Peened / dented spot on H208s bolt face

by JHHolliday 7/7/2024, 9:18 pm

Hi All

My 208s is pretty reliable, though with periodic light strikes / fail to fire. This is true with Aguila and CCI, and the light strikes seem to increase in frequency as the gun gets dirty. This makes sense if the dirty chamber prevents some rounds from seating completely and some of the firing pins energy is used to seat the round.

That said it will also happen when freshly cleaned.

Today I put in a new recoil spring and will see how that works. During cleaning I noticed a peened dent at the edge of the bolt face near the extractor. What would cause this, and could it explain the light strikes?

https://postimg.cc/dkHYhHcc

Thanks JHH

by bruce martindale 7/8/2024, 7:04 am

I have seen stalactites that grow at the top of breechface recess.
They cause extraction issues because the extractor can’t hold the case in place. Those can be scraped out with a chisel type tool

by Ed Hall 7/8/2024, 9:28 am

Is this gun pre-owned?

What does the corresponding area of the frame (under the extractor slot look like? Maybe a picture of that?

by JHHolliday 7/8/2024, 9:52 am

Ed Hall wrote:Is this gun pre-owned?

Yes

What does the corresponding area of the frame (under the extractor slot look like? Maybe a picture of that?

I will try to get a photo this evening

by jglenn21 7/8/2024, 2:58 pm

I would remove the firing pin. Clean the channel and pin then examine the upper portion of the channel in the front. Look for any scraping by the pin

by JHHolliday 7/8/2024, 8:13 pm

Here is a photo of the breech face, I believe the area just below the extractor slot is where the corresponding slide face dent is:

https://postimg.cc/rDWJZS7k

I don't see what could have caused the dent but would appreciate experienced opinons

Thanks

by Black_Talon 7/8/2024, 8:42 pm

I'd stone the peened area on the breechface till it's flush.

And it looks like that's a chip out of the right rear of the bbl/breech. Who knows how that got there, but the peened area on the breecface is probably related to it.

by jmoore 7/9/2024, 1:21 am

I'd iron the area with one of these:

https://tandemkross.com/chambermadechamberironingswage

I don't know who first made them, I got mine from Brownell's 30ish years ago. Can be used by pulling or pushing. Not shown is a flat running parallel to the tapered portion. It won't mess with anything but the rearmost portion of your chamber. Quite quick, handy and fairly "ham fisted lout" proof.

Here's some useful info from this site:
https://www.bullseyeforum.net/t17371-chamber-ironing-swage-tool

by Ed Hall 7/9/2024, 7:45 am

I can't be sure, but it looks like the metal where the extractor contacts next to the chamber has moved inward. This could cause the trouble with chambering/light hits, but it should be causing scratches on cases that have been cycled if it's interfering.

As to the dent in question, another (remote) thing I can come up with is that someone wanted to close up the headspace a little on that side. Perhaps the rounds weren't moving into position under the extractor correctly. The side opposite the extractor does flow somewhat over a long lifespan and sometimes needs the metal to be moved back in at that corner.

by JHHolliday 7/9/2024, 9:01 am

Thanks very much. Is this the edge of the chamber that may be pushed in?

https://postimg.cc/mPjkfFf2

I plan to try again soon with the new recoil spring, and will check shot casings for scratches .

by Ed Hall 7/9/2024, 1:31 pm

Yes, the area where the arrows are looks like it "could be" reaching the chamber, but I can't tell for sure. You should be able to tell with a direct look and you could try a case to see if it drags.

by JHHolliday 7/9/2024, 1:45 pm

Ed Hall wrote:Yes, the area where the arrows are looks like it "could be" reaching the chamber, but I can't tell for sure. You should be able to tell with a direct look and you could try a case to see if it drags.

I will do exactly that. Thanks!

by gwhite 7/11/2024, 1:01 pm

Before you start removing metal, make REALLY sure your chamber is clean. The problem you describe is exactly what happens when you get fossilized carbon built up in your chamber. The vast majority of shooters' cleaning routine allows it to build up over time.

Check out this posting I made on the Olympic Pistol forum:

https://www.targettalk.org/viewtopic.php?p=326441#p326441

by JHHolliday 7/11/2024, 1:29 pm

gwhite wrote:Before you start removing metal, make REALLY sure your chamber is clean. The problem you describe is exactly what happens when you get fossilized carbon built up in your chamber. The vast majority of shooters' cleaning routine allows it to build up over time.

Check out this posting I made on the Olympic Pistol forum:

https://www.targettalk.org/viewtopic.php?p=326441#p326441

Thanks yes - in fact I use your protocol (bent 25cal brushes).

Yesterday at the range (with clean chamber + new recoil spring) I had 2/200 rd light strike misfires, both with CCI ammo. The other 200rd Aguila fired without a problem.

Per Ed's suggestion I checked about 30 cases under magnification and didn't see a consistent scratch pattern that would indicate the chamber edge is deformed.

by gwhite 7/11/2024, 1:38 pm

The chamber brush is important, but the REAL fix is letting the chamber soak long enough to soften up the fossilized carbon.

If you can drop a loaded round all the way into the chamber when it's clean, then the problem is elsewhere. The difficulty with that test is that it can get messed up by either too much lube on the bullets (like bad lots of extra waxy CCI), or a chamber that has a short leade. If you drop a round and it doesn't chamber fully, press it in the rest of the way and look for the beginnings of rifling marks on the bullet. How far the round goes into a chamber with a short leade will also be affected by the bullet shape and varies with brands of ammo.

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Peened / dented spot on H208s bolt face

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