Case dent?

[toliver]

I got this pic from a friend who is in Utah on a elk hunt. Noticed after ejecting a loaded round from the chamber this dent on the shoulder. Apparently it occurred a couple of times but not every time. Factory federal ammo in a stock Tikka T3 270wsm? Ideas

 

[toliver]

Let's try it on iOS

 

[Pdvdh]

Look in the chamber for the piece of chewing gum, pine tree pitch, or some other debris.

If there's no dent on the shoulder before chambering the round, and then upon ejecting the unfired round there is a dent, then it's safe to say there's something within the chamber that's impinging into the shoulder. Either that, or magic.

Pull the bolt and examine with a flashlight. Clean the chamber and bore until the obstruction has been removed.

 

[toliver]

That was done, and nothing was discovered.

 

[elkaholic]

That will also happen with a too slow burning powder, but you would not expect that in a factory load. Is there a smoked area around the dent?......Rich

 

[Varmint Hunter]

Oil in the chamber??

 

[Pdvdh]

That will also happen with a too slow burning powder, but you would not expect that in a factory load. Is there a smoked area around the dent?......Rich

Rich,
Unless I misinterpreted the original post and description, the dent appeared on a live round that had not been fired in the chamber.

If there is no obstruction within the chamber that impinged upon the unfired shoulder of the cartridge casing, then the only explanation is black magic. Voodoo

I personally think there is/was something within the chamber.

 

[catamountsierra]

Oil in the chamber??

That was my guess. I haven't seen that with loaded rounds in a chamber, but I have definitely seen that with an oily full length sizing die. After cleaning my rifles I always swab out the chamber with a dry mop.

 

[Pdvdh]

I hunted with a guy once who hadn't covered his muzzle to prevent entry of foreign debris from the muzzle down into the chamber. When the time came to chamber a round, he wasn't able to close the bolt. That's because some debris entered his bore and the cartridge couldn't be fully seated in the chamber due to the obstructing debris.

If you've examined the chamber and there was nothing in there, then your friend should never have another problem until another piece of foreign debris enters the chamber again.

Other than that, time to see the witch doctor.

 

[toliver]

I agree with you on the foreign matter. I dont understand why it would happen once, then not do it, then do it again later the same day. I know the guy well enough to know he is not making it up.

 

[elkaholic]

Rich,
Unless I misinterpreted the original post and description, the dent appeared on a live round that had not been fired in the chamber.

If there is no obstruction within the chamber that impinged upon the unfired shoulder of the cartridge casing, then the only explanation is black magic. Voodoo

I personally think there is/was something within the chamber.

Oops! You are correct! I went back and re read it

 

[just country]

morning, r these casing new?lightbulb

 

[rcoody]

I think it has to do with the way the round is chambering. Look at the attitude of the round in the magazine. Might have to adjust the lips. Looks like it might be hitting the feed ramps at the wrong angle.

 

[Pdvdh]

Could be. It is a WSM, so the angle of entry into the chamber might be pretty steep. I own two Tikka T3s in 7mm Rem Mag, and I can't imagine that happening with that cartridge in either of my rifles. Even if I slapped the bolt forward really hard in an adrenaline charged moment. A guy would have to work a bolt awfully forcefully to dent the shoulder. Even then I think I'd feel some obvious resistance at the time the shoulders were being dented.

But that's a good observation and worth testing. A pretty straightforward test to determine if that's the source. Check all cartridges prior to placement in the magazine to ensure they aren't dented before chambering them. Watch one round being slowly shoved by the bolt out of the magazine into the chamber and look for any obvious pinch points on the shoulder. Next point the barrel in a safe direction and slam the bolt home while chambering a few additional rounds from the magazine. Then carefully the rounds onto a soft landing surface, and inspect them for dents again.

Last but not least, it's always possible a few of the cartridges were dented before they went into the magazine, and the dents simply weren't noted until after extracting a live round from the chamber. Stranger things have happened.