Gunsmithing Oval chamber, what options do I have?

[tuckybill]

My build of a Stiller/Bartlien/McMillian has been pretty much a nightmare. After putting around 2 grand in it I took it out last year and discovered it wouldn't chamber neck sized only reloaded rounds. From brass that was fired in it of course. Well it would if you rotated them!

I was so disappointed that I just put the rifle in the safe and used others. I got it out this past week and surprise! Its still doing it. Hasn't cured itself one bit. Measuring the fired brass showed that the chamber slightly oval. Even the neck is just a tad out of round on the fired brass. It is a tight necked .223 with a neck of .250 so there isn't much to play on. It chambers and shoots a new case/factory ammo just fine. I'm using Forster BR dies that neck size only. The barrel is long at 26" and so it can be set back a couple of inches without any issues. Would that "clean up" the chamber? I could just get a full length resizing die and just use that for this rifle, but that wasn't the original plan to say the least! Is there a gunsmith out there that specializes in cleaning up chambers? What are my options to try before tearing it apart and selling its components?

 

[flyboy]

Re: Oval chamber, what options do I have?

By the way you describe it, I would think that you could have the barrel set back and your problems would go away. Most any smith should be able to do this for you.

 

[USMCj]

Re: Oval chamber, what options do I have?

Barrel needs to be cut and set back with a brand new chamber. Who was the smith? Maybe he will pay for a new barrel.....

 

[GasLight]

Re: Oval chamber, what options do I have?

You should be able to set it back. I would approach the gunsmith about the issue, as it would be fairly obvious that it isn't wear or anything else, just a bad chamber job. The problem is, would you then trust him to fix it? How much oval is in there? How much wider is the case at the widest point vs the narrowest point? If you have a couple inchest to play with it won't be an issue at all.

I can't even think of how you could oval a chamber on a lathe. I can see oversize if using a rigid reamer holder and something is out of alignment, but how in the world would it oval? Maybe if you were reaming by hand and putting uneven pressure through the turn?

 

[Downzero]

Re: Oval chamber, what options do I have?

I would throw the barrel away and start over, but I like longer barrels so maybe I'm in the minority.

 

[Hooper]

Re: Oval chamber, what options do I have?

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: DebosDave</div><div class="ubbcode-body">

I can't even think of how you could oval a chamber on a lathe. I can see oversize if using a rigid reamer holder and something is out of alignment, but how in the world would it oval? Maybe if you were reaming by hand and putting uneven pressure through the turn?

</div></div>

A guess would be the smith tried to make things happen faster and ran a drill up in there before the reamer.

 

[eddieharren]

Re: Oval chamber, what options do I have?

I encountered an oval chamber on a factory Win. M70 (post 64 pushfeed). The barrel was tightened in the action so tight it ovaled the chamber. I had a factory Ruger Blackhawk 45 Colt that had been tightened so tight that there was a consrtiction at the muzzle end of the forcing cone.

 

[doc76251]

Re: Oval chamber, what options do I have?

I'd be less interested in how he did it and more interested in how's he gonna fix it. Just sayin'

Cheers,

Doc

 

[Wild_Bill]

Re: Oval chamber, what options do I have?

Hi just get it rechambered you would only need around 1/4" to 1/2" max of the chamber to fix it as long as the chamber is not to big in diameter the whole chamber does not need cutting off to start again. Also i like to full elngth size everything i shoot but i get a die that matches the chamber and brass i am going to use. i would get a full length die aswell but a quick rechamber with a small amount of setback and you will be fine and lose 1/2" at most.

i would talk to the smith that fitted it and he should stand by his work if not get one of the top smiths here they will fix it for you and you should be good to go.

 

[border_reiver]

Re: Oval chamber, what options do I have?

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: doc76251</div><div class="ubbcode-body">I'd be less interested in how he did it and more interested in how's he gonna fix it. Just sayin'

Cheers,

Doc </div></div>

to fix it hed have to know how far egged it was, and push a new piloted chamber reamer far enough in to remedy and you probably would have to go in quite a bit, the tool will still want to follow that long ass egged body, might be better off hand reaming with a HSS reamer..If it's a custom barrel send it back with fire. if it's production barrel, just buy a new light bulb, I mean barrel.

