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Gunsmithing Remington 700 won’t extract

WIVigilance

Private
Full Member
Minuteman
Mar 10, 2017
183
56
WI
Gentlemen, I have a question I was hoping someone could answer. My rounds will not extract. I have a new assembled 700 action that’s been trued by my gunsmith, he also attached a criterion prefit barrel. Then the kg gun coat guy painted the bolt. The gunsmith test fired three rounds before the painter did his work. Now I went to test the rifle and there is absolutely no extraction taking place. After some searching I think it might be how the bolt handle area is spaced to the action body. There is a .035 gap as seen on picture. Is the bolt hitting the barrel? I’ve included pictures of the extractor/ bolt face as well but it doesn’t even seem like they are connecting. I’m kind of a noob when it comes to working on 700’s so not sure if I have you all the correct info needed to diagnose. I’m using factory fgmm 7.62x51 175gr rounds. Thanks for any advice as to where to start.
 

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Won’t eject as in leaves the case/round in the chamber or removes from the chamber and drops the case/round in the action before kicking it out?
 
in the 3rd pic the extractor looks trashed or is it the angel of the pic? either way id replace it.

PS i think if the bolt was hitting the barrel it would be hard to close if it closed at all.
 
Start with the GS that you had do the work.
Newer R700s have been known to have primary extraction issues. I would think from your description that is not the case on your rifle. From rifles I've seen with this is the extractor holds the rim but bolt is sticky and difficult to pull back.
If you have zero extraction then problem could be the factory extractor. If it was removed for any reason during the work processes then it may have been damaged when reinstalled. I've had a problem with that before after a GS installed a firing pin bushing in one. The best fix for it is having a Sako-style extractor installed.
DISCLAIMER: I am not a gunsmith and just rattling on. ;)
 
Won’t eject as in leaves the case/round in the chamber or removes from the chamber and drops the case/round in the action before kicking it out?

it completely leaves the round in the chamber...doesn’t move it at all
 
in the 3rd pic the extractor looks trashed or is it the angel of the pic? either way id replace it.

PS i think if the bolt was hitting the barrel it would be hard to close if it closed at all.
It’s a brand new action, 3 rounds total through it, but it’s a good cheap place to start, maybe I just got a shitty one from the factory
 
Start with the GS that you had do the work.
Newer R700s have been known to have primary extraction issues. I would think from your description that is not the case on your rifle. From rifles I've seen with this is the extractor holds the rim but bolt is sticky and difficult to pull back.
If you have zero extraction then problem could be the factory extractor. If it was removed for any reason during the work processes then it may have been damaged when reinstalled. I've had a problem with that before after a GS installed a firing pin bushing in one. The best fix for it is having a Sako-style extractor installed.
DISCLAIMER: I am not a gunsmith and just rattling on. ;)
I was thinking the kg gun coat guy took it apart to paint, maybe he messed with it. I haven’t researched the Sako extractor at all, just saw it when looking for this fix. Is it worth the upgrade? I’m gonna just have to take it back to GS and have him fix it/diagnose.
 
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If the round is being left in the chamber then it is an extractor issue. The extractor is not grabbing the case rim when the bolt is being cycled out of battery. Don’t get a Sako extractor have an M16 extractor installed on it.

do I have someone like LRI do that work? (M16 extractor) any other suggestions?
 
Thanks everyone! If anyone thinks of anything else please send your thoughts, really appreciate it!
 
First check is always head space. I understand it's a pre-fit, but not all recoil lugs are equal. Get your GS to do a head space check Infront of you.

Put a piece of brass on your bolt face and ensure the extractor claw can physically grab it. When you release if, the ejector pin should send it flying across the floor.

That bolt face looks really dirty, full of blast media. Air compressor, or an old tooth brush and your favourite cleaning solution and get it sorted. The claw may be jammed from all the debris in there.
 
First thing I would do is see if the extractor is moving . The guy that coated it might have shot some media in the slot I can see some around it . Take some oil and compressed air blow it out while working it in and out .
 
Put a piece of brass on your bolt face and ensure the extractor claw can physically grab it. When you release if, the ejector pin should send it flying across the floor.

Brass engages and flings about three feet.
Cleaned out bolt face but still doesn’t engage at all when in action. I’ll have to have headspace checked at GS since I don’t have gauges. Thanks
 
before you go all radical with bolt upgrades, can you please answer below:
1) if you take a spent case can you actually put in the the bolt face, while grabbing extractor and pivot it in the bolt body axis?
2) if you take something (punch), can you push your EJECTOR all the way in, inline with your bolt face?

I will post pictures in a second from my phone so you know what I am talking about....
 
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Almost looks as your ejector is protruding too far, thus my questioning regarding ejector not allowing your case to fully seat against bolt face and a claw, subsequently, not clearing the rim to grab it...
 
