bullet "bonding" my groups suffer and the felt recoil is more.
Can't say any issues have ever hurt my rifle from that.

 

[Jcann]

Sounds like you got it handled. Like Swampratt mentioned, hollering at Savage would probably have gotten you some free parts. They fixed me up quickly when I had an issue on one of my rifles. They sent me a snap ring, snap ring pliers, set screw, bolt cap and new bolt handle when all I asked for was the set screw.

You're probably right but it's about time my son spent money on his stuff. Hell, I bought the rifle, all the reloading stuff for 260 rem., scope, bipod, case, and do all the reloading.

 

[Jcann]

Jcann were these reloads made last year?
It could be the heat in the truck or could be the bullet "bonding" to the case neck.

If you have any reloads from a year ago you might want to try and seat them a few thousandths deeper and see if you hear an audible pop before the bullet begins to go deeper
OR feel extra force on the ram handle for the initial movement of the bullet.

If you have crimped these loads you may not notice this phenomenon.

When I experience bullet "bonding" my groups suffer and the felt recoil is more.
Can't say any issues have ever hurt my rifle from that.

Yes these are reloads from last year. I already de-milled the remaining rounds. It took five heavy blows with the RCBS hammer to unload them. I always lube the necks before I press the bullet in so I wouldn't think a bullet would bond with the brass neck.

 

[swampratt]

I have seen stranger things.
Wish you had an old loaded one to seat deeper to test. OH well You got it covered anyway.