Difficulty chambering round

[merbeau]

[FONT=&quot]I explained this on another blog and was basically called a dumb a** so I thought I would try my favorite gun blog where people seem to have a desire to help. [/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]
[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Several months ago I started a custom build rifle project. It was my first and did a lot of research before starting. And all the research said you will not think of everything which turned out to be the case.

I had an older Rem 700 LA rifle in 30-06 caliber that had seen a lot of wear and tear. I contacted a well known smith who builds custom rifles and told him I wanted to rebarrel the rifle to 6.5x55 Swede with a heavy varmint barrel at 27 inches, reblue the receiver, blue print the action, install a better trigger and head space the bolt. The smith suggested that I order a new one piece bolt from PTG to replace the OEM bolt at 0.005 larger than the typical 0.6995 standard. He also suggested to have a M16 style extractor cut and kit purchased and new firing pin, spring and shroud assembly. [/FONT][FONT=&quot]So I sent the receiver to the smith with a cover letter stating what I wanted done and had the bolt to his specifications along with [/FONT][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot]tactical bolt knob and fluting [/FONT]dropped shipped to him [/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]
[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]After five months the completed project came back to me with a note saying the rifle was test fired using Remington ammunition and that the new bolt was tight but to be expected from a precision company like PTG. I also purchased a Bobby Hart LRT stock for heavy varmint barrel with the version that had an aluminum block and new stainless floor plate kit with a new follower and follower spring. . End of project and time for shooting.[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]
[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]During breaking in the barrel and my initial load testing I fired one round at a time. [/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]
[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]PROBLEM: Sorry for the long story but in my original letter to the smith I never asked the rifle to be test fired using multiple rounds. See you do not think of everything. After going back to the range for further testing I loaded four rounds including one fouling round and three test rounds into the magazine. Upon trying to load the round into the chamber I ran into resistance that required a smack using my palm to chamber the round. Immediately took the rounds out and fired single shot.[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]
[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Experiments: Went home checked to make sure the new follower was not installed in backwards and changed out the new follower with old, then the new follower with old spring, then old follower and old spring and finally old floor plate with old and new follower/spring. Same problem. [/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]
[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]I then placed the old bolt into the gun with new floor plate/follower/spring and no problems chambering rounds. I then replaced the new bolt and started from the chamber backwards in one inch increments looking for resistance in closing the bolt. Found at the back end of the receiver the lug on the rail side was catching. I have attached photographs of the old and new bolt showing there is quite a bit of wear on the old bolt. I also have a picture of the new bolt catching where I am holding the rifle almost vertical. [/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]
[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Finally: Any solutions or is it just a matter of time before the new bolt to 'break in'.[/FONT]

 

[Rich Coyle]

This is interesting. It seems the 'smith didn't dial everything in with the rounds he fired. Since I play in this manner, I really feel for you. Both my new guns are out of commission.

 

[shortgrass]

Did you have this difficuty when you were firing single rounds? It's a bit hard to tell for sure what's going on with pictures, but It appears the bolt needs fit to the action, not the other way around.

 

[merbeau]

Did you have this difficuty when you were firing single rounds? It's a bit hard to tell for sure what's going on with pictures, but It appears the bolt needs fit to the action, not the other way around.

I would agree the bolt appears not to fit the action. I did not have the same problem with firing single rounds. I would place the round part way into the chamber by hand and then close the bolt. So I did not notice this problem for quite some time. Now that the rifle is complete sending it back to the original smith who is out of state would be extremely costly.

I will try to work the action by hand for a period of time to see if that helps. I have checked around and there is one local smith who seems to have a good reputation. I may end up taking it to him to see what he can do.

thanks

Robert

 

[shortgrass]

