Hersh
11-06-21, 15:14
Guys a problem recently came up and I could use some help.
My precision build has a Compass Lake 18" Krieger barrel, 1:7.7 twist with their CLE chamber. So far it likes the Frontier 75 grain BTHP and the barrel has close to 1000 rounds total. At a two day class last weekend a problem came up repeatedly ... when trying to unload and show clear, the live round would not extract unless you mortared the rifle. After a good chamber cleaning on the first night, the problem continued the second day. Normally I use 10 round magazines and shoot until bolt lock so I can't say if this has been the case all along, or if it's unique to this lot which was bought a couple of years ago.
Later in the week I talked with Paul at CLE and he said there might be a headspace issue with this lot of Frontier and that shooting the ammo wouldn't hurt the barrel.
I'm still trying to get my mind around the concept of "headspace", does that mean that the chamber is too short for this round? Based on what I've read the CLE chamber has very little free bore and it sounds like the ogive is getting into the lands so doesn't that create an excess pressure risk? I reload pistol ammo, but am out of my wheelhouse on rifle rounds.
None of my brass from the class was saved so I'll need to shoot a few more and check for pressure signs. Anything else I should consider other that finding different ammo?
Thanks for any help.
My precision build has a Compass Lake 18" Krieger barrel, 1:7.7 twist with their CLE chamber. So far it likes the Frontier 75 grain BTHP and the barrel has close to 1000 rounds total. At a two day class last weekend a problem came up repeatedly ... when trying to unload and show clear, the live round would not extract unless you mortared the rifle. After a good chamber cleaning on the first night, the problem continued the second day. Normally I use 10 round magazines and shoot until bolt lock so I can't say if this has been the case all along, or if it's unique to this lot which was bought a couple of years ago.
Later in the week I talked with Paul at CLE and he said there might be a headspace issue with this lot of Frontier and that shooting the ammo wouldn't hurt the barrel.
I'm still trying to get my mind around the concept of "headspace", does that mean that the chamber is too short for this round? Based on what I've read the CLE chamber has very little free bore and it sounds like the ogive is getting into the lands so doesn't that create an excess pressure risk? I reload pistol ammo, but am out of my wheelhouse on rifle rounds.
None of my brass from the class was saved so I'll need to shoot a few more and check for pressure signs. Anything else I should consider other that finding different ammo?
Thanks for any help.