Is there something wrong with this Remington 700 I just bought?

[eksine]

Hi, I bought a Remington 700 from someone I knew. He claimed it was worth $1000 and I paid him $500 for it but after I looked it up I see the gun is $600 online and the Timney trigger he put in it looks like a model 510 worth about $136. The gun is a 26" and from the stock I am assuming it is a SPS Varmint. So the price doesn't add up and it's kind of beat up, the trigger guard is made of metal and it has a good chunk taken out of it, it would take a ton of force to do this damage. I also had to reseat the mag door spring, it fell off somehow.

The worse part is the bolt, I'm used to glocks and AR's but this bolt has unusual wear marks on it. The guy claimed and showed me a picture and he said he put a bullet on top of a bullet at 314 yards. I'm worried that whatever made the wear marks on this bolt did internal damage to the action. I don't know anything about rifles so can someone tell me if this is serious damage?

 

[eksine]

heres the other pics, it wont let me upload more than 3 at a time

 

[reynolds357]

Hard to tell from pictures. Is the bolt coated with a finish coating?

 

[Scorch]

The damage to the bolt was caused by someone tightening the action screw into the lug or closing the action with a screw protruding into the lug ways. Not serious damage.

Other than that, you didn't get a screaming deal on the rifle, in spite of what your friend says. The rifle has cheap rings and bases. It is kind of roughed up. You got a fair deal, that's all.

 

[eksine]

yeah i figured i didnt really get a deal on it. I checked the screws and I am guessing he switched the front and back screwed at one time and switch it back because it cycles ok.

and yes it had a black coating all around when new

 

[Paul B.]

I concur that it was caused by a protruding screw. I had it happen when one of the scope base screwed was too long. Made the same kind of general marks as on the OP's bolt. I pulled the screw and shortened it a bit. Everything worked fine after that.
Paul B.

 

[jmr40]

It looks like someone used the wrong screws when mounting a scope base. With most mounts the longer screws go in the rear, shorter screws in the front. If you do it backwards the bases will go on, but the front screws protrude into the action right at the locking lugs. The times I've seen it happen the bolt won't open, or close depending on which position it is in when mounting the bases. Looks like someone tried to force it.

For a used SPS Varmint in that condition $500 is at best a fair price. Certainly not a steal. If it shoots as well as claimed you did OK.

 

[Picher]

Put a little cold blue on the bolt and all should be fine.

 

[4V50 Gary]

I'm not sure what is meant by "action screw." However, like JMR suggested, I suspect the scope ring screws may be too long and protruding into the receiver. If the bolt is pushed against it, it can cause that type of marks. The solution would be to swap out the screws or if they are equal length, shorten the screw slightly. As for the bolt, I wouldn't worry about it. The Rem 700 bolt designed is more compromised with respects to its ability to seal the breech if there is a case failure that by adding a SAKO extractor than by those scratches.

You may be able to poke your finger into the receiver and feel the screw. If so, shorten it.

 

[old roper]

The front action screw threads thru action right under the recoil lug on 700 action and like Scorch mention that what happened to that bolt.

 

[4V50 Gary]

Thanks old roper. How embarrassing. Now I even remember drilling a hole and tapping it for a wrench I made for the Rem 700 receiver.

 

[LoganDon]

I've purchased a couple of guns from family and often end up with something like this. Hate to say it, I now stay away from buying from friends and family.