110 FCP-HS 338 LM - poor ejection

I am very new to this caliber. 20 rounds loaded and fired. So I don't know what is normal nor if I am doing something wrong. Feel free to treat me like a toddler.


Issue:
Out of 20 rounds fired, one case ejected clear of the action. One stovepiped. Of the rest, about half dropped into the action, and half stayed on the bolt and wouldn't pop off. With the latter kind, I ran the bolt forward an inch and back to a stop several times but the bolt wouldn't give up the case. I would have to tip the case so the rim would come off the extractor.


Ammo (handloads only):
Lapua brass
Winchester LRM primers
76.6gr Hybrid 100V under 250gr SMK (shot 2 MOA)
77.6gr Hybrid 100V under 250gr SMK (shot 1.1-1.2 MOA)
All loaded to 3.681"

Load data for this caliber is sparse. I guess it's for guys that have a clue. I don't see anything for 250 SMKs. I guesstimated (science!) my data by looking at Hodgdon data for 250gr Hornady softpoints and by using Quickload software. Hodgdon says 76gr-81gr with the Hornady bullets I'm not using, and Quickload gave me a max charge of 78.5gr for the bullets I am using. I have some 285 A-Maxes as well, and there's no data for them with any powder that I can find in my manuals or Hodgdon's site. I have a pound of H100V and of US 869 for heavier bullets. I probably will not buy any more H100V as this accuracy isn't impressive and the printed velocities are low which in my experience means the accuracy sucks.

Dies:
RCBS Gold Medal Bushing Neck Sizing Die - using a 0.366 bushing
RCBS Gold Medal Seating Die

Brass:
Brand new. I see no pressure signs, no funny marks, etc. I might be overlooking something though. I've never gotten pressure signs in any reloads in any caliber and never exceeded load data. My 308 primers go flat-ish, but these primers look normal. I read that is meaningless though.


Rifle:
New 110 FCP-HS in 338 Lapua Magnum


The rifle is very loud and bothered other shooters on the line. I've never really used muzzlebrakes before, so I didn't know how pleasant they are. I only assumed they were abusive because other shooters using them are annoying and sometimes make me flinch. I lose the reticle on firing, but my shoulder tells me I'm shooting stout 12ga. Certainly nowhere as bad as 3.5" 12ga.

The ones hanging up on the bolt are probably caused by the ejector being stuck inside the bolt head. To aid extraction and possibly stop the cases falling off the bolt head into the action, get a larger detent ball to place under the extractor (.140"). I'd also break down the bolt and clean/lube everything. Make sure the ejector is moving freely too.

Have you pulled the bolt out and checked the function of the ejector?

I'm going to look around for a video about how the ejector should work. I really don't know how push feed bolt action ejectors work. It just seems like a pin with an extremely strong spring behind it that is always pushing on the brass.

Taking it apart for cleaning seems smart. Might be a grain of sand or steel shaving in there.

And now it works. Great. The bane of diagnosis: disappearing-reappearing symptoms. Maybe it was just packing gunk. I just ejected the same piece of brass 50 times in a row without a problem. I should have cleaned the bolt upon purchase as I did the bore. All I did was use a piece of brass to wiggle the ejector and extractor around. I'll clean the bolt before I shoot it again.

The ejector looks like a royal pain to replace. And there's no magic, it really is just a pin with a big spring. I ain't touching it.

Thanks guys!

ETA: GAcop, if you are who I think you are, we all miss you.

I use Hornady spray lube on my bolts because I can easily blast junk out of it and it leaves a nice thin dry lubricant behind. This is important to me because it's all desert and dusty environment and I have dealt with cleaning the action out after a match in mini sand/dust storm conditions. It's the easiest way to get the job done! Also if you do disassemble the bolt ensure that you do not put the bolt head on backwards as it will then be ejecting into the action instead of out of it.

