Educate me on this infamous thing called a Carbon Ring.

[Tanner]

I have no dog in the fight as I like to observe objectivity, but it is interesting that something that can be observed clearly with a bore scope causes such a huge amount of arguing and wiener measuring.

So many factors at play in carbon rings and if or when they ever cause an issue, that it seems like it would make sense to ignore them if they aren’t giving you problems, and address them if they do.

 

[slm9s]

I shoot dozens of rifles and rarely clean them. I'd never had a carbon ring cause a problem until 1.5 years ago. The rifle is a custom 8 twist 7saum on a 700, I shoot 197s with RL26 (common theme?). It shot AMAZING until rounds started to get hard to chamber and then wouldn't chamber at all. Borescope showed a large carbon ring. I've tried several times to get the ring out, but several products have been unsuccessful (including electric drills being used!). I might have to try the hand-turned throater.

 

[Formidilosus]

An actual HELPFUL response would be to outline your theories on what can cause it (or not, can’t tell if you even think it’s real). Instead you just brag about rounds down range and problems you don’t have.

COOL COOL COOL

What? I have stated repeatedly for years on threads what causes it.

Minimal spec chambers
Short throats
Minimally resized cases
Excessive trimming of cases
Loading bullets into, or close to lands
Loading to “pressure signs” (aka hot)
Etc, etc.


Just because you your rifle/barrel came from a “known” shop, or is supposed to be a good prefit- does not mean it doesn’t have all or some of those issues. If you are having problems- you can BS yourself that “it just happens, or go through that list above and find the cause(s).

 

[HighUintas]

What? I have stated repeatedly for years on threads what causes it.

Minimal spec chambers
Short throats
Minimally resized cases
Excessive trimming of cases
Loading bullets into, or close to lands
Loading to “pressure signs” (aka hot)
Etc, etc.


Just because you your rifle/barrel came from a “known” shop, or is supposed to be a good prefit- does not mean it doesn’t have all or some of those issues. If you are having problems- you can BS yourself that “it just happens, or go through that list above and find the cause(s).

Aside from what you list, have you shot rifles at different firing schedules or witnessed it, to know if firing schedule could have any impact on carbon ring formation?

I don't know about the carbon in rifle barrels, but as a comparison (may or may not be valid due to different scenario), you can burn off the carbon in an oven with a cleaning cycle at 550F or whatever temp that is, and all the soot that accumulates on the ceiling in a brick wood oven will burn off when the hearth hits about 1000F. So, I'd think there would be a temperature in the bore at which you'd burn that ring out of your firing schedule is fast enough.

Sure, there's other factors that would be a bigger issue like tight throats and chambers. But this could be another factor in a person not seeing it happen

 

[RyanT26]

What? I have stated repeatedly for years on threads what causes it.

Minimal spec chambers
Short throats
Minimally resized cases
Excessive trimming of cases
Loading bullets into, or close to lands
Loading to “pressure signs” (aka hot)
Etc, etc.


Just because you your rifle/barrel came from a “known” shop, or is supposed to be a good prefit- does not mean it doesn’t have all or some of those issues. If you are having problems- you can BS yourself that “it just happens, or go through that list above and find the cause(s).

I’m sure you’ve stated somewhere but what is your shoulder bump when resizing brass?

 

[Formidilosus]

I’m sure you’ve stated somewhere but what is your shoulder bump when resizing brass?

I don’t measure it, nor care. Full resize with cam over on press.

 

[Formidilosus]

Aside from what you list, have you shot rifles at different firing schedules or witnessed it, to know if firing schedule could have any impact on carbon ring formation?

I don't know about the carbon in rifle barrels, but as a comparison (may or may not be valid due to different scenario), you can burn off the carbon in an oven with a cleaning cycle at 550F or whatever temp that is, and all the soot that accumulates on the ceiling in a brick wood oven will burn off when the hearth hits about 1000F. So, I'd think there would be a temperature in the bore at which you'd burn that ring out of your firing schedule is fast enough.

Sure, there's other factors that would be a bigger issue like tight throats and chambers. But this could be another factor in a person not seeing it happen

Do you think normal shooting of bolt actions is burning off carbon?

But to answer your question I think: 300 rums, 30-378’s, 6UM’s, etc aren’t being shot scorching hot normally.

 

[mtnbound]

What? I have stated repeatedly for years on threads what causes it.

Minimal spec chambers
Short throats
Minimally resized cases
Excessive trimming of cases
Loading bullets into, or close to lands
Loading to “pressure signs” (aka hot)
Etc, etc.


Just because you your rifle/barrel came from a “known” shop, or is supposed to be a good prefit- does not mean it doesn’t have all or some of those issues. If you are having problems- you can BS yourself that “it just happens, or go through that list above and find the cause(s).

Based on my experience and what folks have said in this string, it sure seems to me that the cartridge's construction has greater potential to be the issue, and if one had a chamber or throat out of spec, it would be compounded, but out of curiosity, how often have you seen a chamber or throat out of spec?