Rimfire Rifles -- stamped steel vs. higher end

[SRE]

I love my rimfire rifles... Savage MKII 22lr, Marlin 983S .22WMR, and Marlin XT-17 in .17HMR

I have a couple thousand rounds thru the Marlin 983S .22mag and im having some headspace issues as the space is set off the front side if the bolt handle locking up against the receiver notch. All my rimfire rifles listed (for this post anyway) all headspace the same way. Excess wear causes headspace variations and leads to light primer strikes.

Is it common to have this wear caused by just using the rifle a lot? I know you get what you pay for, but is their a general notion that these "stamped steel guns" are really of less quality than say a Ruger 77/17 that has locking lugs? I know you really cant compare the rifles because they are built completely different. And I do properly lubricate and maintain very often.

I guess im asking: does anyone else have rimfire rifles like the ones listed above that have thousands of rounds thru them and are still holding up fine?


Thanks in advance,

SRE

 

[Dixie Gunsmithing]

Yes, I see it a lot.

That can be tightened back up by peening the metal at the rear of the receiver notch, to expand it, and then fitting it with a file, until the bolt locks snug. I've also done this by adding a drop of weld, and the refitting it, then reblue.

 

[James K]

Not specifically those rifles, but I have also seen that part of the receiver cut out in a dovetail shape and a piece of hard steel slipped in, soft soldered in place and trimmed down. It seemed to work well.

Jim

 

[Doyle]

I don't want to derail this thread but on a related note, can a user do anything to prevent wear in that spot? Thin film of grease maybe? I just never thought of that spot as a wear point.

 

[Dixie Gunsmithing]

Doyle, it's according to what the receiver is made of. The problem is, most are just mild steel on .22's. The carbon content is low, and one probably can't harden it. If it was made from something hardenable, then it could be spot hardened, or, if nothing else, the entire receiver case hardened. The cost for case hardening would probably cost more than the guns worth.

Oil will help some, but the wear is just from the bolt being operated many times, where the two surfaces rub each other, along with the small amount of recoil energy.

 

[Doyle]

Thanks. I'm wondering if "technique" could also help. I.E., making sure the bolt handle is all the way forward before closing it down.

 

[T. O'Heir]

These "stamped steel guns" only have stamped parts that are not critical. Barrels etc are machined just like any other firearm. Don't believe the nonsense you see about MIM parts either.
"...most are just mild steel on .22's..." No, they aren't. Not as high quality steel as cf firearms, but mild steel they ain't.

 

[Dixie Gunsmithing]

T. O'Heir, I've tried to spot harden some older Stevens, and they wont take it, they stay soft. Most of the others, that I've fixed, were very easy to file, which means they were soft, and not heat treated. .22's don't require it. If they had used something better, like 1040, I doubt the bolt would have worn the notch down that easy, and I could have hardened them.

 

[James K]

Those receivers are not really worn down from working the bolt, the metal is compressed (battered) from the impact of the bolt coming back. (Folks don't realize it, but .22 LR is no pop-gun; MAP is 24,000 psi. The case head is only a small fraction of a square inch, but the pressure is there, nonetheless.

As to the old .22 single shots, most weren't steel at all; steel cost too much so those guns were made of iron, which is why they can't be hardened except by case hardening.

Jim

 

[SRE]

I was referring to "stamped steel guns" just so everyone who read my post knew the class of rifles I was referring to.

Technique mixed with a product called Balistoll seems to prolong the life of the wear surfaces. And by technique I mean slamming the bolt home before the down stroke occurs. But obviously not putting any overpressure on the bolt.

I wonder if the new ruger American rimfire has locking lugs?

How I fixed mine was to spot weld and file/ shape then reblue. I turned my own aluminum "snap cap" in 22 mag to index my work.

It's just a bummer that these rifles wear like this. The one Marlin 983S has serious sentimental value. And that, not monetary value was the basis of the initial thread. Thanks everyone for all the feedback.