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AI AXSR 308 bolt does not close

seraphs

Private
Minuteman
Mar 10, 2020
36
10
I ordered a 308 bolt for my AXSR recently (has been running 300 Norma Mag with factory barrel and bolt). But I found that the new bolt won't close with factory 308 win ammos while it's working fine without a cartridge in the chamber. After some testing, I figured out that it may be caused by a headspace issue based on the following facts:

1. I was able to use some force to close the bolt with a snap cap that measures 1.616" (from the base of the case to shoulder using a 0.400" gauge).
2. Anything longer, including another snap cap that with a headspace of 1.618", a brass resized to the minimum headspace I can get (1.621"), won't close. While I was unable to close the bolt even with quite some force, the ammo/brass was not jammed in the rifling/chamber at all. It's very easy for me to remove the ammo/brass from the chamber.
3. I was able to close the bolt easily and extract the snap cap/brass if backing off the barrel for half a turn.
4. The headspace of 308 Win is supposed to be between 1.630" and 1.640" according to the SAAMI spec, which is much longer than 1.616" that my bolt can close.

At first I suspected that it may be caused by my Proof carbon prefit barrel. But it turned out that similar thing happened after I switched to another custom chambered Bartlein barrel, which was fired in another AXMC without any issue. So I guess the issue is very likely caused by the 308 bolt? Wonder if anyone experienced similar problems?
 
You ever get this sorted out?
 
Did you check to see if the ejector plunger could be pushed all the way down to the breach face on the bolt?
 
Did you check to see if the ejector plunger could be pushed all the way down to the breach face on the bolt?

This is a good suggestion. The ejector on my new 308win bolt had a ton white powder pack behind the ejector.