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Bad SAKO TRG-42 bolt or Hornady ammo?

C

CCCP2k

Sergeant
Full Member
Minuteman
Nov 30, 2011
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Last time I cleaned my SAKO TRG-42 rifle I noticed severe erosion of bolt face. I had a little spot before but this time it was horrible.

Boltfaceerosion_zps58474213.png


I looked at the fired cases and here they are:

Hornady Superperformance 300 WinMag 180 grain SST

HornadySuperperformance_zpseddb3f7c.png


Federal Gold Medal 300 WinMag 190 grain Matchking BTHP

OKFederalGoldMedal_zps36173184.png


I am no expert but Hornady cases seem to show signs of excessive pressure. I was not able to capture cratering but there is a hill on the primer (see arrow with "start of crater hill" label).

Here is the response I got from Hornady:

<span style="font-style: italic">I believe the issue you are seeing here is from a improperly tempered bolt face. I dont see any flashing around the primers and the things that look like melted primer metal is were the primer is flowing into the pockets grooved into the bolt face.</span>


What do you think?
 
Re: Bad SAKO TRG-42 bolt or Hornady ammo?

I ran a box of superperformance through my sendero, flat and cratered primers, stiff bolt lift lots of over presure signs... As for the bolt is that metal on the surface or pitting in the bolt face? I can't tell from the pic, its playing tricks on my eyes
 
Re: Bad SAKO TRG-42 bolt or Hornady ammo?

It looks like you're getting gas leaking around the primers and the primer pockets on the Hornady and it's cratering your bolt face.

You can see where gas has already leaked on a number of your primers -- some of the leaks are darkened/smoked and visible to the naked eye even in your photos.

Nothing you can do about it -- they're there and permanent now. It won't necessarily affect anything but it will look like shit. Keep shooting that Hornady and develop a gas-cut ring completely around your firing pin hole (like this):
coltbolt.jpg



I wouldn't use Hornady brass if it was free.
 
Re: Bad SAKO TRG-42 bolt or Hornady ammo?

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Mendy300wm</div><div class="ubbcode-body">I ran a box of superperformance through my sendero, flat and cratered primers, stiff bolt lift lots of over presure signs... As for the bolt is that metal on the surface or pitting in the bolt face? I can't tell from the pic, its playing tricks on my eyes </div></div>

Pitting. Quite sad, isn't it? Expensive bolt looks like crap now. Still shoots well though. Who cares. The only annoying thing that Hornady techs just ignore my complains about craters and other signs and keep telling me that the metal flowed into the pits. I think their theory should be easy to test. I will keep you posted.
 
Re: Bad SAKO TRG-42 bolt or Hornady ammo?

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: sinister</div><div class="ubbcode-body">

I wouldn't use Hornady brass if it was free. </div></div>

I will keep it in mind. I have loads of it :-(
 
Re: Bad SAKO TRG-42 bolt or Hornady ammo?

Could you have a smith re-true the bolt face to take the pits out and just quit using Hornady? I am not an expert but just an idea.
 
Re: Bad SAKO TRG-42 bolt or Hornady ammo?

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: CCCP2K</div><div class="ubbcode-body"><div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: sinister</div><div class="ubbcode-body">

I wouldn't use Hornady brass if it was free. </div></div>

I will keep it in mind. I have loads of it :-(</div></div>

There's nothing at all wrong with Hornady brass. The Superformance loads however have shown different results in peoples rifles. Some like them. Some don't and show pressure. Obviously yours doesn't seem to like them and shows some pressure signs.
 
Re: Bad SAKO TRG-42 bolt or Hornady ammo?

My 6.5cm hornady brass has been good. I would never run the superformance shit in any rifle that i own. It does look like face erosion, the brass doesn't really show any primer blowouts though. Could contact Gre-tan about bushing the firing pin hole, had a buddy load up some 220swift to 223wssm levels. His bolt face looked similar and was repaired by gretan. It was a ruger 77 that has a fixed ejector, not for sure how a plunger type ejector would work. Contact him and send a pic, might call Beretta too, might be a case of soft bolts that could be warrantied.
 
Re: Bad SAKO TRG-42 bolt or Hornady ammo?

It sure looks like primer leakage is causing the pitting on your bolt face. The brass uplift in the center of some brass is usually caused by high pressure loads causing the primer pocket brass to flow back into the firing pin hole. I would immediately stop using those Hornady Super Performance 300 Win Mag 180 grain SST loads.
 
Re: Bad SAKO TRG-42 bolt or Hornady ammo?

is your guns chamber cut with a short throat? if so you can easily run into pressure issues iwth puper performance ammo, espicially in the summer months.
 
Re: Bad SAKO TRG-42 bolt or Hornady ammo?

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Quote:</div><div class="ubbcode-body">There's nothing at all wrong with Hornady brass. The Superformance loads however have shown different results in peoples rifles. Some like them. Some don't and show pressure.</div></div>

True. I never had problems with Hornady .308 brass in factory .308 Match loads, but have read of lots of unhappiness and dissatisfaction with their Light Magnum, Superformance, and .338 Lapua Magnum brass.
 
