I am having trouble with brass sticking after it has been shot 3 or 4 times in this rifle. The rifle is a Winchester Model 70 Stainless in .300 Win. Mag..

The first and second time the brass is used it extracts with no problems. The third or forth time the brass is used it extracts hard or sticks. The bolt lift is normal you just can�t move it back to extract the brass. A light tap with the cleaning rod will dislodge the brass. A light tap is letting the rod drop about an inch

Here is what I have tried so far.

All tests started with new Winchester brass and repeated with Federal brass from factory loads.

Test 1 (here is where it gets interesting)
All brass full length resized, trimmed to min. length and outside neck turned.
Use Hogdon�s min. listed load for H4831.
Same results, the brass sticks after 3 or 4 uses.

Test 2
All brass full length resized, trimmed to min. length and outside neck turned.
Use Hogdon�s max. listed load for H4831. (Yes I did work up to this, new brass shown no obvious pressure signs)
Same results, the brass sticks after 3 or 4 uses.

Test 3
Set full length resize die to neck size only.
Use Hogdon�s min. listed load for H4831.
Same results, the brass sticks after 3 or 4 uses.

I am stumped, any thoughts on what might be happening with this one???

Safe shooting
cjw3

Test 1 (here is where it gets interesting)
All brass full length resized, trimmed to min. length and outside neck turned.
Use Hogdon’s min. listed load for H4831.
Same results, the brass sticks after 3 or 4 uses.

The question that comes to mind is in the "trimmed to min" step. Did you trim to .010 under max case length?
Gene

Gene,

I did trim to .010" under.

cjw3

A non perfect chamber can cause brass to stick. Sometimes all the time, and then again just now and then. I went through this drill once. FWIW.

Given that the brass extracts OK on the first few firings, my initial thought is that something is causing the brass to lose its "spring," maybe because it's a high pressure caliber. But Test 1 sort of shoots that theory since it's a minimum load and shouldn't stress the brass overly much.

Craigster's suggestion of a rough chamber is another obvious possibility, but how do you explalin that the brass extracts OK on the first few loadings? Still, it would be worth polishing the chamber with some Flitz, JB or something like that, to see if that helps.

I'm thinking the problem lies with the brass, not the rifle, which is probably what you're hoping as well.

Kentucky Fisherman,

When you talk about polishing the chamber (with Flitz or JB) not sure how to do this. I am interested in your recommendation on how and how much?

I am willing to give it a try and see if it makes a difference.

Kind regards
cjw3

craigster,

How do I find out if this rifle has a non perfect chamber?? Is this a trip to a gunsmith?

Kind regards
cjw3