 

[308sako]

Re: Oval chamber, what options do I have?

Deleted in protest

 

[JRose]

Re: Oval chamber, what options do I have?

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: 308sako</div><div class="ubbcode-body"><div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: __JR__</div><div class="ubbcode-body"><div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: doc76251</div><div class="ubbcode-body">I'd be less interested in how he did it and more interested in how's he gonna fix it. Just sayin'

Cheers,

Doc </div></div>

to fix it hed have to know how far egged it was, and push a new piloted chamber reamer far enough in to remedy and you probably would have to go in quite a bit, <span style="color: #990000"> </span> <span style="font-size: 14pt">the tool will still want to follow that long ass egged body,</span> might be better off hand reaming with a HSS reamer..If it's a custom barrel send it back with fire. if it's production barrel, just buy a new light bulb, I mean barrel. </div></div>

Loose the gunsmith that did it first, and 2 inches of barrel second. The .223 will not lose enough velocity to be noticable.

The cheap fix is to bury your head in the F/L sand. Your choice... </div></div>

how much could you really trust a rifle with an out of round chamber? Me, not gonna happen. I'd hold that smiths feet to the fire, have him send you a new barrel, then send it to a reputable smith.

 

[GasLight]

Re: Oval chamber, what options do I have?

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: doc76251</div><div class="ubbcode-body">I'd be less interested in how he did it and more interested in how's he gonna fix it. Just sayin'

Cheers,

Doc</div></div>

I agree 100%, but knowing how he ovaled the chamber would maybe steer me directly away from that shop. That's all that I was saying. I personally would bet this can be set back a little bit like said above. Once the oval is out, the barrel is the same material as a new one. I would just send it to a more reputable smith this time, would be a show of good form if the previous smith would pay for the rechamber.

 

[300sniper]

Re: Oval chamber, what options do I have?

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Wild_Bill</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Hi just get it rechambered you would only need around 1/4" to 1/2" max of the chamber to fix it as long as the chamber is not to big in diameter the whole chamber does not need cutting off to start again. Also i like to full elngth size everything i shoot but i get a die that matches the chamber and brass i am going to use. i would get a full length die aswell but a quick rechamber with a small amount of setback and you will be fine and lose 1/2" at most.

i would talk to the smith that fitted it and he should stand by his work if not get one of the top smiths here they will fix it for you and you should be good to go.

</div></div>

do you think 1/4-1/2" will be enough? without knowing exactly how much the chamber is out, i am thinking it will need to be bored out to get it round again so the reamer has something accurate to follow. i sure wouldn't rely on the pilot bushing and minor diameter of the reamer to correct an oval or out of round chamber.

either way, i feel this is something that should have been brought to the builder's attention when the op first found out about it.

 

[GunjunkieM24]

Re: Oval chamber, what options do I have?

Just remember that the reamer is going to want to follow the chamber untill it can get the pilot into the actual bore if you only cut 1/2 inch or so. That means that the "egg shaped" chamber will be your guide...not a good idea in my opinion. I would suggets that you cut the majority of the existing chamber off and start over where the reamer gets the pilot into the bore. I would think a 24" barrel will be more than plenty to do what you want to with a 223....

 

[wnroscoe]

Re: Oval chamber, what options do I have?

If the rear of the chamber is egged so is the neck area. 75% to 90% of the chamber (at least the entire body) needs to be chopped. Use a .250" carbide boring bar and make a very slight skim cut to re-establish concentricity. Chamber away at that point..........in the correct manner.

 

[308sako]

Re: Oval chamber, what options do I have?

Deleted in protest

 

[flyboy]

Re: Oval chamber, what options do I have?

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: wnroscoe</div><div class="ubbcode-body">If the rear of the chamber is egged so is the neck area. 75% to 90% of the chamber (at least the entire body) needs to be chopped. Use a .250" carbide boring bar and make a very slight skim cut to re-establish concentricity. Chamber away at that point..........in the correct manner. </div></div>

Not only would I do what he said, I'd probably let him do it.

 

[longshotbml]

Re: Oval chamber, what options do I have?

A 24" barrel will shoot fine. I know it sucks after all the planning and anticipation, but find someone to do it right, put it together and give us the results. A post of a cerocast from the bad chamber would be interesting.