Bolt Doesn’t Close When Loading a Cartridge

[WapitiBob]

I just tried the three that weren't allowing the bolt to close. All three now are fine, but one of them requires much more effort to close the bolt than it should. Might just be a hair bigger than the rest? I'm assuming all of them are safe to fire, so I'll just run with it.

Sounds like OAL to me and the three that will now chamber have had the bullet pushed a little further into the case from all the multiple attempts to get them chambered. I'd dbl check the ammo with a comparator.

 

[chav0_12]

Turns out that the three rounds I tried loading were the only three that didn't allow the bolt to close properly. 37 of the 40 worked just fine. The other three wouldn't allow the bolt to close, but now require quite a bit of effort to close the bolt. Is this normal? I've been shooting factory ammo for decades and have never run into an issue like this.

Who made the ammo? I'd get a hold of them. I've had some Nosler factory 28 Nosler that wouldn't chamber due to what looked like a botched crimp or too much neck tension but the shoulder was slightly buckled.

 

[floyd kittrell]

It could be as said before , some type of corruption in the bolt itself. I had this problem in the field . The bolt would not lock on a known round I had been shooting for years . It was powder particles that had gotten into the bolt itself from a previous round that pulled the bullet and dumped powder in the barrel . Just a thought but sounds very similar . Had to disassemble clean the bolt!

 

[Maol]

Sounds like OAL to me and the three that will now chamber have had the bullet pushed a little further into the case from all the multiple attempts to get them chambered. I'd dbl check the ammo with a comparator.

Had the same happen with Hornady. Measured OAL and length to ogive. The long ones in the box I set aside. After 1000 maybe 1200 rounds don't remember exactly after the groups opened up I tried them again and they did just fine. Adjusted my OAL of reloads to that, and groups tightened back up to like new. Now I check every 300-500 rounds or so, before a new batch. Then try to keep the same distance to the lands.

Pretty sure you have moved those bullets back.

 

[grry10]

When you try to chamber a round and it doesn't, are you seeing narks on the bullet that would indicate that you are into the rifling? Weatherby's normally are built with a lot of freebore but your rifle may have a short throat. If you have access to a Hornady OAL gauge and modified case you can check it yourself.

 

[skipglo]

Did you look down the barrel? Sounds like an obstruction....cleaning rag?

 

[Will Gray]

Buy or borrow a set of headspace gauges (GO/NOGO). If the bolt will close on the GO gauge then it is likely the ammo. Take a new round, pull the bullet and full length size the brass. See if the bolt will close on that. Using the bullet you pulled make a dummy round and see if that will close. Its a great hobby but not so much if just want your new, special order rifle to work correctly. Since Weatherby put the barrel on, it is theirs to make good on.

 

[Radman]

Buy or borrow a set of headspace gauges (GO/NOGO). If the bolt will close on the GO gauge then it is likely the ammo. Take a new round, pull the bullet and full length size the brass. See if the bolt will close on that. Using the bullet you pulled make a dummy round and see if that will close. Its a great hobby but not so much if just want your new, special order rifle to work correctly. Since Weatherby put the barrel on, it is theirs to make good on.

Excellent advice.

(GHS by any chance?)

 

[pedwards]

When you try to chamber a round and it doesn't, are you seeing narks on the bullet that would indicate that you are into the rifling? Weatherby's normally are built with a lot of freebore but your rifle may have a short throat. If you have access to a Hornady OAL gauge and modified case you can check it yourself.

No marks. I think it was operator error to some extent. The Mark V action operates a little differently than the Rem. 700 actions I own, which was my only experience with bolt action rifles. My family only used Remington. I'm now the outcast with a Weatherby rifle, . The bolt on the Weatherby requires a little more push to get the casing into the bolt face. Makes a little "click" and you're good. My Remington actions don't do that. Plus I wasn't trying to force anything. Now I've got it right. Thanks for your reply.

 

[pedwards]

Who made the ammo? I'd get a hold of them. I've had some Nosler factory 28 Nosler that wouldn't chamber due to what looked like a botched crimp or too much neck tension but the shoulder was slightly buckle

It's factory Weatherby ammo. I made them aware of the issue and they looked into the batch number and there were no known issues. It's just one of the rounds, so maybe just an outlier.

 

[tribb]

It's factory Weatherby ammo. I made them aware of the issue and they looked into the batch number and there were no known issues. It's just one of the rounds, so maybe just an outlier.

Sounds like it's chambered in a caliber different from what's marked on barrel!!! Stick one of your factory rounds in barrel end it should come close to hiding the entire bullet! If you have 244 or 257 or 6.5 try them in end of barrel if one goes in the barrel I probably bored the next larger caliber and it may not be a .308 caliber barrel at all!!!!! Tribb p.S. it's happened before!!!!

 

[Window]

Check the Ejector

Yes, check the ejector. I had that happen of a Weatherby 270 mag. Somehow the leading edge of the ejector was squared off a little bit not allowing it to flow over the base. Took the ejector out and lightly sanded the leading edge and problem was solved. Try taking the bolt out and manually put the cartridge in the bolt face, reinsert the bolt and cartridge and see if it will close.

 

[Hunt010]

I have a Weatherby Carbonmark rifle and when I went to load a round the bolt doesn't slide far enough forward for it to close. The gun is brand new. I had the action blue printed. I'm using factory ammo. Weatherby says they fire every rifle before shipping. They are recommending that I send it in to them to look at, but before I do, I wanted to see if anyone on here has any ideas. Thanks!

What are the advantages or disadvantages of blue printing a rifle action?

 

[Moondoggie]

No marks. I think it was operator error to some extent. The Mark V action operates a little differently than the Rem. 700 actions I own, which was my only experience with bolt action rifles. My family only used Remington. I'm now the outcast with a Weatherby rifle, . The bolt on the Weatherby requires a little more push to get the casing into the bolt face. Makes a little "click" and you're good. My Remington actions don't do that. Plus I wasn't trying to force anything. Now I've got it right. Thanks for your reply.

I will have to agree with you on Weatherby being different, not necessarily harder to move the action. My older Browning and Ruger will close with one finger.