Springfield Waypoint tight camber

[Bluumoon]

A buddy has bought a NIB Springfield Waypoint in 6mm CM. Accuracy is gtg, but it seems to have a tight chamber. Occasionally very tight to close bolt and also occasional heavy bolt lift on factory Hornady ammo.

Springfield thus far has failed to respond to 2 customer service inquiries....I see three options
One- chase down Springfield and try to deal with them.
Two- have a competent smith check chamber and potentially open it up a touch
Three- put the spare barrel he picked up on it
Four- sell it and move on

He has 6 weeks to resolve and get ready for AK. Not that the rifle is really needed for the trip, but it was purchased with AK in mind.

@Formidilosus @NSI

 

[NSI]

Option 4 if Springfield won't answer the phone, though getting it properly RMA'd and then sold would probably be best for his conscience.

Regardless that's not the platform I'd choose for Alaska.

-J

 

[wind gypsy]

Can he rule out the hornady ammo?

Not that it would surprise me if the chamber was subpar but I also wouldn't be surprised if the factory ammo was the culprit or at least a contributing factor. Do you or he have a bore scope and/or creedmoor headspace gauges?

I got sticky bolt lift with Hornady black 105 and 108 Match ammo in a kampfeld chambered 6 creed when it was new.

 

[Harvey_NW]

Option 2 is probably the quickest and easiest way to address it. It's likely either tight headspace or under spec at the tail end of the chamber from a worn reamer, all in all about a 20 min fix. Measure some fired cases at .2" above the case head and see if they're under spec on the SAAMI print, and have him take a few with to the smith if he does go that route.

 

[Harvey_NW]

Can he rule out the hornady ammo?

Not that it would surprise me if the chamber was subpar but I also wouldn't be surprised if the factory ammo was the culprit or at least a contributing factor.

I got sticky bolt lift with Hornady black 105 and 108 Match ammo in a kampfeld chambered 6 creed when it was new.

Not that it couldn't be for sticky extraction, but tight on close chambering a live round is probably indicative of tolerance interference.

 

[wind gypsy]

Not that it couldn't be for sticky extraction, but tight on close chambering a live round is probably indicative of tolerance interference.

You're probably right. I wouldn't be completely shocked if ammo was a little out of spec though.

 

[ResearchinStuff]

Isn't the hornady 6.5 creed 147 eld ammo notorious for being a bit long and tough to chamber in some guns? Could easily see that manufacturing problem manifesting other skus too. Anyhow, you should just loan him a real rifle, like your master sporter....

 

[wind gypsy]

Isn't the hornady 6.5 creed 147 eld ammo notorious for being a bit long and tough to chamber in some guns? Could easily see that manufacturing problem manifesting other skus too. Anyhow, you should just loan him a real rifle, like your master sporter....

[highjack warning] Sonofa B. There was a mint 223 MS that closed on gunbroker yesterday. The practical side of my brain took over and I let some other guy win it, but it was hard and i'm not yet at peace with my decisions.

 

[ResearchinStuff]

Real life keeps wrecking my plans to buy nice guns. Somehow I've killed 3 transmissions in 2 vehicles over the last 18 months so the fun purchases keep getting delayed indefinitely. A 223 master sporter would be so sweet.

 

[NSI]

Option 2 is probably the quickest and easiest way to address it. It's likely either tight headspace or under spec at the tail end of the chamber from a worn reamer, all in all about a 20 min fix. Measure some fired cases at .2" above the case head and see if they're under spec on the SAAMI print, and have him take a few with to the smith if he does go that route.

This is also the quickest way to eliminate the warranty route and limit sale options.

-J

 

[Bluumoon]

[highjack warning] Sonofa B. There was a mint 223 MS that closed on gunbroker yesterday. The practical side of my brain took over and I let some other guy win it, but it was hard and i'm not yet at peace with my decisions.

What’d that go for?

 

[Bluumoon]

Isn't the hornady 6.5 creed 147 eld ammo notorious for being a bit long and tough to chamber in some guns? Could easily see that manufacturing problem manifesting other skus too. Anyhow, you should just loan him a real rifle, like your master sporter....

He certainly has options and would be welcome to notch the MS on a caribou or moose. He has a model 70 w some crusher hand loads 30-06/ 168 TMKs, prob overkill for caribou or moose.

 

[Bluumoon]

Option 4 if Springfield won't answer the phone, though getting it properly RMA'd and then sold would probably be best for his conscience.

Regardless that's not the platform I'd choose for Alaska.

-J

Thanks for the input. I’m solidly in the no fuss rifle/scope camp. If the MRC had come in under 3k it’d have been an easy sell.

 

[wind gypsy]

What’d that go for?

$1425

https://www.gunbroker.com/item/1114706300

 

[Bluumoon]

$1425

https://www.gunbroker.com/item/1114706300

View attachment 906624

If that Leupold is worth anything on resale that wasn’t a bad price

 

[Harvey_NW]

This is also the quickest way to eliminate the warranty route and limit sale options.

-J

The warranty isn't any good if the company won't respond or do anything to fix it, and it's highly unlikely they could identify it had been fixed at any point if done correctly by a competent smith. I also disagree on limiting the sale options beings that it's a malfunctioning firearm as is and it could be fixed and turned into a fully functional firearm by a smith.

 

[wind gypsy]

If that Leupold is worth anything on resale that wasn’t a bad price

Definitely a fair price IMO.