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Christensen Mesa Long Range Chamber Tolerance?

THN338

Private
Minuteman
May 25, 2022
7
3
California
Hi all,
New to the forum but not to bolt guns. I can't seem to find any info on chamber pressure in Christensen rifles, and when I contacted their customer service, they said they don't speak to reloading (not surprising, CYA response) but they also said they have no chamber data. I find it hard to believe they'd sell rifles in the $1.5k-5k range without chamber pressure data.
Anyone know of a good way to find those numbers safely? I have a Mesa Long Range in .338LM.
 
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Even if they provided a safe PSI pressure level how would you test that? Most of us just work up loads until the brass tells us there is too much pressure.
 
Even if they provided a safe PSI pressure level how would you test that? Most of us just work up loads until the brass tells us there is too much pressure.
What are the telltale pressure signs you look for in brass? I'm fairly new to load development, this is my first time handloading something with this much oomph.
 
Cratering of primers, primers flattening out, ejector marks on the brass, and hard to lift bolt handle. Google each of those terms and in google images and you will see examples of all except hard to lift bolt handle.
 
What are the telltale pressure signs you look for in brass? I'm fairly new to load development, this is my first time handloading something with this much oomph.

As for the official standards
 
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Its a christensen, so just assume its defective from factory.
What a helpful and productive piece of input, thank you. Out of the hundreds of reviews I read before buying, you’re the only one with something negative to say. Care to speak to what your specific experience was with their rifles?
 
What a helpful and productive piece of input, thank you. Out of the hundreds of reviews I read before buying, you’re the only one with something negative to say. Care to speak to what your specific experience was with their rifles?
While his comment was not germane to the topic at hand; you dont have to look very far to find people that have had issues with christensen.
 
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What a helpful and productive piece of input, thank you. Out of the hundreds of reviews I read before buying, you’re the only one with something negative to say. Care to speak to what your specific experience was with their rifles?
Because most people that buy their shit are not educated gun people. The vast majority are first time buyers or people who see a pretty advertisement or get told by some equally ignorant gunstore employee making minimum wage they are good guns. Being ignorant is expensive.

If you were to search out Christensen on the web, specifically barrel issues you would see a ton of bad feedback and people who have issues. Its not new, shits been going on for half a decade. It takes 5 minutes to do a google search of Christensen Arms Issues. Its not pretty.

They cater to people who shoot a box of ammo a year and wouldn't know what a poor shooting gun is if they knew what to look for.

My expereince is barrels that do not shoot for shit, as they heat up they string all over the place, and that is just the ones chambered by a competent smith. The factory built Christensen guns are even worse. Barrels not aligned, rubbing on stock; accuracy is dogshit, Barrels fouling in like 30-50 rounds and needing cleaning; ect.
 
Because most people that buy their shit are not educated gun people. The vast majority are first time buyers or people who see a pretty advertisement or get told by some equally ignorant gunstore employee making minimum wage they are good guns. Being ignorant is expensive.

If you were to search out Christensen on the web, specifically barrel issues you would see a ton of bad feedback and people who have issues. Its not new, shits been going on for half a decade. It takes 5 minutes to do a google search of Christensen Arms Issues. Its not pretty.

They cater to people who shoot a box of ammo a year and wouldn't know what a poor shooting gun is if they knew what to look for.

My expereince is barrels that do not shoot for shit, as they heat up they string all over the place, and that is just the ones chambered by a competent smith. The factory built Christensen guns are even worse. Barrels not aligned, rubbing on stock; accuracy is dogshit, Barrels fouling in like 30-50 rounds and needing cleaning; ect.
You can also speak first hand with folks that have multiple CA rifles that shoot very well. Picked up a MPR in .308 with 16" barrel and it has shot sub-moa with every bullet I have loaded for it. Not to mention it's a folder that weighs less than 9 pounds with scope and suppressor. For the record, I am not a box of ammo a year guy but more like a few thousand rounds a year.