My 308 has me baffled

[westTXcrd]

First post so bear with me. Rifle is model 10 savage in 308 with heavy contour 20" barrel. I have had the gun for around ten years. It was finicky but i finally found a load she loves. LC brass, rem primer, imr 4895 @46gr. 155gr amax. Shot lights out. I did two things recently to give the ol gal a facelift, she got cerakoted. I also have a can coming (Q trash panda), so i had the barrel threaded and put on a cherry bomb break (Q's version of quick detach). Grabbed some of my loads off the shelf when I got the gun back and first round, the primer spit out. After a few more showing signs of pressure, i went back and stuffed some more trickling each etc, and still showing signs of pressure. The load shoots well still, but dangerous. Can a break change the pressure that much? also, i screwed my buddies can onto my break and had a poi shift of 7" which i thought seemed a little excesive but i am new to whisper pickles.. any ideas yall?

 

[Farmerboy78]

I havent had a break do that before. Do you have any pictures of the cases? My yhm stainless can gives me a 1 mil difference, so I'd say that's probably about right. It affects the harmonics of the barrel. Was the barrel recrowned?

 

[westTXcrd]

Here's a couple

 

[westTXcrd]

7" poi shift at 100yds, i did not pay for a recrown so i am assuming it didnt happen

 

[sturner]

Never had a brake cause pressure
Did it split the case too?
Do you think they got paint in the chamber?

 

[westTXcrd]

Never had a brake cause pressure
Did it split the case too?
Do you think they got paint in the chamber?

I looked, i dont see paint in the chamber, and yea that is a splitting case. Definitely the worst example, but not the only one showing stress there

 

[Bravo 4]

Are you sure the brake is reamed to shoot .308 cal bullets?
Or maybe got some of the ceracoat in the chamber or barrel.

 

[sturner]

Dang I'd say screw the brake off and shoot it but I don't see how a brake can cause pressure that's way back after it gets to the brake

 

[Bravo 4]

I would take the brake off and see if a .308 bullet will go through it with ease before firing another shot. You gonna screw something up if you keep shooting it as is...like maybe you!

 

[sturner]

I would take the brake off and see if a .308 bullet will go through it with ease before firing another shot. You gonna screw something up if you keep shooting it as is...like maybe you!

I agree

 

[westTXcrd]

10-4 on the danger, i already pulled the bullets on my 150+ rounds i had sitting on the shelf (pita!). The brake is proper size and all. Thanks for the help thus far yall!

 

[Bravo 4]

Would a bullet being squeezed (resized) through too small a hole at the end of a barrel cause the chamber pressure to spike? I'd check it anyways. And make sure you check the chamber and bore, something in it definitely can.

 

[cohunt]

Was the barrel removed? If so you might check headspace

 

[TLB2]

Im betting smith removed barrel for threading