I measured the medical tape and it was 5 thousandths. I've decided to come off the lands a couple thousandths, swap the brass out with a fresh batch (these have served me well) and get the bolt repaired (maybe have a sako extractor put on it) or buy a new bolt from PT&G. Any one have any opinions on PT&Gs bolt to replace the ailing one I have in my Remmie 700? How big of a PITA is it to order a PT&G bolt? Take measurements? Send them my bolt? How much assembly? Bolt handle welding? Then will I need to have it trued up to my action? The bolt I have is a stock Remmie that was just trued up. Is itworth it?
You might ask how he is cleaning his brass. I've seen too much polish in the tumbling media (too wet) cause just enough ground walnut or whatever to stick inside the case, reducing volume---major overpressure even with a consistent powder charge.
I had a customer bring me a factory 700BDL Varmint .223. He had blown a reload ...
He left happy and was eager to get back to testing...
Today he came back... another blown case and the bolt locked... and a sore eye from gas.. he was not wearing glasses..
Comments welcomed...[/CENTER]
That is why I own only one Rem 700, Sav 110, Howa 1500, CZ527, etc, to I can say with impunity what crap they are.
What does it all mean?
Get a #1 or a 98.
Sako extractor would have survived that.
I have overloaded .223 countless times in a Ruger #1 and had the primer pocket grow by 20%.
I have countless times overloaded .243Win, 257 Roberts AI, .308, 30-06, 8x57mm, and 45acp in 100 year old 1898 Mausers and had the primer fall out.
Never have I had any gas hit me in the face.
That is why I own only one Rem 700, Sav 110, Howa 1500, CZ527, etc, to I can say with impunity what crap they are.
What does it all mean?
Get a #1 or a 98.
I've seen this happen with coarse extruded powders, affecting consecutive charge weights. The pic below is Retumbo bridged in the throat of an RCBS measure and it was amazingly solid. Was I not in the habit of weighing every charge and ended up picking up the variation on the scale, it might have caused me serious trouble:Might be picking nits here but it sounds like an overload as others have said. The guy says he measures each load. Maybe. Does he use a powder measure? Probably got one light load and the next was an overload. He might just confess!