Bolt lift click

[MuleyFever]

So I was at the range today and got the bolt click at the top of the bolt cycle on my 7 SAUM. This was shooting once fired and resized Norma brass using a Redding FL die. I did not have any issues with the virgin brass.

I shot the other day and did not get this. I have been playing with loads at 61.8 to 62 grains of H1000. I shot last week and did not get the click at 61.8gn or 1 load at 62gn but today I got it at 61.9 and 62gn. Seems odd. My one dilemma is that my ES is 1/3 at 62gn vs 61.8gn. I am not getting case head swipe marks. I am getting great accuracy at both charge weights but I am getting 40ish ES at 61.8gn.

What are the consequences of just staying where I am and dealing with the click? I could look into getting the chamber looked at later but I am 3 weeks from my elk hunt.

Should I buy a Forester FL die to try? For $40 is it worth trying?

 

[Ucsdryder]

Oh no…dreaded bolt click.


The prc and Saum are notorious for it. Google it.

 

[Tullis94]

I am also interested. I have experienced a very light bolt click on a couple Tikka prefits. There were no other pressure signs and the loads shouldn't have been very hot. How bad is it to have a light click?

 

[XLR]

99% of the time its due to chamber size. But had a buddy that was having this issue and it resulted in him not cleaning lube off of his brass. It would get caught in the chamber and once it built up there was a good click. I doubt that's the case but another possibility to take a look at.

 

[Ucsdryder]

99% of the time it chamber sized. But had a buddy that was having this issue and it resulted in him not cleaning lube off of his brass. It would get caught in the chamber and once it built up there was a good click. I doubt that's the case but another possibility to take a look at.

I had it bad, it turned out to be a shoddy chamber job by Oregon mountain rifle. Once the chamber was smoothed out and all the rings were gone, it got better. The click has come back though. I’m running my brass hot, too hot, and I think that has something to do with it. I’m going to lower my powder charge and start over with some new brass.

Usually it’s caused by the base of the brass expanding. Your FL die doesn’t resize all the way down the case. If you’re running your brass hot it’ll happen faster and more often. I’ve heard it’s less a problem with soft brass like Hornady, more of an issue with ADG brass.

 

[MuleyFever]

Back to the original question. Not asking about the how or why right now.

"What are the consequences of just staying where I am and dealing with the click? I could look into getting the chamber looked at later but I am 3 weeks from my elk hunt.

Should I buy a Forester FL die to try? For $40 is it worth trying?"

 

[XLR]

Back to the original question. Not asking about the how or why right now.

"What are the consequences of just staying where I am and dealing with the click? I could look into getting the chamber looked at later but I am 3 weeks from my elk hunt.

Should I buy a Forester FL die to try? For $40 is it worth trying?"

I just mentioned that to make sure you were cleaning your brass! Depending on how sticky it is would dictate what I would do. If its not bad just wait until after the hunt. If its going to be an issue in the field then you might as well address it now! There are some good smiths in UT that should be able to get you taken care of quickly if that the route you go!

 

[MuleyFever]

I just mentioned that to make sure you were cleaning your brass! Depending on how sticky it is would dictate what I would do. If its not bad just wait until after the hunt. If its going to be an issue in the field then you might as well address it now! There are some good smiths in UT that should be able to get you taken care of quickly if that the route you go!

This is the first time I have shot resized brass in it. The first 12 had no click but these next 9 did. Only 21 resized pieces shot so far. I used One Shot and wiped the cases off after sizing.

 

[MuleyFever]

Google it.

I did but I have not seen anything that eludes to the consequences of just shooting it other than maybe ruined brass. I am fine with ruining a few pieces of brass until I can get it fixed.

 

[rootacres]

What barrel do you have?

I had almost an identical story as yours. ADG brass, 7 SAUM and bolt click on the second time through. I sent my brass off to Whidden and ended up having to order a custom die. Seems to have solved my problem.

