Yesterday I took my 260 Rem to the range to see how the new batch of ammo shoots. Although it is the same load I have used before, I wanted to check again, because I was going back to a 142 grain bullet, and my last batch of ammo was 140 grainers.
In any case, I successfully fired 21 rounds, but during that time, I experienced 4 failures to fire. I waited the normal 30 seconds, and gave each primer a second, or third whack with the firing pin, but to no avail.
Today I took the bolt apart to see if I could find any problems there. The firing pin nose and the spring were intact, and looked fine. There was no grease or oil present as I don't use any inside the bolt. I did swab it out with a cleaning patch, and got a bunch of carbon out of it. I then blasted the inside out with brake cleaner and got more carbon out. I quit when the liquid coming out of the firing pin hole was clear...it took a bit.
The rifle now has 1090 rounds through it..I meticulously count each round fired. The brass is Winchester 7mm-08 necked down to 6.5, and it was recently annealed, and given a few days to dry out. After letting the cases dry, I even used the air compressor to blast out the inside of the cases. The cases have been fired 3-4 times, and out of the recent batch of 250 rounds loaded, only one round's primer was worthy of my noting on the side of the case that it was starting to get loose. I wrote on the side of the case with a magic marker, and that round fired fine.
Could the carbon from 1090 rounds cause the malfunctions I had, or should I look elsewhere for the cause? The ammo isn't a total loss as I could always use it as practice ammo, or break it down for components.
In any case, I successfully fired 21 rounds, but during that time, I experienced 4 failures to fire. I waited the normal 30 seconds, and gave each primer a second, or third whack with the firing pin, but to no avail.
Today I took the bolt apart to see if I could find any problems there. The firing pin nose and the spring were intact, and looked fine. There was no grease or oil present as I don't use any inside the bolt. I did swab it out with a cleaning patch, and got a bunch of carbon out of it. I then blasted the inside out with brake cleaner and got more carbon out. I quit when the liquid coming out of the firing pin hole was clear...it took a bit.
The rifle now has 1090 rounds through it..I meticulously count each round fired. The brass is Winchester 7mm-08 necked down to 6.5, and it was recently annealed, and given a few days to dry out. After letting the cases dry, I even used the air compressor to blast out the inside of the cases. The cases have been fired 3-4 times, and out of the recent batch of 250 rounds loaded, only one round's primer was worthy of my noting on the side of the case that it was starting to get loose. I wrote on the side of the case with a magic marker, and that round fired fine.
Could the carbon from 1090 rounds cause the malfunctions I had, or should I look elsewhere for the cause? The ammo isn't a total loss as I could always use it as practice ammo, or break it down for components.
