338-06 build problems

I've run into a ton of walls with this 338-06 build. I've free floated the 300+ Dollar Shilen barrel, got a new timney trigger, bedded the Boyd stock, and have shot at least 15 different loads with 3 different powders and 4 different premium bullets. It's been fired 240 times and still can't get any better than 1.50" 3 shot groups at 100 yards. Lastly live unfired rounds will hang and lock up the bolt if it's not perfectly clean. What else can be done? I've put together only 4 savage rifles but never had any problems like these.

Are there an chamber defects ?? Hanging in the chamber when dirty sounds suspicious.

I have never had mine hang even once except when once when I had an over pressure load.

Yeah I've tried it all. I have have went on the lands to backed .08 off. Changed from nosler 200 gr combined tech, barnes ttsx 210 gr, 225 grain premiere core lokt and 225 gr interlocks. Used imr 4320 win 760 4350. I'm thinking about sending it, back to shilen.

Since it jams in the chamber with a fresh shell I would suspect a bad chamber.

Are there any marks on fired brass when you extract ??

No brass looks good

Maybe its a crooked chamber or the chamber is too tight. Weird. Just the fact that a resized piece of brass jams make me wonder. Only Time I have had anything like that happen was with a carbon ring and a 22-250.

How are you forming your brass.
Have you tried any factory brass ??

Fl die with 30-06 and 35. Whelen brass

Maybe thick necks since you are necking down. Assuming you are not neck turning. That might explain the jams.

It will chamber fine. It's ejecting a fresh shell while dirty that jams the bolt

Thats what I mean. Maybe with thick necks you dont have enough clearance for the brass neck to expand properly, then when it gets a little dirty the lack of clearance causes the shell to stick. You could measure the neck of a loaded shell and compare if you have the chamber dimensions.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by dwa

It will chamber fine. It's ejecting a fresh shell while dirty that jams the bolt

---

When you say "Jams the bolt" do you mean you can rotate it to the unlocked position but can't pull the bolt rearward? If so its a primary extraction issue.....dirty or bad chamber. The extraction force generated by the PE cam is such the rim of a case can be ripped off and or the extractor wreaked. In any event if it was a case-chamber issue the initial bolt lift would be very difficult. A quick check, place a .020"-.030" shim between the rear baffle and the bridge then try it a try. If it extracts then the PE needs corrected.

Of course the PE doesn't explain the accuracy problems your having. You could install another barrel and if the rifle shoots then you've eliminated all the other possibilities , scope,mounts-rings, scope and etc.

Bill

You may want to try some factory 338-06 brass (expensive) or 30-06 brass and neck up and neck turn the donut off and try that before you send the barrel back.

I have a 338-284 and a 338-06 and use the same procedure on both. I use a K+M Expandiron to neck up to 338 then I clean up the necks and turn the donut off then resize.

Some people dont turn the donut off, but I would rather not risk it.

What twist, and bullet weights? Do you mean the extraction is also bad on unfired? Did this action extract well with a different barrel before? Measuring the neck diameter before and after firing may help decide if that is an issue. Working up a load can be frustrating, and my toughest was also with a Shilen. The accuracy and extraction may be related or different issues, hence the nature of my questions.

I will add.

Are you chamfering your case mouths ? I am sure you are but just asking.
Are you annealing the cases ??

If you are not neck turning and have thick necks and or not annealing, you could have high bullet tension
and that could affect accuracy. Also if you are not chamfering the case mouth you could be gouging the bullet when you press it in.

Not saying thats it but just taking a guess at the accuracy issue.

Edit - just read where you are also using 30-06 brass too. Are you using mixed brass brands/types or sorting when dialing in groups ??

Honestly sometimes these sorts of problems are an incredible PIA to figure out.

What Scope and Rings ??

If it were me I think I would start over, double check the scope, rings, mount, free float especially the tang, make sure the recoil lug is making full contact and the recoil is not going into the action screws, check the barrel neck diameter and make sure you have the correct clearance at the neck diameter, set up some matched and fire formed 30-06 brass, make sure the donut is turned off and neck annealed, IE clean up the neck and prep it the best you can, then find an accuracy load online sort your brass and bullets and try that and make sure you are not flinching etc etc.