Bruno built 6mm br

[falconpilot]

Stenger,

I too had Lester build me a 6BR, and I let him use his reamer. It's been a couple of years back...I had exactly the same problems you are having. Nothing I could do would prevent the hard close and left of the bolt. I finally got tired of messing with it, and send the barrel to another smith and had in rechambered in a Dasher. This is not a knock on Lester, but I think his reamer is crap!! I'm sure if you sent the gun back to him, along with a reamer that you know it right!!, he'll rechamber it for you. Don't pull all your hair out like I did messing with this problem....get it fixed..it's not worth the problems.

With your describing the bright spots on the brass, and it being a .269 neck reamer, I'd bet my life it's the same reamer that he used on mine as I too had the bright ring on my brass...
Again, let me say this..I'm not knocking Lester or his work..I'm just telling you that I had the EXACT problems with a 6br that he chambered for me...Don't know if it was a wore out reamer, or what, but mine was exactly as you are describing yours...Good luck..

 

[deadlyswift]

I agree with Fdshuster! It would definitly be a good excuse to call PT&G and order a reamer to your own spec's. Request a print with the reamer. Then you will always know exactly what your chamber dimensions are. If you don't want to keep the reamer you can always sell it. Most likely you will get a 75% return for it. Again I know it's not what you probably want to hear, but I feel your pain been there done that. Just with a different issue!
Mark

 

[plumbkrazy]

Stenger I,m new on here but on all the time saw your post I have a 6br had the same problem liked to have drove me crazy was stiff to open after shooting and stiff to close I ruined my brass by triming to short the problem was the headspace the smith had not checked with the gauge and had stopped to soon with reamer my smith trued up my action and cut off 7thousands off the bolt face that took care of my problem gun shoots good now 1&2s try putting a piece of brass in and see if its marking the head mine was turning in bolt when i closed and opened it Rick

 

[stenger]

Yep i agree i have never had a problem like this i have alaway s been able to get a gun shooting. I to want to say that i am not bashing lester just stuff happens.

 

[Forum Boss]

The chamber should have been cut to fit Lapua brass. Anything with a trim length of 1.555" or less should fit fine. I won't speculate on the cause -- could be many things, including an undersize reamer or high spot in chamber.

Send the unit back to Bruno with a clear description of the issue along with twice fired (and unsized after last firing) brass, as well as sized brass.

Regarding the slow speeds, some barrels need a higher charge, though 30.5 grains of Varget should be very near max, if not absolute max. In addition, with different 6BR barrels at "practical max loads", we have seen velocity variations up to 130 fps. Some barrels ARE faster than others. 2800 fps or so with 30.5 gr of Varget is disappointing, but not unheard of. Your barrel could be at the slow end of the bell curve.

TIME OUT
Since this is just a guessing game at this point, I'm locking the thread until the rifle has been returned, inspected and diagnosed by the smith.