Hoping someone on here might have been here before....
I have a .22 Creedmoor rifle, a Tikka T3x, rebarelled with a Bartline 7.7" twist, 26". From new last year I shot around 170 home loads, no issues excellent accuracy using Hornady 75gn ELDMs, new Alpha SRP brass, Reload Swiss RS62, MV around 3650ft/sec. BTW, I always shoot this rifle with a suppressor.
So come 2 days ago I bring it out to check the zero with the remainder of the same ammo, the rifle has not been used for a few months now. MV is slightly higher than last time by 50/60ft/sec but that may be because its a much warmer day than the last time I chrono'd it, almost "hot" for the UK.
Anyway, accuracy still great, but the bolt lift is HEAVY, ejector swipe on brass, but primers OK. After another few shots I stop and move onto a lighter loading (1.5gn less), bolt lift is still heavy, too heavy. So time to stop and clean. Used the usual solvents, C4 for the carbon and KG12 for the copper. Got the bore scope out, lands are clean, still some carbon streaks in the grooves for the first 8 to 10".
The solvents just aren't shifting this, so time for some gentle use of JB bore paste on an oiled patch, maybe 15/20 short strokes where its needed. Barrel looked cleaner but not been scrubbed to death as I've read all the Bartlein comments about not using abrasive pastes.
Barrel solvent flushed, chamber degreased. Tried my usual loads this evening, STILL getting heavy bolt lift but maybe not quite as bad, brass still imprinting on the bolt face.
Thoughts? More JB until I hit bare metal and strip out all the carbon?
Just seems amazing that what must now be fairly light fouling can cause such an issue.
I have a .22 Creedmoor rifle, a Tikka T3x, rebarelled with a Bartline 7.7" twist, 26". From new last year I shot around 170 home loads, no issues excellent accuracy using Hornady 75gn ELDMs, new Alpha SRP brass, Reload Swiss RS62, MV around 3650ft/sec. BTW, I always shoot this rifle with a suppressor.
So come 2 days ago I bring it out to check the zero with the remainder of the same ammo, the rifle has not been used for a few months now. MV is slightly higher than last time by 50/60ft/sec but that may be because its a much warmer day than the last time I chrono'd it, almost "hot" for the UK.
Anyway, accuracy still great, but the bolt lift is HEAVY, ejector swipe on brass, but primers OK. After another few shots I stop and move onto a lighter loading (1.5gn less), bolt lift is still heavy, too heavy. So time to stop and clean. Used the usual solvents, C4 for the carbon and KG12 for the copper. Got the bore scope out, lands are clean, still some carbon streaks in the grooves for the first 8 to 10".
The solvents just aren't shifting this, so time for some gentle use of JB bore paste on an oiled patch, maybe 15/20 short strokes where its needed. Barrel looked cleaner but not been scrubbed to death as I've read all the Bartlein comments about not using abrasive pastes.
Barrel solvent flushed, chamber degreased. Tried my usual loads this evening, STILL getting heavy bolt lift but maybe not quite as bad, brass still imprinting on the bolt face.
Thoughts? More JB until I hit bare metal and strip out all the carbon?
Just seems amazing that what must now be fairly light fouling can cause such an issue.