Scout .308 stuck cartridges

**Tonopah** · 07-08-2022, 03:14 PM

Brand new Savage Scout .308 throughly cleaned (bore and bolt) with bore and bolt pretty dry after cleaning.

Fresh loaded factory cartridges will chamber and extract/eject just fine. Action cycles fine with loaded factory ammo.

Fired cartridges stick in the chamber. Bolt can only be opened with the help of a mallet and sometimes a cleaning rod and WD-40 is needed to tap the fired cartridge and push the bolt open.

Once the fired cartridge is out and examined, the primer strike looks perfect and there are no striations, marks, cracks or dents on the fired brass. If I hand feed a fired cartridge into the chamber and close the bolt, the bolt once again does not want to open. The bolt handle comes up but I cannot pull it back without the help of a mallet.

Do you have any suggestions on how I can diagnose and fix the problem?

**Tonopah** · 07-08-2022, 05:31 PM

Must have been the ammo. I initially used (Hornady 150 grain which was new in the box but old in my ammo cabinet. The brass was somewhat discolored). I just shot it now with factory fresh Federal loads and it worked fine. Action is a little stiff and sticky but does work and also seems to be working in somewhat as I shoot it.

**Dave Hoback** · 07-08-2022, 07:46 PM

ALWAYS shoot more than one type of ammo before thinking the firearm has a problem.

**PhilC** · 07-09-2022, 01:12 PM

Nothing to offer on the ammo, but do your note interesting username. Is there a story behind it?

**Tonopah** · 07-09-2022, 02:05 PM

PhilC -- back in the days when it seemed many internet users were selecting user names and thereby avoiding posting under real names, I decided to come up with one. I lived in Southern California at the time and liked to go on an annual motorcycle ride from there to Tonopah, NV in the first week of February. Those rides were memorable as they took us from freeway, through desert winds, through old mining towns, and often ice covered roads. Very cold and somewhat dangerous rides. In picking out an internet name "Tonopah" just popped into my head and I have used it ever since.

**Tonopah** · 07-09-2022, 02:16 PM

I cleaned the heck out of the Savage Scout last night taking care to clean the chamber well too. I left the barrel and chamber dry but lightly lubed the bolt and receiver area with Ballistol and the bolt slides very easily in the receiver. Today I will try to zero the iron sights using quality .308 ammunition and see how that goes as far as function is concerned. By the way, I have the same problem everyone else does with the iron sights. In casual shooting it is apparent that they shoot high. I have lowered the rear sight all the way and then some. Hopefully, that will be adequate for accuracy if I hold a bit low. In the next several days I am going to mount a Burris 2x7x32mm scout scope but I am waiting for delivery of the Warne low rings right now (I have the scope) but I wanted to do what I could to make the iron sights workable before I switch to the scope.

**Tonopah** · 07-09-2022, 02:23 PM

I don't have any particular loyalty to Savage rifles though I admire the Accutrigger and stock. But if Tikka made a scout rifle I would have gone with that. Tikka's in my experience have always been solid, lightweight, and "no drama" rifles.

**Blue Avenger** · 07-09-2022, 07:17 PM

On your Front scope base, take the rear screw of the 2 screws out and then try your fired brass. Sometimes that screw is to long and drags on the bolt lug. But normally it will do it all the time, not just a fired case.
Is the mallet required to lift the bolt or move it back? Watch the back of the bolt as you rise it. The last quarter of the movement there should be angled wedges on the handle and the back of the action making contact on the back of the bolt. At that point the bolt lugs should be unlocked and the wedge action is the primary extraction forcing the bolt back with mechanical leverage to break the case loose from its friction fit. You can try putting some very thin hard material ( piece of tin, feeler gauge) between to see if makes it extract. You might have two under size part not making enough contact or one may have chipped.

**Tonopah** · 07-10-2022, 04:31 PM

Thank you for the suggestions. The bolt operates smoothly with no cartridges at all. It chambers fine with loaded Federal Match ammo. It shoots reliably and then the bolt handle lifts okay. This time (using Federal Match) I could pull the bolt to the rear alright and ejection is fine. I fired eight rounds without issue. The action is far from buttery smooth and to chamber a round and to pull back the bolt to eject a round pretty much requires that the rifle come off my shoulder and I hold the butt to my hip -- but at least I am not getting any cartridges stuck in the chamber now.

**PhilC** · 07-11-2022, 09:16 AM

Originally Posted by Tonopah

PhilC -- back in the days when it seemed many internet users were selecting user names and thereby avoiding posting under real names, I decided to come up with one. I lived in Southern California at the time and liked to go on an annual motorcycle ride from there to Tonopah, NV in the first week of February. Those rides were memorable as they took us from freeway, through desert winds, through old mining towns, and often ice covered roads. Very cold and somewhat dangerous rides. In picking out an internet name "Tonopah" just popped into my head and I have used it ever since.

That's really interesting! Have to agree with you on winding roads and old mining towns in NV. Group of guys I worked and hunted with did similar on the opposite side of the state SE of Ely.

My association with Tonopah comes from my 4yr tour at Tonopah Test Range supporting the F-117 program, the first 3 during the "black" years. Many fond memories.

**Tonopah** · 07-11-2022, 12:02 PM

The F-117 was a truly groundbreaking aircraft and I understand that they, or some of them, still remain available today to return to active duty if needed and that some are still occasionally flying for test purposes.

**Tonopah** · 07-15-2022, 07:22 PM

Update: Embarrassing as this may be to admit -- I think I discovered the problem. The ammo I used initially in this rifle was from an unopened but old box in my ammo cabinet. It was Hornady 155 grain that is steel cased (yes, Hornady used to make that). After several thorough cleanings and then using proper brass cased .308, the rifle functions fine. It's not like the bolt is on ball bearings or anything but it does operate okay now. No difficulty closing the bolt or lifting the bolt handle or pulling it back. Whew!

**charlie b** · 07-15-2022, 08:04 PM

I was about to ask about steel case but when you said Hornady I didn't even think about it. Didn't even know they made steel cases.

From past experience it can also take a while to get all the varnish from the steel cases out of the chamber. There is a good reason why the AK's had chrome lining.

Glad you found the cause and the gun is working well.