Bolts without ejector

[Sebrock]

You can clip a coil or two off the ejector spring and make the brass land where you want it. I prefer to remove my ejector, but I know plenty of folks that clip the spring so the cartridge just falls out of the gun.

edit: guess I should have read the post above before all that typing.

No very useful and I did not know that clipping the spring is how you lighten it. Above my pay grade, lol. Thanks.

 

[SmokinJoe]

I had never done a Remington ejector spring before but did one in a 700ADL 222 for a friend the other day. Wasn't too difficult, just took a couple different size punches and a bench block with a furniture clamp to hold the bolt on the bench block. When you pull the punch out after knocking the pin out, take flying parts precautions. I took 2 coils off and could have taken a little more to tame the ejector action as much as I would have liked but will shoot it again before I decide whether to go back again.

 

[Dusty Stevens]

F class guys dont need an ejector. Keeps brass where they want it instead of the dirt and they have plenty of time between shots. BR shooters need fast so they choose to pick em up off the bench after the group

 

[K22]

I know at least one varmint hunter that removed his ejector because he was losing too many cases in the field. Of course - you have to be fairly confident in making that first shot count which isn't a bad thing.

I've lost a number of cases in the field due to high hay so I see the value. In addition, if I don't connect with the first shot, most of the time I don't get a second chance. And if I do, it's better to regroup and reset than rush a second shot - so the lack of an erector can facilitate that.

However I wouldn't remove an ejector on a big game rifle because in my experience, I made effective second shots and sometimes they are needed on a big game animal.

 

[joshb]

I know at least one varmint hunter that removed his ejector because he was losing too many cases in the field. Of course - you have to be fairly confident in making that first shot count which isn't a bad thing.

I've lost a number of cases in the field due to high hay so I see the value. In addition, if I don't connect with the first shot, most of the time I don't get a second chance. And if I do, it's better to regroup and reset than rush a second shot - so the lack of an erector can facilitate that.

However I wouldn't remove an ejector on a big game rifle because in my experience, I made effective second shots and sometimes they are needed on a big game animal.

Yeah! Especially if he’s ticked off and charging you!

 

[butchlambert]

I do not worry about a case being cocked in the chamber. If you have correct dies your case will have the correct size to fill your chamber and not let it cock.

 

[mikecr]

I'm a picker, and order bolts w/o ejection, or remove ejection with factory.
I just don't like losing or damaging my brass with ejection.

My exception is standing blade, if available, as that is my overall favorite setup.
With this I can set my hat on the bench and gently send the cases right into it, or stop short with the bolt and pick the case out with a finger (while hunting).

 

[K22]

Yeah! Especially if he’s ticked off and charging you!

I was hunting predators a few years ago up in the big woods of PA using a Primo's electronic caller using a fawn distress call and to my horror I called in a very large black bear.

I was glad I had a full magazine and an ejector but more than likely if I had to shoot those 223 varmint bullets would have just pissed him off and I would have ended up being his meal for a day.

Luckily he winded me and took off in the other direction. However I had to clean out my underwear afterwards.

 

[NorCalMikie]

Only "factory" rig I've modified is my Remington XP 100 action. Trimmed the ejector spring till the brass just flops over on the bench. Everything else? NO ejector.

 

[20PPC]

I like drop ports

So much I have 3, 2 Bordens and a Panda.

 

[FNSafari]

A bolt without an ejector practically insures that the ejector isn't going to filing a valuable piece of brass off the bench and onto a concrete floor. Many benches don provide a lot of width to catch brass. They are faster to make a follow up shot when wind conditions seem the same, but sometimes that speed gets one into trouble.

 

[Shooter13]

So much I have 3, 2 Bordens and a Panda.

I have 2 BATS and a Borden!

