Stuck Bolt

So I recently acquired a Savage 111 in 270 Winchester that is giving me a headache. Its used, made in the early 90's I believe. When I first got it I used a set of Go- No-Go gauges to make sure there were no issues with headspace. The first 4 rounds I ran through it were a starting load of a ladder test, they shot pretty good and without a problem. On every shot with the 2nd charge weight the bolt rotated up just fine, but the bolt took quite a bit of convincing with the heel of my hand to slide rearward, the case ejected fine when it was supposed to. My chronograph showed velocity to be right where I expected... mild. I stopped anyway and took it home for a bolt disassembly and found good bit of crud amongst the parts. I cleaned everything up and put it all back together with a light coat of oil.

On my next range trip I fired the next 3 charge weights (12 rounds total ) and everything went without a hiccup. Velocities were pretty close to where I predicted.

Then the other day I decided to try a heavier bullet weight, loaded up another ladder test, and hit the range. The very first shot of the first charge the same problem happened. Mild velocity, and the bolt rotated up like normal but it was jammed forward bad. I ended up having to take it home and convince it with a rubber mallet.

From the googling I've done Im guessing Ive got a rough (possibly rusty) chamber though I haven't got a chance to check it yet (im at work). That googling also recommended polishing the chamber. The easiest way Ive found seems to be taking a plain old larger caliber bore mop from a standard cleaning kit, slathering it with a mild abrasive (soft scrub, flitz, or bar keepers friend), chucking it in a drill smoothing out the imperfections.

Do you guys have any other ideas what could be causing this? Any other ideas on smoothing out a rough chamber?

Sounds like Primary Extraction problem. When bolt handle is lifted to top bolt should move back about 0.060'', this extracts brass from chamber. Check for this by placing shim between receiver & baffle, lift bolt, and brass should extract.

These are incredibly cheap, and lets you video what's going on in the chamber/throat/barrel. Just plug it into a laptop or similar device. Some are made to plug into your phone.

http://www.amazon.com/Diameter-Water...sb+wire+camera

I think you have a chamber issue but it may not be rusty.

I have been running 100 rounds a week through my 12FV since I got it (new) and started to have the same random issue (initially it seemed to be sticking due to too low a powder charge and I was thinking excess pressure)

It came and went though.

Upshot is that after going over the PEI (primary extraction issue) and playing with it all, it occurred to me to clean the chamber (never did it on a gun specially before, the chamber brush have was for an AR) . By hand should work every bit as well and maybe safer for the lead into the rifling.

I have a chamber brush, and while I do not recommend this (and weigh in if you think its a damage issue) I chucked up an aluminum rod section, put the chamber brush on the end and did a slow speed clean out with lots of solvent (dipping the brush in solvent as well as solvent in chamber with a patch)

then I ran patch down the barrel with my handy dandy ball bearing fibreless rod (just so no one thinks I am totally a wackoo)

Huge amount of good came out the end of what had been a clean barreled.

Worked fine next session.

I did the same with the used 111 I had bought, not as much but goo.

One of them I got gun oil in the chamber area for sure, the other not (not sure which)

Now the 111 is being stick the 12FV is fine.

I am going to make sure the 111 has gun oil in it (swab it in then wipe out the excess) and see.

Someone can enlighten us on Savage chambers, they do not seem as polishes as others I have seen but I don't have the camera. I shoot mil surplues and it has not been an issue with them but they are looser tolerance.

I saw it at Costco the other day and the same thing crossed my mind, this would be a great tool - I hate Costco, always cool stuff I didn't know I needed