Spray cleaners work pretty good for the extractor and ejector. It's not that difficult to remove the ejector if it comes down to that. As for loads: I've got the 110BA 338LM. I've been using Lapua brass, Fed gold metal match 215M Magnum primers, Hornady 285 HPBT, over 93gr of Retumbo, OAL 3.709. Velocity has been 2840's, single digit spreads, and accuracy at 1/4 MOA when I do my part.

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Originally Posted by mudpig

Spray cleaners work pretty good for the extractor and ejector. It's not that difficult to remove the ejector if it comes down to that. As for loads: I've got the 110BA 338LM. I've been using Lapua brass, Fed gold metal match 215M Magnum primers, Hornady 285 HPBT, over 93gr of Retumbo, OAL 3.709. Velocity has been 2840's, single digit spreads, and accuracy at 1/4 MOA when I do my part.

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Thank you for that. It seems to me that I am using the wrong powder. I'll shoot it up though.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Twinsen

Thank you for that. It seems to me that I am using the wrong powder. I'll shoot it up though.

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H100v seem like a way too fast powder for 338LM
interesting your getting it too work.

When I bought the gun, I got 250gr SMKs because 300s weren't available. I looked up data for the powder on Hodgdon's website because it's new and not listed on my manuals. And there was data for 250s so I grabbed a pound. I didn't check to see if there was data for anything heavier. So I figure this is the biggest load the powder can do, and it's probably the fastest powder you can get load data for 250s. So this is probably the worst velocity and accuracy I can get.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Twinsen

And now it works. Great. The bane of diagnosis: disappearing-reappearing symptoms. Maybe it was just packing gunk. I just ejected the same piece of brass 50 times in a row without a problem. I should have cleaned the bolt upon purchase as I did the bore. All I did was use a piece of brass to wiggle the ejector and extractor around. I'll clean the bolt before I shoot it again.

The ejector looks like a royal pain to replace. And there's no magic, it really is just a pin with a big spring. I ain't touching it.

Thanks guys!

ETA: GaCop, if you are who I think you are, we all miss you.

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OK, I'll bite, send me a PM and we'll see if your correct.

Tom

And I am at the range with it right now. 5 for 5 failures to eject. 4 dropped into the action, 1 stuck on the extractor.

Contact Savage and ask them to send a new complete bolt head. If they won't do that, you may need to send it in.

I'll do that. Thanks.

They said they're sending me new ejector and extractor assemblies. The woman I spoke with assured me the ejector is easy to replace. That seems like a lot of spring tension, but she said it's easy.

Also out of 100 rounds fired, it has ejected maybe 5 times.

I just did it yesterday. It is quite easy. Work in a zip lock bag when the extractor ball comes flying out you'll appreciate this advice! I also watched a good youtube video on it where I watched him lose the ejector. Keep your thumb on top of the bolt head when you pull the ejector pin out.

When I put it back together I set everything in place. used an old piece of brass to hold it all in place and stuck all that in a vice then slowly tapped the pin back in. Once I understood what I was doing it only took a couple minutes. Every time I work on these things I think "why would anyone pay a gunsmith to do this!" It's that easy as long as you take your time and figure it out.

I can't tell the difference in new and old extractor parts but replaced them anyway. The new spring for the ejector assembly is 50% longer. It appears to work.

Getting the ejector pin out required me to make a new punch. Now I have a scary thin punch. Replacing the extractor was actually harder than the ejector.

Getting that bolt apart was impressive. The rear nut required 280 pounds of fat man jumping on a breaker bar. Steel shavings in the threads. To be expected in 2015.

When I removed the ejector retainer pin, the ejector stayed in place. I let it fall out. I'm thinking the new spring was all I needed.

So the ejector had spring to it when pushed in, but was at rest otherwise. Interesting. I never would have figured it out without getting replacement parts.

H1000 get some.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by homefrontsniper

H1000 get some.

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Thank you. I got 16 pounds of US 869. I am looking for H1000 and Retumbo while I burn it up. Also I need to look up the difference between those two.

I'm already into my third pound even though I've only been building a load.