Gunsmithing R700 300WM 5R Bolt Sticking

[Gray]

My buddy got a brand new Remmy 700 5R chambered in 300WM and I handloaded some rounds for it based off info I got here on SH (75.6 gr H1000). Well the gun groups around .3moa but I have yet to fire a round with having to tap the bolt open with a wooden block. SO, I loaded up some slower rounds w/ 70 gr H100, still bolt is stuck hard. After buying some cheap Remighton Core Lokts at Walmart and firing them, STILL, bolt is sticking hard. Could there be a burr in the chamber, or something going on with the lug abutments, or....? Sucks cause these guns have a good reputation everywhere I read, but I'm really not wanting him to send the gun off to Remington just to have them keep it for 6 months during hunting season. Again, this gun has less than 20 rounds down it.

 

[2156SMK]

Re: R700 300WM 5R Bolt Sticking

First things first...
Does the bolt stick with no cartridge in the chamber?
Does the bolt stick with a live round in the chamber that has not been fired?
Are the lugs greased?
Is the cocking ramp, cocking piece nose and threads greased?

Inspect the lugs for galling.

 

[Gray]

Re: R700 300WM 5R Bolt Sticking

Bolt runs fine with empty chamber, bolt ejects live rounds, lugs have Tetra grease on them w/ Hoppes on bolt, cocking assemblies are greased as well, lugs look fine for a non-trued action...

 

[REL1203]

Re: R700 300WM 5R Bolt Sticking

is the brass new? 300WM is a belted magnum case, causes issues with resizing... When you try this with factory rounds (or new brass), does it still happen? If it doesnt, your not sizing teh brass around the belt enough

 

[Gray]

Re: R700 300WM 5R Bolt Sticking

Been reloading for belted magnums for a good while, it's not my reloads. I'm thinking something's wrong with the chamber. New brass, old brass, it doesn't matter, they stick the bolt.

 

[monteboy84]

Re: R700 300WM 5R Bolt Sticking

Is it only sticking when you try to pull the bolt back, or also when you lift it? Any marks on the brass after you've ejected it?

-matt

 

[Gray]

Re: R700 300WM 5R Bolt Sticking

Only when I try to pull it back

 

[ash2112]

Re: R700 300WM 5R Bolt Sticking

How clean is the lug abutment area? Could be a clearance issue, somtimes debris from the bore brush or whatever get in there. This will cause the intial unlocking to be difficult.

Do you have pictures of the fired brass, bolt lugs, chamber area, and the cam surface on the bolt handle?

 

[TRAAV]

Re: R700 300WM 5R Bolt Sticking

Just a thought but are you sure you dont have a carbon ring and its spiking pressure?

 

[alexander66]

Re: R700 300WM 5R Bolt Sticking

I just got the same rifle with the identical problem, to fix the problem I used a 45 cal bore brush on a sectional cleaning rod in a drill set at low speed, I polished the chamber for less than a minute, it took care of the problem. Run some lubricant on the brush and then follow with a good cleaning of the bore. This worked for me, I did not have the time to send the rifle back to Remington.

 

[Innovative]

Re: R700 300WM 5R Bolt Sticking

Belted magnum calibers are easy to handload. However, the belt causes a unique problem that needs to be dealt with.

Factory loads headspace on the belt, while handloads <span style="font-weight: bold">MUST</span> headspace on the shoulder. Too many outstanding rifles are being butchered because handloads won't chamber or they only extract with force. The cause is almost always "bulged brass".

When the shoulder is pushed back too far, the case stretches too much when the round is fired. This makes the brass paper thin, and it bulges (just above the web) during the reloading process.

Belted cases are always weakened quite a bit on the very FIRST round. This is because the original chamber clearance (at the shoulder) is excessive. It's often as much as .020" to .030"

Check it out on my website, and you'll be able to see all about this common problem.