Gun Malfunction: Chambered Rounds stuck

[RoscoXR]

A little background, this rifle is a Savage Axis in .308. It has a 26'' Light Varmint Contour barrel pulled from a new Savage 12FV. It resides in a Boyd's Pro Varmint Stock and has the factory trigger. I built this rifle for myself and it has about 180 rounds down the tube, and up till today the gun has worked flawlessly without issue. I do not reload and have shot only factory loaded 168gr FGMM.

Here is the issue, earlier today while shooting at the range maybe 35 or so rounds in, I chambered a round and it felt really tight when I locked the bolt. So decided to take a look thinking maybe the round had problem, but when I went to pull the bolt back it was stuck. Ended up having to beat back with my hand and this separated the case from the bullet which was now residing in the barrel throat. After using some Kroil and .17 cal cleaning rod I was able to knock it out.

Powder was all over the bolt recess/throat area and I wasn't sure if anything was damaged, so packed it up and went home.
At home, I took the air compressor and blew all the gunk out and took a look down the bore and didn't see any obstructions and the rifling looked good. Next, checked the headspace with the go and no-go gauge and they worked fine. Chambered an empty round and it extracted/ejected no problem. So me being the the gunsmiting genius I decided maybe this was some sort of one off issue and loaded up a round. Guess what!! Stuck again and had to beat it open with hammer and the bullet was stuck in the chamber with crap all over. Rinse, wash repeat...

This is what I have done so far..

1.) Removed extractor ball bearing and re-inserted
2.) Used a different bolt from another 7mm-08 Axis that I have (firing pins removed)
3.) Cleaned and scrubbed the barrel and checked for tightness during this process their was none with either patches or nylon brush
4.) Checked and rechecked the headspace and they work correctly each time

After all this the only difference is that if I load a round the bolt will still stick, but when I knock it open the amount of pressure that is required is slightly less and I can get the round out without it separating.

Thanks for any help in advance.

 

[SBS]

Sounds like the bullets are jamming up in the rifling. Even factory rounds are sometimes loaded too long, although rarely. Since you can now extract a round with the bullet staying in the case, check it for rifling engraving. Rough up the bullet first with a little steel wool and if jammed in the rifling, it will leave shiny marks where it engraved.

 

[Sniper338]

Sounds like the bullets are jamming up in the rifling. Even factory rounds are sometimes loaded too long, although rarely. Since you can now extract a round with the bullet staying in the case, check it for rifling engraving. Rough up the bullet first with a little steel wool and if jammed in the rifling, it will leave shiny marks where it engraved.

Yep... look at the bullets for shiny marks.. sounds like the rounds are seated too long for your rifle. Try a different brand ammo and see if it happens... or maybe you got a bad box of ammo... dont buy that lot# again.

 

[Ledd Slinger]

Perfect reason why it is advantageous to hand load.

I can relate to this story because many years ago, it was a bad box of Federal Premium factory ammo that made me so mad I turned to hand loading and never looked back.

 

[RoscoXR]

Thanks guys. When I get home tonight will check with some new ammo and give the steel wool trick a go.

 

[M-61]

Quote:
After all this the only difference is that if I load a round the bolt will still stick, but when I knock it open the amount of pressure that is required is slightly less and I can get the round out without it separating. Unquote

Not that you want to do it again BUT: Measure the COAL on a never chambered round. Chamber it...beat it out as you have done and measure COAL again. If you are seating the bullet deeper when chambering that would account for your being able to have an 'easier' extraction the 2nd time.
Long shot but easy to do. Also take a good look at the brass for any scarring.

 

[RoscoXR]

Stopped by Cabela's and bought a box of the Federal 150gr Power Shok. Dropped one into the gun, the bolt didn't need 8000lbs of force to close, and it extracted no problem. Took some quick measurements with the caliper and the FGMM came in at 2.87 while the Power Shok was at only 2.66. SAAMI has the max COAL for .308 at 2.800 so clearly it exceeds that number, but don't know if these are exceedingly long or not. All I can say for sure is they are bad juju for my gun.

Time to move onto some different ammo!!

 

[MGYSGT]

The overall length isn't your problem. It's where the ojive and bearing service of that particular bullet meets the rifling. The last one you tried that fit in the chamber easily and extracted easily, has the bearing surface seated so it doesn't touch the rifling. You should not have heavy resistance when closing the bolt.

Tom

 

[fguffey]

http://www.savagearms.com/firearms/model/axis

I built this rifle for myself

It has a 26'' Light Varmint Contour barrel pulled from a new Savage 12FV.

checked the headspace with the go and no-go gauge and they worked fine.

The bolt closes on a go-gage and will not close on a no go-gage. I would suggest you learn how to determine the distance from the lands to the bolt face. I have no interest in seating bullets at or into the lands, I do want to know how far the bullet is seated from the lands. I want my bullets to have the running start, I want my bullets to have 'the jump'.

When determining the distance from the lands to the bolt face I drill the flash hole/primer pocket out large enough to accommodate a cleaning rod. After drilling the primer pocket/flash hole I neck size a fired case then seat a bullet into the case short enough to prevent contact with the lands.

After seating the bullet I remove the bolt then chamber the test case, after chambering I use a cleaning rod to push the bullet out of the case until it contacts the rifling. After contact I quit pushing. I remove the test case then use it to set up my seating die. When finished the seating stem of the die is .000 (zero) off the lands.

F. Guffey

 

[Moonshine]

Stopped by Cabela's and bought a box of the Federal 150gr Power Shok. Dropped one into the gun, the bolt didn't need 8000lbs of force to close, and it extracted no problem. Took some quick measurements with the caliper and the FGMM came in at 2.87 while the Power Shok was at only 2.66. SAAMI has the max COAL for .308 at 2.800 so clearly it exceeds that number, but don't know if these are exceedingly long or not. All I can say for sure is they are bad juju for my gun.

Time to move onto some different ammo!!

The 2.87 OAL on the FGMM is not right and is definitely the issue. I just measured some I had laying around and they were all 2.805 or under. I'd go thru and measure them all to see if all of them are that long. If so you may want to contact federal as this is an issue they may want to know about.

 

[fguffey]

The 2.87 OAL on the FGMM is not right and is definitely the issue.

I built this rifle for myself.


It has a 26'' Light Varmint Contour barrel pulled from a new Savage 12FV.

If so you may want to contact federal as this is an issue they may want to no about.

While you are explaining the problem make it clear to them you installed a varmint/accurate barrel, then you can ask them if there is a difference between 308 W ammo and varmint ammo.

When installing a barrel it is possible to determine the distance from the shoulder to the rifling and the distance from the rifling to the bolt face before installing the barrel. I understand, you have a go-gage and a no go-go gage.

F. Guffey

 

[RoscoXR]

Thanks guys, this is alot of great info always something new to learn here.

 

[Steve Ladino]

The new cheap Savages that I have seen and owned never had the bead blasting material removed from the barrel nut and the
barrel junction gap, any of this material getting into the bolt lug recess area will cause your problem,