Scratch on shoulder? Need help.

[ShooterB]

I just had a new barrel installed and received my rifle back from the smith and started some break in work. I noticed that on all fired cases, there is a scratch on the shoulders that is about 3/8 inch long. I took a small light and was able to look through the action into the chamber area and can see this mark, but not sure what it is. The guns been thouroughly cleaned. How significant is this?

 

[GerryM]

I had the same thing. come to find out it was a string from a cleaning patch''
I put a bore mop in and it cleaned up.
It could be a mark in the chamber. You need someone with a bore scope to check that'
Hope this helps

 

[lelongcarabine]

A really sharp reamer can leave a mark inside the chamber. Even though the finished reamed chamber is usually polished after reaming, the shoulder is often missed because it is parallel to the polishing force applied to the polishing mandrel. I have that issue with the .308 that I recently chambered and will pull the barrel and investigate further. I was thinking about using a fired case as a lap and hitting the shoulder lightly with some fine lapping compound. If there is a better way, I hope someone out there will chime in. Thanks, Greg

 

[Preacher]

I use preshaped undersized wooden dowels with wrapped oiled 400 wet/dry and it will hit the shoulder area as planned...........

 

[ShooterB]

A reamer mark makes sense but I thought the smith would have caught that. It's a pretty significant mark that is visible looking into the chamber with a small light and it does scratch every case that's fired in it. What do you guys think I should do about this? Is it something that will be tolerable for the life of the barrel or is it worth taking it back to the smith to be polished?

 

[gamma]

Its obvious your smith never bothered to test fire it first, if he did he would have seen it and you would never know a thing about it. Maybe Im a bit different than the rest but I would never let a newly built rifle out without checking everything first.

 

[ShooterB]

Its obvious your smith never bothered to test fire it first, if he did he would have seen it and you would never know a thing about it. Maybe Im a bit different than the rest but I would never let a newly built rifle out without checking everything first.

Yeah, it was never test fired. I'm a little upset that it wasn't caught before being sent out. I'm still not sure what to do about it though. Is it anything more serious than an eyesore?

 

[lelongcarabine]

I use preshaped undersized wooden dowels with wrapped oiled 400 wet/dry and it will hit the shoulder area as planned...........

Thats a great idea. I have been using a straight dowel with the same grit w/d wrapped around the dowel. I'll have to make up some shaped dowels. Greg

 

[GerryM]

Listen to preacher'
He has the cure Right Twin?

 

[RJinTexas]

ShooterB,
If I was in your position and your smith is close I'd take it back to him, like gamma stated he should have caught it himself before you ever received the firearm. If he's a decent smith and care about pleasing his customers he should be will to promptly correct the problem. Now if you going to have to hassle with shipping and FFL fees then I'd do what Preacher suggested. IMHO you paid for a sevice and you shouldn't have to deal with cleaning up his messy job.

Regards
RJ

 

[gettn2]

Thats a real bummer ...

I just had this happen to me, except it was a ring all the way around the shoulder. I got so tired of the excuses that the smith gave and the ignorance that he assured me of, that I just ordered another barrel and started over with another smith.

He is a well known smith, but he had his last chance.

 

[ShooterB]

Thanks for the replies. I talked with him on the phone yesterday and will be heading back over there on Monday. We're going to bore scope it and see what is causing this.

 

[tenring]

Had that with a custom Rem 700. As the extractor pulls the empty case backward, it moves toward the port about 30 degrees. The shoulder can then contact the front of the port, causing a small scratch. My smith simply reduced the extractor spring tension and ended the problem.