Advice needed *update*

[TyT]

Hi all, I’m in need of some advice.
Recently I brought a REM 700 action(supposedly trued) and a shilen barrel to a gunsmith to be chambered and installed.
The gunsmith chambered and installed the barrel, but now is saying that the fired brass won’t rechamber.
Is this a bad chamber, or a bolt face out of square?
This thing has been a nightmare from the start and now I’m not quite sure where to go.
Next time, I think I’ll just get a tikka

Thanks
Tyler

 

[BoydAllen]

Hi all, I’m in need of some advice.
Recently I brought a REM 700 action(supposedly trued) and a shilen barrel to a gunsmith to be chambered and installed.
The gunsmith chambered and installed the barrel, but now is saying that the fired brass won’t rechamber.
Is this a bad chamber, or a bolt face out of square?
This thing has been a nightmare from the start and now I’m not quite sure where to go.
Next time, I think I’ll just get a tikka

Thanks
Tyler

If he is any kind of smith, he should be able to diagnose the problem. In any case he should have checked the action before doing the work.

 

[LVLAaron]

What cartridge?
Won't re-chamber after being fired, or after being fired and resized?

 

[TyT]

Just after being fired

 

[LVLAaron]

Resize the brass... does it fit?

 

[TyT]

It’s a 308
Yes, fits after full length sizing

 

[LVLAaron]

If you fire it again, and resize it, does it chamber?

 

[TyT]

Not sure, gunsmith just called and said that was what’s happening. Don’t see why it wouldn’t. Am I missing something, or making mountains from mole hills?

 

[LVLAaron]

Its probably not a problem. Was it new brass? Old brass? If you resize it and it fits... not a problem. Run it and see what happens.

 

[GenePoole]

I usually go 7 or 8 firings before I run the cases through a Redding body die just enough so that they chamber easily again. I don't know why they would be hard after a single firing.

 

[LVLAaron]

I usually go 7 or 8 firings before I run the cases through a Redding body die just enough so that they chamber easily again. I don't know why they would be hard after a single firing.

Depends what "wont chamber" means. Might just be a tight-ish neck

 

[ruthless11]

It’s a 308
Yes, fits after full length sizing

factory or reloaded ammo?

 

[TyT]

Its probably not a problem. Was it new brass? Old brass? If you resize it and it fits... not a problem. Run it and see what happens.

Old brass I’m sure.

 

[TyT]

factory or reloaded ammo?

Reloaded

 

[TyT]

Would the fact that the barrel hasn’t been lapped/broken in be causing issues?

 

[LVLAaron]

Break-in / lapping wont change the chamber. Personally, I wouldn't worry about it. I'd put some of your own brass/ammo through it and see what happens. Hard to diagnose without it in hand

 

[Danley]

Was the brass was fired in another chamber, then resized, and will not fit in your chamber? If that’s the case it sounds as if it’s a die / sizing issue that’s not sizing the base of the case enough. Combine that with a tighter (not necessarily wrong) .200” line diameter in your chamber and you will have this issue. The real question is, will it chamber virgin brass or factory ammo? If not, it’s most likely a headspace issue.

 

[Eagle Six]

If he is any kind of smith, he should be able to diagnose the problem. In any case he should have checked the action before doing the work.

^^^^^ This

I would have expected your gunsmith to have the answer why when he informed you of the chamber issue along with high much to fix and how long if it is an action/bolt issue, or how long to fix if the problem was caused by him chambering and setting the barrel.

It appears you have an unknown action/bolt and unknown barrel. I have had guns that chamber a fired round with a small amount of resistance and most with none. If he is using his reloads I would want to know his reload procedure and dies, and load data. It's difficult to diagnose with third party information.

Also what is the primary purpose of this rifle build?

For example, I always bump the should back .002-.003 so a chamber that was a little stiff for chamber fired rounds, yet flawless with my reloads wouldn't bother me provided there was something else and of course the precision was within my ballpark of .2X - .3X MOA.

I would ask for a lot more information from the gunsmith. If he doesn't have any you may have an issue with the chamber and you also for sure have an issue with the smith. Until you get it in your hands and test fire it, you probably will not know anything for sure.

 

[TyT]

^^^^^ This

I would have expected your gunsmith to have the answer why when he informed you of the chamber issue along with high much to fix and how long if it is an action/bolt issue, or how long to fix if the problem was caused by him chambering and setting the barrel.

It appears you have an unknown action/bolt and unknown barrel. I have had guns that chamber a fired round with a small amount of resistance and most with none. If he is using his reloads I would want to know his reload procedure and dies, and load data. It's difficult to diagnose with third party information.

Also what is the primary purpose of this rifle build?

For example, I always bump the should back .002-.003 so a chamber that was a little stiff for chamber fired rounds, yet flawless with my reloads wouldn't bother me provided there was something else and of course the precision was within my ballpark of .2X - .3X MOA.

I would ask for a lot more information from the gunsmith. If he doesn't have any you may have an issue with the chamber and you also for sure have an issue with the smith. Until you get it in your hands and test fire it, you probably will not know anything for sure.

The barrel was a blank, but not confident the action was trued as advertised. I don’t want to knock anyone as I haven’t actually fired it myself.
It’s going to be a hunting rifle, but I’d like to try shooting steel to 1000 with it

 

[TyT]

Was the brass was fired in another chamber, then resized, and will not fit in your chamber? If that’s the case it sounds as if it’s a die / sizing issue that’s not sizing the base of the case enough. Combine that with a tighter (not necessarily wrong) .200” line diameter in your chamber and you will have this issue. The real question is, will it chamber virgin brass or factory ammo? If not, it’s most likely a headspace issue.

Brass was fired, then removed and would not fit back in the chamber.