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The ejector goes all the way down to the bolt face, the claw part doesn’t grab it real tight but I’m not sure if that is normal
 

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is it me or your case looks off center when standing up, almost as rim too thick to go into the case belt?
 
clean the shit out of your bolt face too - make sure there is no scale on the edges and run a dentist pick underneath your extractor.
at least Ejector theory is ruled out now, if you can press it in flush...
 
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is it me or your case looks off center when standing up, almost as rim too thick to go into the case belt?

yes if feels off center when the case is standing up with me holding it there. When I try to pull it to center it pops out
 
you have another R700? do you have a virgin case (looks as 308) to try (not loaded ammo :) or primed, just in case)?
 
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you have another R700? do you have a virgin case (looks as 308) to try (not loaded ammo :) or primed, just in case)?

I tried with a virgin case and it’s the same...the only way extractor grabs is if the case is off center, as soon as I move it to center it pops off the extractor
 
It looks to me like your extractor (the "claw")is stuck in the depressed position. It should protrude inward enough to snap over the rim. It seems like there is a lot of rust and debris around the outside of the bolt face. I'd try a good cleaning with penetrating oil and see if you can get it freed up. If not, new Remington style extractors cost $15 and take 5min to install. I would not have a Sako or mini-15 installed, the Remington is adequate 99% of the time.
 
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It looks to me like your extractor (the "claw")is stuck in the depressed position. It should protrude inward enough to snap over the rim. It seems like there is a lot of rust and debris around the outside of the bolt face. I'd try a good cleaning with penetrating oil and see if you can get it freed up. If not, new Remington style extractors cost $15 and take 5min to install. I would not have a Sako or mini-15 installed, the Remington is adequate 99% of the time.

not sure exactly how the extractor should look, that’s my problem among a million other things ? I’ll try a new extractor and clean it up better
 
not sure exactly how the extractor should look, that’s my problem among a million other things ? I’ll try a new extractor and clean it up better

There should be some you tube vids to help you, but removing the ejector plunger makes them easier to install. If they are bent or distorted during removal or installation, they won't have any spring left to them, and you'll get a situation like yours. You may be able to remove it, bend it back into the proper shape after a good cleaning, and reinstall it. If you order a new one, keep in mind older styles and Mag bolt faces use a river style. Yours appears to be a new style without the rivet.
 
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There should be some you tube vids to help you, but removing the ejector plunger makes them easier to install. If they are bent or distorted during removal or installation, they won't have any spring left to them, and you'll get a situation like yours. You may be able to remove it, bend it back into the proper shape after a good cleaning, and reinstall it. If you order a new one, keep in mind older styles and Mag bolt faces use a river style. Yours appears to be a new style without the rivet.
Thanks for the knowledge... I’ll order a new one tonight
 
Thank you to all who helped me out. I’m always amazed at the willingness of good people to take time out of their day to help a total stranger. I’ll update with the fix. Enjoy your Sunday evening’s gentlemen.
 
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That extractor is stuck in the position it goes to when it pops over the rim of the case. The extractor is a little spring, the claw is in the middle and the two ends need to move freely to let the claw be pushed in and spring back out, so it can go over the rim of the case. They are pretty much impossible to remove without ruining.

I would put some oil in there, it looks rusty and needs to be smooth, and try to work it with a little screw driver or something. If that doesn't work by another one for a few bucks, pop the old one out, and try to clean up the bearing surfaces at the ends of the extractor. The non magnum, non riveted extractors on Remingtons are pretty reliable.
 
That extractor is stuck in the position it goes to when it pops over the rim of the case. The extractor is a little spring, the claw is in the middle and the two ends need to move freely to let the claw be pushed in and spring back out, so it can go over the rim of the case. They are pretty much impossible to remove without ruining.

I would put some oil in there, it looks rusty and needs to be smooth, and try to work it with a little screw driver or something. If that doesn't work by another one for a few bucks, pop the old one out, and try to clean up the bearing surfaces at the ends of the extractor. The non magnum, non riveted extractors on Remingtons are pretty reliable.
Will do, thanks
 
So I soaked the extractor area with some oil over night Cleaned it up a little and it’s starting to grab the round. It’s not fully grabbing it but it’s pulling it out of the chamber some. I’m going to replace the extractor and really clean up there bolt face area just because I’m not completely confident in keeping the extractor that is in there. I think the extractor was locked up in there because of the rust/ material like some of you had mentioned. Lesson learned on properly storing a rifle for longer terms. Thanks
 
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Get a can of PBBlaster from Walmart, stand up bolt (face down) in 3/4” of it (basically head area) and leave it for 2-3 days- you will be amazed how much shit will loosen/freed up...
glad you got it nailed down as far as your issue.
——
Personally, I would have disassembled the whole thing and ran it in my ultrasonic cleaner for two 90min sessions with parts cleaner solution or wonderoil.
 