As for the consequence? Not entirely sure, Id think it's not great for the extractor but it's probably fine for you to get by your hunt.

 

[brushape]

Saums and adg brass are notorious for this and the next thing you’ll notice is that the primer pockets are trash after your next firing. Ask me how I know? Mine was mostly cured by removing and keeping an eye on the carbon ring built up inside the throat


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Wapiti1]

I did but I have not seen anything that eludes to the consequences of just shooting it other than maybe ruined brass. I am fine with ruining a few pieces of brass until I can get it fixed.

There is no harm to the rifle or danger to yourself. What you risk is a stuck case in the chamber and that is about it. If it just clicks and otherwise extracts with no additional force or bolt bumping, then it's just a noise at this point.

I would set aside 40 pieces of virgin brass, and travel to your elk hunt with that. Shoot the "best" load you feel confident in. Then deal with it later. There are a couple of remedies.

Jeremy

 

[MuleyFever]

There is no harm to the rifle or danger to yourself. What you risk is a stuck case in the chamber and that is about it. If it just clicks and otherwise extracts with no additional force or bolt bumping, then it's just a noise at this point.

I would set aside 40 pieces of virgin brass, and travel to your elk hunt with that. Shoot the "best" load you feel confident in. Then deal with it later. There are a couple of remedies.

Jeremy

Do you know if the brass is compromised at all or if I can just resize it like normal if I get the chamber reworked or maybe go with some custom dies?

 

[Wapiti1]

Do you know if the brass is compromised at all or if I can just resize it like normal if I get the chamber reworked or maybe go with some custom dies?

The best answer is it depends, but the brass is probably fine.

One fix is to polish with 320 and slightly taper the back half of the chamber so it will allow the brass to shrink away properly. Another is to use the AW2 reamer from JGS plus a 320 polish.

Going to small base dies works too, but you may actually decrease brass life because you are working it more.

I prefer to attack the chamber and use standard dies.

That said, I have not fixed a whole bunch of these. Just a few, and chamber polish work corrected them.

Jeremy

 

[mt100gr.]

There is no harm to the rifle or danger to yourself. What you risk is a stuck case in the chamber and that is about it. If it just clicks and otherwise extracts with no additional force or bolt bumping, then it's just a noise at this point.

I would set aside 40 pieces of virgin brass, and travel to your elk hunt with that. Shoot the "best" load you feel confident in. Then deal with it later. There are a couple of remedies.

Jeremy

What are the remedies? No hijack intended here, but I have a similar deal going on with a 6.5 SAUM. Mine is much better or even non-existent WITH ADG brass. With Hornady 6.5 GAP4s brass it's pretty sticky on the primary extraction - good click and stiff at the top of the bolt lift.

I was getting some pretty deep rings on my brass with a new McGowen prefit and I said F it, and polished the chamber some myself - they're local to me, but i enjoy tinkering and learning. That helped a lot and the rings are a lot less evident. Figure after the season I'll probably polish it a bit more but right now it's shooting really well.

Thanks!

 

[mt100gr.]

....and you posted while typed....lol.

 

[General RE LEE]

I bought a 6.5 PRC and now kinda wish I had got a 6.5-284 Norma instead.

 

[MuleyFever]

I was getting some pretty deep rings on my brass with a new McGowen prefit and I said F it, and polished the chamber some myself...

Thanks!

What barrel do you have?

Mine is also a McGowen.

 

[mt100gr.]

Mine is also a McGowen.

I want to like them, as they're just up the road, but it seems like they are just OK company-wise. They definitely could have been more helpful when I had questions prior to ordering my barrel. I was a little annoyed that a new custom ordered barrel had a rough chamber but after reading about their CS, I decided that I'd DIY the chamber polishing...

 

[Ucsdryder]

Mine is also a McGowen.

Prefit? My gunsmith said different reamers are different diameters. Shine a light into the chamber and see if there are any rings. Does your brass have any etchings on it?