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I’m afraid the bolt face isn’t square…Fired brass should fit into the chamber exactly as it left the chamber with exactly the same bolt force needed to open or close . . . unless the bolt face is not square and brass not in same orientation.
There is more to this story that we haven’t heard.
Thank you, I’ll take a deep breath and report back when I have more info.Good heavens
If fired brass will drop back in the same chamber and the bolt closes without issue……… you are using light loads!
Brass should need full length resized each time to chamber properly if you are using hunting loads in a hunting rifle.
Op
Your rig may be perfect in every way.
CW
Good heavens
If fired brass will drop back in the same chamber and the bolt closes without issue……… you are using light loads!
Brass should need full length resized each time to chamber properly if you are using hunting loads in a hunting rifle.
TThank you, I’ll take a deep breath and report back when I have more info
If the fired cases don’t chamber, what is your first suspicion?When I fire a chamber for the first times, I use factory ammo. I fire just so I can measure and visually check it for any imperfections, not necessarily for accuracy, as I shoot a few ft in front of me into the dirt, just the barreled action. I 'test fired' a 243 this morning (while it was cool). before I break it down for cut and crown, and Ceracoat, I'll see if those 2 fired cases will chamber. I fired Winchester .243, 100g SP this morning. Measured .469 at the .200L (from the base). I am a firm believer in: new barrel and chamber, new brass.
Reloaded ammo to test fire with, using once or more fired brass, OR,,,, over sized chamber (in diameter). Fire it, see what the fired cartridge case looks like. Measure diameter just ahead of the extraction groove, if possible. When reloading, the brand of brass will make a difference as to how many loadings before re-sizing. Some makers aren't as 'tough' as others. As mentioned, hard to diagnose without having the rifle in hand. Just guesses without having in hand.T
If the fired cases don’t chamber, what is your first suspicion?
I'd recommend against this for consistency's sake. YMMV and all of that.I humbly disagree. As stated earlier, I get 6 or more reloadings on a batch of cases before I notice a few that take a bit more force to close. Then I resize only enough for a few thousandths clearance, then get 6 or more firings again. This seems to be the norm among most of the people I shoot with (F-class).
So I got the rifle back, and bought a box of ammo to sight it in (150gr Winchester PowerPoint) First three bullets went off, followed by three that failed to fire.
Very light marks on all the primers. Fired brass is very tight to go back in.
Difference in shoulder of fired brass to factory is 10 thousandths.
Firing pin protrusion is 50 thousandths.
Firing pin spring looks clean.
Gunsmith doesn’t know what kind of chamber reamer he has.
Thinking this might just be a learning experience.