What does the timing look like on your bolt handle ?The reason I ask is the gap between the bolt handle and the receiver looks excessive hard to tell from the pic, remove your bolt and see if the bolt body lug and the firing pin cover align. Post a pic if possible, the new Remington actions are terrible in this area.This would inhibit primary extraction.
 
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Glad to see there's light at the end of the tunnel. Buy a new claw, install it (of have a Smith do it, should be a "on the spot" job), and check head space. Good to go.
 
Here is the fix, I was thinking about it all day yesterday at work. After cleaning up the extractor area bolt face a little the brass started centering and grabbing better. I felt when the bolt was in the action it just wasn’t engaging the brass at all. So I’m going through what changed with the setup and the new chassis was all I could think of. So last night I checked the action screws and the front one was sticking up ever so slightly. I mean so small that I couldn’t feel it when I ran and closed the bolt. It was barely making a mark on the bolt lug. I touched the action screw with a grinder and took just a bit off, cleaned it up, re torqued the action screws and bam it worked! I’m still installing the new extractor that I ordered and really cleaning up the bolt. Thanks everyone for the help I truly appreciate it, (a little embarrassed but happy). Thanks again!
 
A proud front action screw is something to always check for on a new Remington or when changing stocks, but it will not cause extraction issues. What it will cause is weird accuracy issues. Either that or sometimes they are so tall you can't close the bolt. A more likely explanation is that messing around with the extractor is loosening things up and its moving a little now.
 
A proud front action screw is something to always check for on a new Remington or when changing stocks, but it will not cause extraction issues. What it will cause is weird accuracy issues. Either that or sometimes they are so tall you can't close the bolt. A more likely explanation is that messing around with the extractor is loosening things up and its moving a little now.
Thanks, I need to prep my rifle a little better when storing that is for sure. Thanks for all the input and knowledge.
 
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Glad to see you got it sorted. I'm sure wel all here will remember that for our bag of tricks. Usually an action bolt is obvious, but you saying it was barely touching.... That's a new one by me..
 
I would bring your rifle back to the gunsmith who worked on it, I have been shooting M700 since 1970, and still
do today and I have never had this problem, the extractors can fail and do. Get it fixed and enjoy it !!
 
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I would bring your rifle back to the gunsmith who worked on it, I have been shooting M700 since 1970, and still
do today and I have never had this problem, the extractors can fail and do. Get it fixed and enjoy it !!
I will for sure if for nothing else to make sure my updates/mods are gtg. Since I don’t have go/no go gauges I’ll have him check that for sure. Thanks
 
Gentlemen, I have a question I was hoping someone could answer. My rounds will not extract. I have a new assembled 700 action that’s been trued by my gunsmith, he also attached a criterion prefit barrel. Then the kg gun coat guy painted the bolt. The gunsmith test fired three rounds before the painter did his work. Now I went to test the rifle and there is absolutely no extraction taking place. After some searching I think it might be how the bolt handle area is spaced to the action body. There is a .035 gap as seen on picture. Is the bolt hitting the barrel? I’ve included pictures of the extractor/ bolt face as well but it doesn’t even seem like they are connecting. I’m kind of a noob when it comes to working on 700’s so not sure if I have you all the correct info needed to diagnose. I’m using factory fgmm 7.62x51 175gr rounds. Thanks for any advice as to where to start.
Looks like in fourth pixs that a piece of brass, pulled from rim of case, only others that case sticks is over pressure or shooting reloads that Has Not been Full case resize, Or in your case, make sure there is NO paint inside chamber, Remington 700 has # 2 actions
 
It’s amazing how little things can trip a guy up. I have had so many issues that are such minuscule things. They will make you pull your hair out but learning more tricks for the future is kinda cool.
 
Had the M16 / AR extractor installed on my 700 clone...works great! My advice would be to go down that avenue.

Lee.
 
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It’s amazing how little things can trip a guy up. I have had so many issues that are such minuscule things. They will make you pull your hair out but learning more tricks for the future is kinda cool.
That’s how I look at it too, if it ever happens again I’ll know where to start. Always nice to learn some new tricks.
 
That’s how I look at it too, if it ever happens again I’ll know where to start. Always nice to learn some new tricks.
Also really cool we can get on here and bounce ideas off of like minded people and use everyone’s knowledge. It’s what makes the hide awesome
 
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Remington extractors work well when clean but they're also a one-shot deal. Meaning, they should never be reused after being removed from the bolt face. It's a hardened spring and removing them always tweaks them out of shape. Yes, there are folks that have straightened them and reinstalled successfully but that's a shortcut that may or may not pose problems in the future. Replacing with a new part guarantees reliability . . . as long as its installed correctly.

It appears that your coater masked off the bolt prior to blasting/coating so it's unlikely that he removed the extractor. The buildup of debris seemed to be the culprit which highlights the importance of bolt maintenance.
 
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