ORIGINAL: sellme69
I have a 700 XCR in 300wsm that I sent back to Remington last year b/c the rifle wouldn't eject the spent casings. It was also hard to close the bolt on a new round and hard to open after firing a round.
What does it mean if the bolt is hard to open or close when there is a cartridge in the chamber (fired or unfired)?
Should it typically be easy to open or close with a round in the chamber (fired or unfired)?
Will it affect accuracy?
I have not gotten a chance to shoot it since it's gotten back from the factory...
Thanks in advance for the feedback.
The bolt of a properly headspaced rifle should close EASILY on an unfiredround of factory ammunition, IF THE AMMO IS MADE to the correct dimensions.
IF it is HARD to open the bolt after firing a round, but was not difficult to close before firing, this tends to indicate that the load is too hot for that particular rifle. This should never happen with factory ammo, BUT IT DOES HAPPEN sometimes. If you encounter this kind of problem, stop using that batch of ammo, and change ammunition!
A bolt that is difficult to close will not have an adverse effect on your rifle's accuracy. In fact, it may actually IMPROVE accuracy, if anything.
However, having ammo that chambers with difficulty iscertainly NOT a good condition when you are hunting-andif a round gets stuck in the chamber, live or fired, when you are out in the field, it can be a real PITA!! Most people don't carry ramrods with them in the field, but I have a brass rod that is made in 6" sections contained in a little canvas bag that fits in a field jacket pocket which I carry when on a hunting trip. Not always for just a day's hunt, but when in the mountains!