Found a used 257 Roberts Ruger ultra lite and took it to a gunsmith. I wanted to make it a 257 AI with a custom barrel. Talked to him about a Douglas barrel to keep the price down. I told him to also do a triger job as it was about a 7 pound pull he said no problem but if he was to put a new barrel he wanted to complete the job by lapping the bolt and other things did not bed stock but put a small block above the trigger hole in stock i do not remeber what elese was done to gun but when finished it would cost around $400.00 to do this work. After a month past the time he told me it would be done i went to pick it up. It had a shieln #1 barrel and was not engraved anything like i asked and the bill was 528.00 I let it go and paid the extra not thinking and was ready to go shoot (my fault for not getting a written estamit.)First thing i noticed at the range was trigger still 7# pull took it back and he fixed it and let me know he would do it for FREE because i spent enough on this gun already. Still did not feel like arguing with him since i did not want to spend any more money on this gun. Now i have noticed that all the brass has scrathes on them in the same places (2 scratches next to each other starting at the schoulder and going about 1/2 inch on the oppisite side 1 scratch same place about a 1/4 inch) how bad is this do i let it go or take it back agian and who pays for this. I do not know if it did this before as i never shot this gun before customizing it can someone please advize. Note i looked at the test brass the smith shot and the scratches are on them also.

99fan,

It's tough to tell just what is going on by your description. Sometimes scratches appear as the brass is withdrawn from the chamber because of the bolt nose ejector. The ejector pushes the cartridge to the side where it can scrape along the action until it is finally ejected.

As a rule, I recommend removing the bolt nose ejector while fire forming with guns so equipped. This removes any possible influence the bolt nose ejector may have on fireforming and allows you to feel for any irregularities while feeding and extracting the rounds.

Look closely at the case as it feeds, and see if this maybe where it is picking up the scratches from. If the trouble is indeed in the chamber, your gunsmith should do whatever is needed to make it right at his expense provided you don't wait too long...

Good luck,

Malm

P.S. I'm sorry, I only addressed the scratch issue, I would like to now address your gunsmith... here goes


[ 03-29-2003, 10:26: Message edited by: G.Malmborg ]

First on the gunsmith side of it. I took the parts to a rifle I bought some time ago in about two months ago to my gunsmiths, who have done a lot of work for me and a ton for my stepfather. I got a basic estimate from them, but know it might be a bit more depending on some of the parts I asked for. it is a month overdue, however that is because of parts delays and although I am anxious I understand.

THAT SAID....

Charging more than 100 dollars over for parts that weren't specified is not ethical. Since you paid for it feel free to hold him to backing it up. My guys will fix things for free on guns they built, because THEY expect them to shoot great and function flawlessly. The scratches on the case shouldn't be there. In belted cartridges that will happen, as there is a ridge in the chamber that they case must go over entering from the magazine. The .257 is unbelted.

And it doesn't matter if it was doing it before. 1. He cut a new chamber into a new barrel
2. He should have thoroughly checked it before giving it to you

Good luck!
Red

I would have told him to stick it when I first picked up the rifle. I've been burned a couple times myself and like you let it slide, no more. The gunsmith I use now is worth his weight in gold and I will continue to use him untill he retires or I bite the dust. As far as the time line, I don't even ask most of the time, it's worth the wait to get good work and it would seem to me the nature of the business would make exact delivery quotes difficult. I would hold his feet to the fire.

99fan1
In regards to the scratches, do they occur only on fired brass? Try this, take a resized case, no bullet as it alters the relationship to the reciever on extraction, chamber it and extract/eject it and see if the scratches are on it. If they are take another case, chamber it and as you extract it use your fingers to keep the plunger ejector from forcing the case against the reciever [you could remove the ejector of course but you might not have the tools right now to do it]. It might take a couple of tries with the fingers to get it right. If the cases are being scratched on extraction you may have a small burr that needs attention. If the scratches are caused by firing then you have a chamber problem and need to go back to the gunsmith.
Let us know how it works out.

Thank you guys for all the advice i took a piece of brass and holding it with my fingures i ran it into the chamber and then pulled it out very small scratch would not have noticed it if i was not looking for it. I think I will take the gun back in on Monday and talk to Gunsmith. Took a new bullet and ran it through also same result little tiny scratch nothing like after firing. Thank you guys agian will keep you up to date on gun.