I have a p-14 receiver with the pad of steel in front of the extractor, on the ring, that has been removed. Same as the 720s. Should I worry about loosing strength?

I've seen a few of these old girls done this way. I'm not sure about the receiver strength question though. I guess it would depend on how (and how fast) the metal was taken off. I mean if it was ground off and overheated, for example, you would definately have a problem. Perhaps some of our more experienced metalsmiths will weigh in here, and tell us how to test it (and how to properly do it, for that matter). - Dan

Do you mean the buldge of metal on the right side of the front ring around the gas excape hole?

scot. When Remington converted M1917 receivers to the model 720 this re-inforce was removed. The engineering opinion being that although sharp corners were present inside the receiver cut out for the extractor clearance, this wouldnt be any different than that on the M-70 and further that both receivers were hardened and tempered in the same way. They did however anneal the receiver because more milling had to be done,although the hardening proceedure was the same as was used on the P 14, M1917, and the Nickel steel Springfield as well as the Win M 54 and M70.. The weak point is where the side radius joins the side flat. When you set out to destructively test the Enfields and the case head lets go releasing a great volume of high-velocity- high pressure gas, the receiver tends to peel at this point on the unaltered military receiver, and I suspect that this would not be changed in the M 720. Put another way, the result would be the same for the average M 720 as for the average Military when the "peel-point" is reached. I don't remove the bulge because I don't wish to anneal and re-heat treat just for the sake of removing it.
Though the steel would normally harden all the way through, the process devised was similar in some respects to carburising and the intent was to surface harden leaving a softer core. The heat treaters now a days roll their eyes and cluck their tongues when you describe the procedure hoping to talk them into doing it that way for you.

system98; Where do you get information on the failure modes of actions?. Is it available on line?.
Thank You!