 

[Ned Ludd]

A bolt without an ejector seems most useful in disciplines where single-feeding is required. I had my first couple F-TR rifles built with ejectors and DBM systems, but soon learned they were neither needed nor desirable. There are several reasons for this. First, we typically load long, heavy, high BC bullets, which end up far too long to ever run from a standard magazine. Second, picking up the brass in a timely manner after you have finished firing a string so the next shooter can set up their gear on the line is somewhat of a pain. Finally, if the ejector spring is of moderate strength (or greater), there is a tendency for the ejector to slam the cases against the side of the ejection port on their way out and put flat spots on the side of the neck. This requires extra effort to remove when processing the brass. Of course, one could simply remove the ejector and/or trim a coil or two off the spring, but that also requires extra effort and in the case of removing the ejector will leave a rather large, unsupported hole in the bolt face that may promote ejector marks on the brass.

In the grand scheme of things, either system (with or without ejector) can work with single feeding, it's merely that having the ejector in place is of no real benefit, and may increase wear and tear on the brass, and the amount of work required to process the brass. I still use those first two F-TR rifles in competition regularly, so it's not like having an ejector and/or a DBM system precludes their use in matches. However, I have learned to pull the bolt back very slowly and catch the brass before it hits the inside of the ejector port to minimize the number of cases with flat spots on the necks. Even though these are dedicated F-TR rifles, I have never felt compelled to actually remove the ejectors from the bolts. My suggestion if you already have an ejector would simply be to leave it alone, or as I mentioned previously, you could simply trim a turn or two off the ejector spring if too many cases are getting flat spots on the necks. I would still leave the ejector in place of you decide to go that route.

One additional item to consider if you ever decide to purchase an action without an ejector is a coned bolt face. After I figured out from the first couple rifles that the ejector was unnecessary, every F-TR rifle I've had built since then had no ejector and a coned bolt face. The coned bolt seems to help with single feeding and minimize the likelihood of having a round that was slightly misaligned in the action slam the meplat of the bullet into the action instead of smoothly feeding into the chamber upon closing the bolt.

 

[Damon555]

The ejectors on all my varmint rifles have been removed. That darn brass is difficult to spot in the light brown prairie grass, I tell ya what! 6XC brass ain't cheap. All my others have the ejectors.....I don't mind losing a few 223 cases here and there.....

 

[No.343]

You can simply pull the bolt back part way then put the tip of your thumb on the bolt while the rest of your hand covers the port. Push the bolt back all the way, catch your brass and store it.

 

[davidjoe]

The lack of a plunger hole eliminates the possibility of brass flow into it, which becomes a smear mark as the bolt rotates.

Some softer brass, especially some of Norma’s, won’t bear a plunger hole smear mark on the first or second firing, but then may begin to after that, despite loads remaining constant, and other pressure signs staying within tolerance.

In this sense, assuming a shooter is averse to marring brass, a plunger hole, at least when soft brass is used, may represent a pressure ceiling for hand loading decisions such as powder charge and selection, seating depth, bullet weight, etc., with no such counterpart to be found in a bolt with no plunger hole.

 

[mikecr]

There are better ways to manage pressure than putting up with plunger ejection.
And an argument one way can go another.
A bolt without a plunger cavity is stronger and providing that much better support for the case head, allowing reasonable pressures with soft brass -without an ejector swipe issue.

 

[NorCalMikie]

I HAVE ordered bolt heads from PT&G "without" ejector holes. Built it "your way".

 

[davidjoe]

There are better ways to manage pressure than putting up with plunger ejection.
And an argument one way can go another.
A bolt without a plunger cavity is stronger and providing that much better support for the case head, allowing reasonable pressures with soft brass -without an ejector swipe issue.

I wish there was a way to “toss” the case without compromising the bolt. Perhaps something spring loaded in a noncritical section of the action body.

I agree completely that perforating the bolt face diminishes integrity. Winchester did the same thing by slotting its head for access by an external prong. I haven’t personally seen a bolt head fail, but I do consider brass smear and a clogged plunger to the drip drip of low intensity design failure.

Having to manually remove a case with your finger after opening the bolt really does away with any last vestige of general utility for such a gun, though.