Re: Bad SAKO TRG-42 bolt or Hornady ammo?

There have been times when every manufacturer of primers has had issues with the primer cups cracking on the outside corners. When that happens it looks like a flame cuts the bolt face starting at the outside edge of the primer pocket and goes outward. Your marks appear to stay inside the primer pocket area and the irregular shapes are interesting. I don't see any cracked corners on your primers. When it happens it blackens a good bit of the casehead.
 
Re: Bad SAKO TRG-42 bolt or Hornady ammo?

If it was my gun I would have the bolt face re-done. Even if the look of it doesn't bother you, brass just like anything else will take the path of least resistance when under pressure and over time it will just compound your problem by flowing into those pits over and over, if the problem gets too deep it could make the bolt unsalvageable.

Any of you gun smiths want to jump in here and correct me if I'm wrong please do, this is just an educated guess of what could happen.
 
Re: Bad SAKO TRG-42 bolt or Hornady ammo?

Re-facing his bolt will make it nice and smooth again -- until he gets another leaky primer.

Re-facing may also require a headspace adjustment on the barrel.

Me, personally, I'd be done with that Superformance. Note the difference with the Federals -- the primer cups still have a nice radius around the pocket rim and they aren't flattened.

No leaks, no pits.
 
Re: Bad SAKO TRG-42 bolt or Hornady ammo?

I'm wondering why just a half circle instead of a complete circle of pitting?
 
Re: Bad SAKO TRG-42 bolt or Hornady ammo?

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: hdbiker1</div><div class="ubbcode-body">I'm wondering why just a half circle instead of a complete circle of pitting? </div></div>

This also bothers me. Is it possible that case is supported only by half of bolt face where pitting is not seen?
 
Re: Bad SAKO TRG-42 bolt or Hornady ammo?

I am done with Hornady for sure. I can not say anything bad about the brass but since it has been under excessive pressure then maybe it's a good idea to scrap it just in case.

Furthermore Superperformance does not give an impression of a consistent round. Note the differences in primer diameters. Looks like all of them produced different pressure. Not a good sign for a precision round.

I am not sure if refacing the bolt is a good idea. I read some people install bushing on the bolt face. I am kind of scared of giving the bolt to a gunsmith for this kind of precision operation. Headspace can be messed up. I will probably replace the bolt when I rebarrel the rifle.

Do you think that pitting may somehow hurt precision?
 
Re: Bad SAKO TRG-42 bolt or Hornady ammo?

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: JWP6114</div><div class="ubbcode-body">is your guns chamber cut with a short throat? if so you can easily run into pressure issues iwth puper performance ammo, espicially in the summer months.</div></div>

It's a stock rifle. Must be within specs. I read that long headspace may cause primer leakage. I will measure chamber headspace just in case.
 
Re: Bad SAKO TRG-42 bolt or Hornady ammo?

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: CCCP2K</div><div class="ubbcode-body">I am done with Hornady for sure. </div></div>

You don't have to be done with Hornady just because the Superformance doesn't work in your rifle. They offer many more 300WM loads and also a standard 180 SST load if you wanted to shoot that bullet

http://www.hornady.com/store/300-Win-Mag-180-gr-SST/

http://www.hornady.com/store/300-Win-Mag/
 
Re: Bad SAKO TRG-42 bolt or Hornady ammo?

I wonder, if people complain about pressure then how in hell they are allowed to sell the staff. As far as reloading rules go, signs of excessive pressure render the round as potentially unsafe. Does it apply to factory ammo? Personally, I would make them to recertify this ammo.
 
Re: Bad SAKO TRG-42 bolt or Hornady ammo?

I agree with Rob that a standard-pressure load will probably fit your needs and may be more accurate.

The pitting is minor/cosmetic and won't affect your safety, rifle, or shooting at all. You could have your gunsmith re-face the bolt when it's time for a new barrel.
 
Re: Bad SAKO TRG-42 bolt or Hornady ammo?

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: JWP6114</div><div class="ubbcode-body">is your guns chamber cut with a short throat? if so you can easily run into pressure issues iwth puper performance ammo, espicially in the summer months. </div></div>

You mean "pooper" performance, right?
 
Re: Bad SAKO TRG-42 bolt or Hornady ammo?

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Rob01</div><div class="ubbcode-body"><div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: CCCP2K</div><div class="ubbcode-body">I am done with Hornady for sure. </div></div>
You don't have to be done with Hornady just because the Superformance doesn't work in your rifle. They offer many more 300WM loads and also a standard 180 SST load if you wanted to shoot that bullet
</div></div>

True, they make decent bullets. I will just stop being lazy and do loads myself.
 
Re: Bad SAKO TRG-42 bolt or Hornady ammo?

I wonder if these pits can be filled with something to slow down erosion?
 
Re: Bad SAKO TRG-42 bolt or Hornady ammo?

I've never heard of this happening before. Did you check the headspace?
 
Re: Bad SAKO TRG-42 bolt or Hornady ammo?

I have had problems with there 338 Lapua ammo but not any .308 ammo (NOT Superformance). I have heard that Hornady likes to run at the higher limits. It showed on the 338 Lapua ammo I shot.
 
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