Bolt will not close

desmo900 · 07-10-2014, 10:54 PM

I have a new 10P .308 that has fired 65 rounds. Yesterday it started not seating the case fully, it will not even start to close. The bolt will close without a round, but will not close even on a fully sized empty case.

I have been hand loading Lapua cases, Matchking 168g., IMR 4064, Wolf primers.

Hornaday OAL guage with a Sinclair comparator measures 2.127. I'm loading at 2.112 for now.

I tried some PMC Bronze and had the same issue.

I hope its just something stupid that I'm missing.

Any suggestions ya'll can offer would be appreciated.

**boostless** · 07-10-2014, 11:03 PM

How are you re-sizing the brass? Have you taken it apart recently?

**foxx** · 07-10-2014, 11:19 PM

In hopes it's something stupid... brush out the chamber and everything behind it good. be sure there's nothing in there like spilled powder. 1 grain of powder will do it.

desmo900 · 07-11-2014, 12:00 AM

I normally only re-size the neck, but just in case i did one with a Lee full length die to see if it would feed right.
the rifle has never been apart,
I did not clean it after this problem started but will do so now. hopefully its just a bit of junk in the chamber like you mentioned.

This is my first bolt action rifle and I really love it. I'm not much of a shooter but even I can put 5 rounds into .625 at 100 yards.

**BillPa** · 07-11-2014, 12:13 AM

Also check that the ejector can be pressed back at least flush with the boltface.

Bill

gotcha · 07-11-2014, 08:21 PM

Or, you might start by manually hooking the case rim under the extractor then holding the case in line with the chamber with a finger as you slowly close the bolt.

desmo900 · 07-13-2014, 03:06 AM

I ran a chamber brush and cleaned the barrel, that seems to have fixed the problem.

Thank you all for the quick thinking.

**limige** · 07-13-2014, 04:15 AM

Glad you got it!

**GaCop** · 07-13-2014, 05:58 AM

Glad to hear it was an easy fix.

**foxx** · 07-13-2014, 09:46 AM

I about went through the roof in a panic the first time that happened to me because it was right after I bedded the action. I was sure I had seriously messed it up somehow. :)