6.5 PRC issues

[victormendoza5781]

New to this form and first time posting. Been around hunting and shooting all my life but never been much in to reloading. I have started messing around a bit with it and probably know just enough to get me in to trouble. My issue is I picked up a new rifle in 6.5 PRC. Did the barrel brake in and all that and the rifle shoots really well. But after I was done with the brake in and about 30 rounds without cleaning the barrel I started to get pressure signs and heavy bolt lift. Troubleshot the issue a bit and found that I was getting a lot of build up where the neck ends and the freebore begins. Don't know if that is the right terminology. Anyways I can load a live round and eject it and the bullet has scratches all the way around I'll put in picture. Any help or info would be great. I have never had the happen to me before. Thanks
Oh and shooting factory 143 ELD-X nothing fancy

I had similar issues with a ridgeline. Mine had headspace issues. They installed a new receiver. I also just got back from fierce arms a 28 nosler I sent that had excessive headspace. The bolt closed all the way on a no go gauge.

 

[RockyMtnUT]

I think it's just a dirty rifle that need a little cleaning?
Here comes 45 more posts by the end of today.
It's going to be a great Wednesday!

 

[Nuube]

Have not read the whole thread, so maybe you have figured it out, but looks to me like classic carbon ring build up. Happens when brass is trimmed shorter than chamber, which leaves a little gap between case neck and end of chamber, carbon will build up and cause pressure. YouTube "ways to clean/remove carbon ring", im sure there are several tips to clean it. It can be a little stubborn to clean but usually not a big deal. Definitely wouldn't shoot anymore until it is taken care of! Good luck

 

[Deleted member 8840]

Did you clean the rifle really really good before you put the first round in and did you take it back out before you shot it.

 

[JAYgs8163]

I had similar issues with a ridgeline. Mine had headspace issues. They installed a new receiver. I also just got back from fierce arms a 28 nosler I sent that had excessive headspace. The bolt closed all the way on a no go gauge.

At least they're hopefully both fixed now. Talk about bad luck. Further convinces me to "roll my own".

 

[Stonyman88]

From what I can see they are horrible, do as 300PRX said send it back to Factory, I had one barrel brand new that looked like you ran 40 grit sand paper over the whole carriage, sent it back and they replaced the barrel, said it was a bad bore. Sent it back like 300 PRC said. One thing, I clean my bore more often than you do. In my Bergara PRC 6.5 they look like unfired after one shot, and shoot .20 groups, Did you measure the distance to the lands and check to see if the shell shoulder is seating, ? Good luck

 

[Jepp577]

Those cases were subjected to MORE THAN ONE over pressure events!

When I read this response, (knowing that the OP has shot this factory ammo a single time), a thought came to me as it pertained to "multiple pressure factors". Clearly there were some obvious issues taking place (likely more than one) and reasonable offered opinions discussed that I'm in agreement with. I'll share and experience I've had. A thing that I don't think has been discussed. The experience I had was shooting a short-barreled 300 PRC that I was shooting suppressed late in the year when the temperatures were somewhat colder. I was shooting factory Hornady 300 PRC match ammo. I started to get some excessive pressures which were quite visible on the cases. Upon inspection of what was taking place I noticed, having chambered a round and then extracting it without firing it, that the case appeared to have some condensation / water droplets on it. Hence a wet chamber. Some of my fired cases had showed some residue on the sides of the case that looked like smeared powder residue caused by moisture. The OP did state that he was shooting this rifle suppressed. It caused me to wonder what the temperatures outside were like when he was shooting. Based on the experience I had, my situational conclusion that I was coming up with was that the suppressor was containing heat, as they always do, which was backdrafting into the chamber, the temperatures outside being colder, the combination created condensation in the chamber lending to overpressure. Has anyone else ever experienced this when shooting suppressed in colder temps?

 

[Sockeye66]

Joining the party, read all posts, it looks like the chambered bullet picture has land marks for what appears to be .250" or more on the bullet, could it be a hard jam into a short (or no) throat combined with a suppressor that created excessive pressure which also caused an excelerated carbon ring problem?

 

[Jepp577]

When I read this response, (knowing that the OP has shot this factory ammo a single time), a thought came to me as it pertained to "multiple pressure factors". Clearly there were some obvious issues taking place (likely more than one) and reasonable offered opinions discussed that I'm in agreement with. I'll share and experience I've had. A thing that I don't think has been discussed. The experience I had was shooting a short-barreled 300 PRC that I was shooting suppressed late in the year when the temperatures were somewhat colder. I was shooting factory Hornady 300 PRC match ammo. I started to get some excessive pressures which were quite visible on the cases. Upon inspection of what was taking place I noticed, having chambered a round and then extracting it without firing it, that the case appeared to have some condensation / water droplets on it. Hence a wet chamber. Some of my fired cases had showed some residue on the sides of the case that looked like smeared powder residue caused by moisture. The OP did state that he was shooting this rifle suppressed. It caused me to wonder what the temperatures outside were like when he was shooting. Based on the experience I had, my situational conclusion that I was coming up with was that the suppressor was containing heat, as they always do, which was backdrafting into the chamber, the temperatures outside being colder, the combination created condensation in the chamber lending to overpressure. Has anyone else ever experienced this when shooting suppressed in colder temps?

Also as a follow up question for discussion, could this type of chamber/throat/barrel condensation accelerate carbon buildup in the throat?

 

[RockyMtnUT]

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[Deleted member 108014]

I had similar issues with a ridgeline. Mine had headspace issues. They installed a new receiver. I also just got back from fierce arms a 28 nosler I sent that had excessive headspace. The bolt closed all the way on a no go gauge.

Have you tried sending it to okie man to have him clean it for you? It might not be a christensen problem. He can help you properly clean a barrel.

 

[Lee Goodwin]

On the unfired round picture it looks like your projectile was cut by the lands as if the bullet was too far forward in the case
The fired rounds look like your shoulder was set back too far and gases are blowing back toward the bolt face, and, along the sides of the case.
I think a gunsmith needs to look at it or send it back under warranty. Send in the spent cases and maybe the unfired round with the "lands" marks.
Don't mess around, there is a lot of stuff that can happen and if your face is right there by the bolt....

 

[mnshortdraw]

Read the whole thread. Looking forward to borescope pics when the rifle is delivered and a range report.

 

[Rivergrant]

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