Damage to portion of Benelli M4 bolt assembly?

[kiwifruit]

Just a bit of background. This is my first firearm purchase, and I really just know the bare essentials (if even that).

 

I'm slightly concerned I have screwed up the tail portion of my M4 bolt assembly. Heck, I don't even know what this piece is called.

 

History: I shot about 7 buckshot rounds initially, then 30 Winchester birdshot rounds.

 

After shooting the M4 I cleaned out the entire gun with Otis 085 Solvent.

 

Just about 6 months later I took the gun out without further lubricating it (idiotic, I now know). I shot about 50 Winchester birdshot rounds, had a few failures so I poured in some Otis 085 Solvent into the chamber.

 

There were repeated failures during the day, in total about 250 Winchester birdshot rounds were shot. From reading the forums here I think I did three things wrong 1. shot about 20 rounds from the hip 2. did not lubricate well prior to shooting 3. did not use a better lubricant.

 

I get home, open up the gun, and the pics below show what the part (the name of which I do not know) attached to the bolt assembly now looks like.

 

My question is whether I've really just screwed the part up here, or whether this is normal wear and tear.

 

 

 

Thank you and best wishes

[Guest cleefurd]

The only thing in the photos that even remotely resembles a defect, is the rough edges of the layers of steel rivetted together. They are normal, and came from the factory that way.

 

You are on the right track. Research the best lube to use, what to lube, and how much to use.

 

Using your properly lubed gun, you may note future "failures" are the result of low power ammunition, which should occur less often as your gun breaks-in.

 

Your pictures were helpful. No damage done that I can see.

Research proper lubrication, and take notes from other posts you find relating to low powered ammunition and associated malfunctions.

[Sukhoi_fan]

The part you're referring to is called the recoil link. I suggest you keep the recoil link pin (the pin which connects the recoil link to the bolt carrier) well lubed at all times as it is subject to a lot of stress.

Edited May 29, 2012 by Sukhoi_fan

[Unobtanium]

This is normal, now.

 

Soon, it will have peening at the end, and perhaps some roughness/worn appearance to the corner edges on it's last 1/4.

 

The inside of the upper receiver will also have indentations from the back of the carrier slamming into it during cycling.

 

This is its nature.

[stockplayer]

All looks good to me.

 

Put it back together and make sure the bolt is nice and wet. Run some full power buck shot through it.

 

I run mine with oil dripping from the insides

[kiwifruit]

Thank you all for your very helpful responses! I am quite relieved that I haven't bungled things up as it were.

[stockplayer]

I have had good luck with militec. I cant say it is the best because i have not tried them all but the benelli, les baer, and lmt piston I use for 3 gun and frontsight classes all run perfectly.