Heavy Bolt lift on Tikka 6.5

[nephewjephew]

I have a tikka t3x (in a KRG bravo) 6.5cm shooting factory 147 eldm. I have 150-200 rounds down the gun and have not had one hiccup. Was shooting this weekend and the 3rd round in the mag (MDT 5rd poly mags) I had a really heavy bolt lift. I was shooting prone and had to break position and sit up to get the bolt to lift. And that continued for the next two rounds. Then switched mags and happened again the next two rounds. Switched to a new box and shot 3 or 4 no problem, then had a problem again. All but maybe 30 rounds has been in this stock, mags and ammo lot. I am no gun smith and don't reload, anyone got any ideas what may be happening here?

 

[General RE LEE]

Clean the chamber real good with a shotgun bronze brush and solvent. You may have gotten a carbon ring in the throat.

 

[General RE LEE]

Have you cleaned the rifle's bore at all?

 

[TaperPin]

^^^^ what he said.

 

[nephewjephew]

Have you cleaned the rifle's bore at all?

Nothing but bullets down the barrel.


Thanks for the carbon ring suggestion, I will have to investigate.

 

[General RE LEE]

Nothing but bullets down the barrel.


Thanks for the carbon ring suggestion, I will have to investigate.

I’d clean chamber and bore. Some people preach about never cleaning their rifles. I don’t subscribe to that practice. I’d clean it real good.

 

[nephewjephew]

Curious how people that don’t clean would go about this. Or if cleaning the chamber out is the only option.

 

[HandgunHTR]

Curious how people that don’t clean would go about this. Or if cleaning the chamber out is the only option.

I have yet to develop a carbon ring in any of my guns. The only ones I clean regularly are my ARs, mainly due to the fact that I have some tighter tolerances in them and the actions won't run reliably when super dirty. I have never had the problem in any of my many bolt guns despite being over 200 rounds in on every one of them. That being said, I don't shoot any that are super over-bore, which is where I see carbon rings come up more often than not.

 

[TaperPin]

Curious how people that don’t clean would go about this. Or if cleaning the chamber out is the only option.

You could clean the carbon ring out, pressures could go back to normal, and the non cleaning crowd have literally told people in the past it’s a figment of their imagination and there is never a reason to clean any rifle. Lol

 

[Formidilosus]

the non cleaning crowd have literally told people in the past it’s a figment of their imagination and there is never a reason to clean any rifle. Lol

Can you please quote the “non cleaning crowd” saying/writing that?

You don’t a case by making things up.

 

[Formidilosus]

Curious how people that don’t clean would go about this. Or if cleaning the chamber out is the only option.

You said that you switched boxes, was it the same lot # of ammo?

I have seen lots vary by almost 200fps.

 

[Shortschaf]

Ammo would be the first thing to look at

ETA: formidilosus beat me to it. Check the lots. Try different ammo. Could chrono the boxes giving you trouble too

 

[TaperPin]

Can you please quote the “non cleaning crowd” saying/writing that?

You don’t a case by making things up.

I’m not trying to make a case, just enjoying the humor in it. If you guys truly believe in never cleaning, just own it. Lol

 

[Formidilosus]

I’m not trying to make a case, just enjoying the humor in it. If you guys truly believe in never cleaning, just own it. Lol

Why make things up about what is stated?

 

[ElPollo]

I’m not trying to make a case, just enjoying the humor in it. If you guys truly believe in never cleaning, just own it. Lol

 

[TaperPin]

Why make things up about what is stated?

I don’t think that’s made up - you guys have told some real whoppers. Lol

I wouldn’t want you guys to change - it’s been great fun.

 

[TaperPin]

View attachment 777625

That’s a good one - I’ll have to use it. Lol

Every generation makes incremental advancements on what the previous generation did. We may not agree, or even see the value in it, but if it is an idea that will stand the test of time, poking fun at it, or questioning it won’t matter - it will sink or swim on it’s merits.

 

[Ucsdryder]

I mean, @TaperPin has got a point. Don’t clean rifle, don’t clean suppressor, never a reason to do either. Has this philosophy changed? It’s been preached and parroted on here ad nauseam. I admit I stay away from a lot of those types of threads nowadays so maybe I’m wrong!

 

[Formidilosus]

I mean, @TaperPin has got a point. Don’t clean rifle, don’t clean suppressor, never a reason to do either. Has this philosophy changed?

Regale us with your experience and what you have learned by not cleaning barrels or suppressors- how many different barrels, what cartridges, what were the true cone sizes, and how was the zero retention long term? Same for suppressors- how many have you not cleaned for an extended round count?

It’s been preached and parroted on here ad nauseam. I admit I stay away from a lot of those types of threads nowadays so maybe I’m wrong!

No one has-

“told people in the past it’s a figment of their imagination and there is never a reason to clean any rifle”

 

[Formidilosus]

I don’t think that’s made up - you guys have told some real whoppers. Lol

“Real whoppers”? Can you quote them so we know what you are speaking about?