Those PT&G bolts come with a tag that states "Bolts Require Fitting",,, or some such instruction. I'd not 'work the bolt to the action', I'd go ahead and fit the bolt. This problem originated because the bolt wasn't fit. Similar problems originate with "an old 700 action". How old? 700s wear and stretch over time. Heavy loads and improper or lack of cleaning contribute to the problem. I've seen many where the race way , at the rear, is worn larger than at the front. Hard to 'size' a new bolt properly without reaming the entire race way to a uniform size. Feed problems can arise when the owner wants to "install the stock himself". To cure feed problems or deficiencies the rifle needs to be fully assembled to obtain the proper results. Potential problems aren't recognized until the rifle is completely assembled. Sometimes, the magazine assembly just 'drops-in', and just as many times it doesn't. Standard cartridges usually give fewer problems, I say "usually". I had a .260 Rem. (on a 700 SA) come to me, a few months back. Another 'smith had built it and the owner was very pleased with the accuracy of the rifle. But, as soon as he loaded the magazine, problems,,, it didn't want to feed. He had another gunsmith work on it, before it came to me, and he 'butchered' the rails beyond fixing. It'd no longer hold cartridges in the mag at all. We ended up changing actions, because the owner wanted to feed from a Rem. mag. He had me mill the rails completely out of the action that'd been 'butchered', to be used later with a detatchable mag system. The 'new' action we used required tweeking feed lips of the mag box and some file work on the rails & ramp so it'd feed properly. She 'slicked-up' real nice,,,, to the point when I handed the rifle and 'dumby' rounds to the owner, when he came to pick it up, he said "I had to look to make sure I'd fed a round into the chamber! Slick!". So, even common cartridges in common actions can have feed "issues" that need cured. Feed issues need to be addressed by the one who installs/beds the stock for the best results. There's more to it than just tightening a couple of bolts. So, keep this in mind if all you want your 'smith to do is "Install the barrel on the action". Done properly, there's much more to 'gunsmithing' than just assembling some 'parts'. In the OPs' case, it appears the bolt was ordered without measuring the bolt race way and then it wasn't fitted. Good luck with your problem. It's not an insurmountable problem, but one that needs to be addressed by someone who 'knows whats going on'. Too many rifle 'builders' without enough training.lightbulb

 

[merbeau]

This particular Remington was a BDL version purchased in 1975 and was used primarily for hunting. No reloads just factory ammunition was used in this rifle. The rifle was not abused but used a lot from climbing in the mountains during the fall/winter to in the summer switching from 150 to 125 grain bullets to hunt varmints. And it was dropped one time with the crown receiving a large gash in it from a hitting a rock and would not shoot worth a darn. After that the rifle basically sat in my gun safe for the past 10 years.

Other than the bolt issue I am pleased with the rifle build. It will shoot some fantastic groups with the reloads that I have developed.

You are probably correct the receiver was not reamed to the same dimension front and back. Thank you for the advice of making sure find someone who knows what they are doing.

 

[Rich Coyle]

merbeau,

Maybe ten years ago I ordered a Brown Precision rilfe. I supplied the action from a 700. I asked for an aftermarket trigger. When the rifle arrived I was excited; until I got to the range. I tried two different bullets, two different primers, and two different powders. I could not get less than 3" groups. I called Brown. When I complained about the trigger he told me, "I thought it was a little rough when I sent it out." He didn't believe the groups. He didn't like the bullets. It was all my fault. I called the credit card company and told them I talked with Brown a couple times and was getting nowhere. She said, "The sooner he gets the rifle back the sooner you get a refund." It was in the mail that day. He would not return my action.

I took another action to a local 'smith. The first three shots printed 15/16" without even working up a load. Once I developed a load I fired 3/8" at 100 and 1 1/16" at 300 yards. When I purchased my Freedom Arms .454 I wanted an 18 ounce trigger. I sent it off to some expert. It wasn't even close. I took it to the local guy. He displayed it by hitting it with a rubber hammer, dropping it on his rubber armored work bench with it cocked. Then he put a trigger pull gauge on it and demonstrated five times in a row 18 ounces exactly!

What I'm trying to says is the experts aren't always from out of town.

 

[merbeau]

wildcater,

for years I was an NRA Bullseye and NSSA skeet shooter. I had two Colt 45s built by a smith at the Army Marksmanship Unit at Fort Benning, GA a set of fitted tubes for my shotgun by Kolar and a a 9mm and 45 built by the Smith and Wesson Performance Center. In those instances you can readily see the work that was completed. For example, new barrel, fitting bushing, frame tightening against the rails, polished ramp and trigger work. And going to a mechanical trigger in a shotgun is easy to test. Matter of fact the bushing by Smith and Wesson was so tight the barrel would go in only one way. And the results were equally observable. Going from 4 inch groups at 50 yards to about 2 with the right load combination. In the handguns a test target was provided showing the firearms potential.

As my eyes got to the point were some days you could see the front site just fine and other days there would be two I started to shoot more rifle than previously. So I have less experience. In this project it is a little more difficult to see work other than gee, a new barrel. To be honest when I received the rifle back I borrowed a lead sled from a friend and went to range early when no one was aroujnd, placed the rifle in the sled, chambered a round and then hid underneath the bench and pulled the trigger with a rigged coat hanger just to make sure no explosion.

While a little frustrating it is not an insurmountable problem.