308

Question
I have a winchester m100 308. First question is that I have read that there was a recall on the firing pins. How do I find out if this gun has been installed with a new pin? 2nd question, this gun will fire but will not eject the spent shell, causing a jam. Have had it apart and all ejector springs seem to move easily. My hunting buddy a ffl dealer and nra member helped me take it apart. He had books with a diagram of the bolt and such. We broke it down pretty far and air blew and oiled all. Still jammin. Thx so much in advance. By the way, I'm trying to get this gun in shape because my wife wants to deer hunt next year. i can't believe it.

Answer
Hi Jace.

Normally when a firearm is recalled for a factory defect then the factory will stamp some kind of special mark, symbol, number, or code on the firearm after they have inspected it and repaired the defect.  They also keep records of the firearms which have been repaired so you should be able to call Winchester and find out whether or not your gun was fixed, and if not then ask how to send it back for service.  Here is a link to the instructions and form for contacting them:

http://www.winchesterguns.com/services/srvrepar.asp

There are many conditions which could make a rifle action jam repeatedly.  Some of the more common causes are: excessive dirt or fouling in the action, too much or too little lubrication, wrong caliber ammunition, cartridges with a pressure rating that is too high or too low for the action, weakened or damaged springs, and missing or broken parts.

Normally I try several brands of ammunition from different stores and with different types of powder loads / bullets.  If they all jam then I field strip the action, thoroughly clean it with Hoppes # 9 or mineral spirits making sure to scrub and brush out the barrel and pay particular attention to the breech and bolt face since deposits in those areas can make the cases stick.  Then rinse it thoroughly with Gun Scrubber degreaser spray, then apply only 2-4 tiny pin-sized drops of gun oil to the main parts of the action as noted in the service manual.

If it still jams then you should take it to a gunsmith to have the action and parts inspected.  It could be a weak spring or missing part which is not obvious to a normal person.  If the gun does not fire properly or you are not sure of it's history then you should not fire it until the gunsmith inspects it.  Many gunsmiths will perform a basic safety check for free and this could save your life.

Great news about the wife heading out to the field with you.  Good luck to both of you!

Bob