Need help solving a chamber problem,... if possible

[Will Henry]

First off, the chamber is ugly and the best cure would be to set it back 1/2 inch and do it again. A second, less desirable option, would be to hone it with a flex hone. This might cure the extraction issue but it's not a great solution since the chamber will still be flawed; only smoother. WH

 

[Field_2_Fork]

Savage. Customer sent me the rifle brand new/unfired, to do some truing work on the receiver, bedding job and muzzle threading/brake. Discovered the chamber problem test-firing before sending it back.
Told him he should send it back to Savage for a replacement barrel, but between lack of faith in Savage and likely months for him to get it back he told me to fix it. Think I had to set it back two revolutions to clean up the chamber.

A fellow on a Canadian forum up here had that same issue with a new 'BR' Savage, I'm not real familiar with Savages so I don't remember the model, I believe it was their top dog. Anyways, he had to get 3 or 4 replacement rifles, each one was horrible. Took close to 2 years as I remember.
Sorry for the derail.

 

[Lefty Trigger]

If I can solve the issue with the brass sticking fine if not I'm going to keep shooting it till it's at the end of life and swap it out. Can't really say the chamber is ugly because we have no pictures of it and no proof it's the chamber causing the rings or, like mentioned before, my dies. Could be as simple as brass about done or maybe some burrs in the chamber but either way this barrel shoots in the 1's at 200 yards so no way I'm pulling it off yet. This is a fairly new X-Caliber barrel with about 525 rounds through it.

 

[Nick Caprinolo]

In my opinion, the chamber was not prepared properly. It appears as though those rings are just thick enough, that when fired the case expands and is then held in place by the rings in the chamber. I would take it to whoever chambered it and let them fix it.

When you look at the cases, you see that in some places, the case is dragged when you open the bolt. This would indicate that it is only tight in some of the rings. examine them closely, and you may see the exact same markings on all you cases. The last step to reaming a chamber is to wrap fine emery cloth wrapped around a dowel. Using a high powered magnifying glass, you should be able to see matching marks on your reamer.

 

[timeout]

In my opinion, the chamber was not prepared properly. It appears as though those rings are just thick enough, that when fired the case expands and is then held in place by the rings in the chamber. I would take it to whoever chambered it and let them fix it.

When you look at the cases, you see that in some places, the case is dragged when you open the bolt. This would indicate that it is only tight in some of the rings. examine them closely, and you may see the exact same markings on all you cases. The last step to reaming a chamber is to wrap fine emery cloth wrapped around a dowel. Using a high powered magnifying glass, you should be able to see matching marks on your reamer.

This

 

[jelenko]

shoots in the 1's at 200 yards

Maybe the rings in the chamber are an improvement for better accuracy?

 

[Will Henry]

If I can solve the issue with the brass sticking fine if not I'm going to keep shooting it till it's at the end of life and swap it out. Can't really say the chamber is ugly because we have no pictures of it and no proof it's the chamber causing the rings or, like mentioned before, my dies. Could be as simple as brass about done or maybe some burrs in the chamber but either way this barrel shoots in the 1's at 200 yards so no way I'm pulling it off yet. This is a fairly new X-Caliber barrel with about 525 rounds through it.

I can say it's ugly because I am morally certain the rings are in the chamber. A sizing die can make such rings more visible as it tries to iron them out. Sometimes, such rings are nearly microscopic and only show up with high pressures and after sizing. If the rifle exhibits extraction problems though, the rings are more significant. If the barrel shoots exceptionally well (as yours seems to), the chamber is probably nicely straight and concentric. That being the case, I would try the flex hone; or have the gunsmith do that for you. I have used these hones to fix badly cut chambers and have had good results. You can't remove a lot of material but you should be able to improve the finish enough to ease extraction. WH

 

[338 dude]

Looks exactly like chambering artifacts to me...

From the marks on the brass you can definitely see when it was extracted that it scratched from those marks that is definitely what I believe is causing your sticky bolt

 

[Lefty Trigger]

We will know more tonight as It's going to a friend that has an awesome bore scope. I'm going to try the flex hone at his place if we find the "rings" in there and monitor progress while using the hone.
Will update with pictures I hope...

 

[Skeet69]

I "painted" a piece of fired brass with a sharpie and the only drag marks are at those rings. The guy that made my barrel is going to send me a chamber hone on his dime to try or he said I could send it back, I chose not to send it back. He also said it was most likely chips that marked it.
For some of the other replys above,.. I have NO bolt click on opening. It opens just fine but will not just slide back, you have to give it a little nudge with your palm.

If he said you can send it back, why would you choose not to and continue to try all this other stuff? Apparently, the smith is willing to fix it. Take him up on the offer and be done with it.
Mike B

 

[Lefty Trigger]

If he said you can send it back, why would you choose not to and continue to try all this other stuff? Apparently, the smith is willing to fix it. Take him up on the offer and be done with it.
Mike B

Because he is on the left coast and running 6-7 weeks plus shipping time. Currently with the powder shortage this is the only rifle for my matches that I have supplies for.

 

[Will Henry]

When you use a flex hone, keep it moving, in and out. Do not let it dwell in one position for long. Also, just touch the corner of the shoulder. I doubt that I have ever spent more than thirty seconds.
I once worked in a city where the local college offered a machining for gunsmithing course for hobbyists. I had the opportunity to do a lot of remedial work whenever they were running a class. This is where I first tried the flex hones to smooth out badly cut chambers. WH

 

[timeout]

Pause the hone momentarily at both ends of the chamber or you will remove more material in the center, not that a flex hone will remove a tremendous amount of metal. Point being the hone passes by the center twice as much as it does each end. Caveat: I'm not a gunsmith but in my first occupation a mechanic and engine builder. I have also experienced your problem a few times by using an inexperienced gunsmith for chamber work.

 

[Lefty Trigger]

Ok here is what we found, it appears that the "rings" in the chamber have been scraping off brass and it has been building up. This explains why the it was ok for the first 500 rounds then started. These first two pics are before I ran the hone and the last is the same area after, looks like it cleaned it right up. Match this weekend and will find out for sure then.
Spare barrel made at the same time does not have any rings.
In these pics the shoulder junction is on the left. Last pic has lint from wiping out the oil.

 

[AlNyhus]

Thanks for the follow up. Will be interesting to see if it reappears. I would suggest getting into the die also with the scope. -Al

 

[Lefty Trigger]

Well the hone seems to have done the trick. Shot our local 300 yard match this Saturday and gun performed flawlessly! So well in fact I won the match! Varmint shoot so scores don't mean much but this was my 5 shot sight in paper at 300 yards...

 

[Will Henry]

Glad it worked out for you. Hard to beat an easy fix which does the trick. WH