Increase Headspace (Ruger American)

[legi0n]

Hey peoplekind

I have this Ruger American in 30-06 with a tight chamber and an even tighter headspace.
The bolt closes with difficulty on roughly 30% of factory ammo and 50% on my reloads.
The dang bolt is one piece so not much I can do there except perhaps run a dowel coated in abrasive on the face but that might produce an uneven surface.
Another option is to lap the locking lugs. How do I clean the abrasive paste in the action afterwards?
Third option would be to shorten a sizing die just a thou and run it on reloads only.

Any other ideas that cost less than one hour at the gunsmith? (which is cheaper than shipping the thing insured to the service location)

 

[trevj]

Accurate measurements of what exactly is binding may be a good start. Chamber cast or some care and attention with the ammo to see where the jamming up occurs.

Reamer and a headspace gage set, is likely the best solution.

Barrels are easier to get than bolts are, if you are looking at the option of fiddling with any parts, barrel first.

Lapping the bolt lugs for contact might or might not get you any benefit, and like as not, you really don't want to do much actual grinding away of any surfaces any more than you must. After which, cleanout s with whatever tools you can come up with, from toothbrushes and q-tips on to ultrasonic cleaners and anything between.

You can check if the lugs are contacting evenly with some Sharpie Marker or similar on the contact faces. With some pressure on the bolt face (cleaning rod) if the marks are all rubbed off, don't #### with it!

New? Under Warranty? Raise hell and see if you can get it fixed or swapped for one that works.

 

[legi0n]

Accurate measurements of what exactly is binding may be a good start. Chamber cast or some care and attention with the ammo to see where the jamming up occurs.

Reamer and a headspace gage set, is likely the best solution.

Barrels are easier to get than bolts are, if you are looking at the option of fiddling with any parts, barrel first.

Lapping the bolt lugs for contact might or might not get you any benefit, and like as not, you really don't want to do much actual grinding away of any surfaces any more than you must. After which, cleanout s with whatever tools you can come up with, from toothbrushes and q-tips on to ultrasonic cleaners and anything between.

You can check if the lugs are contacting evenly with some Sharpie Marker or similar on the contact faces. With some pressure on the bolt face (cleaning rod) if the marks are all rubbed off, don't #### with it!

New? Under Warranty? Raise hell and see if you can get it fixed or swapped for one that works.

yeah, the rifle is under warranty but shipping it across Canada with insurance is costly and I'd rather not deal with Snapshots ever again.

 

[Alpheus]

Factory tolerances are loose and means the chamber and barrel threads are unlikely to be true and concentric. Running in another reamer will make it worse. I'd go warranty if you can, reloads only if you don't want to.

 

[guntech]

Hey peoplekind

I have this Ruger American in 30-06 with a tight chamber and an even tighter headspace.
The bolt closes with difficulty on roughly 30% of factory ammo and 50% on my reloads.

That doesn't say much about your reloading abilities...

Assuming the bolt will close with difficulty on a steel go gauge... the chamber needs to be cut 2 to 4 thou deeper... a gunsmith with a go gauge can determine that.

Ship the barreled action and bolt back to your warranty depot. Cheapest parcel post signature required with the $100 of included insurance. Pack it securely and address it clearly.

Or take it the barreled action and bolt to a gunsmith... it shouldn't take more than 30 minutes. In the stock and with a scope mounted just takes longer and costs more.

 

[legi0n]

That doesn't say much about your reloading abilities...

Assuming the bolt will close with difficulty on a steel go gauge... the chamber needs to be cut 2 to 4 thou deeper...

Ship the barreled action and bolt back to your warranty depot. Cheapest parcel post signature required with the $100 of included insurance. Pack it securely and address it clearly.

Or take it the barreled action and bolt to a gunsmith... it shouldn't take more than 30 minutes. In the stock and with a scope mounted just takes longer and costs more.

the same die set makes great ammo for the Savage so I guess I will see the gunsmith soon

 

[CanuckR]

No gunsmith required. At least no reamer. It's a barrel nut system. A better looking one than savage albeit. There was a CGN'r selling barrel nut wrenches for the American. If you don't want to do it. Your smith should be able to back the barrel out a hair and re tighten barrel nut.

 

[Trinimon]

No gunsmith required. At least no reamer. It's a barrel nut system. A better looking one than savage albeit. There was a CGN'r selling barrel nut wrenches for the American. If you don't want to do it. Your smith should be able to back the barrel out a hair and re tighten barrel nut.
Or just buy a small base FL die. (I think that's what they are called)

I believe the SB FL dies just size further down towards the case head and does not bump the shoulders back. If the OP doesn't want a smith to look at it, if he's using single stage shell plates, he could knock off a couple thou off the plate in order to bump the shoulders back a hair but that won't solve the problem with factory ammo.

 

[trevj]

No gunsmith required. At least no reamer. It's a barrel nut system. A better looking one than savage albeit. There was a CGN'r selling barrel nut wrenches for the American. If you don't want to do it. Your smith should be able to back the barrel out a hair and re tighten barrel nut.
Or just buy a small base FL die. (I think that's what they are called)

Oh hell, if that's the case, yep, that! ^

 

[guntech]

No gunsmith required. At least no reamer. It's a barrel nut system. A better looking one than savage albeit. There was a CGN'r selling barrel nut wrenches for the American. If you don't want to do it. Your smith should be able to back the barrel out a hair and re tighten barrel nut.
Or just buy a small base FL die. (I think that's what they are called)

If there are no iron sights adjusting the nut will work. A small base die isn't required in any case... it's the shoulder causing the interference.

If one is reloading the brass usually the sizing die can be set down tight and get enough shoulder bump... sometimes the bit needs to be removed from the bottom of the die so it will bump the shoulder more...

But really, the rifle should be checked by a smith (warranty or otherwise) with a steel go gauge and made correct. It isn't something the owner can do himself.

 

[CanuckR]

If there are no iron sights adjusting the nut will work. A small base die isn't required in any case... it's the shoulder causing the interference.

If one is reloading the brass usually the sizing die can be set down tight and get enough shoulder bump... sometimes the bit needs to be removed from the bottom of the die so it will bump the shoulder more...

But really, the rifle should be checked by a smith (warranty or otherwise) with a steel go gauge and made correct. It isn't something the owner can do himself.

Yah 100% correct on sb sizing die. Me misreading the original post/ being dumb. Sorry for the incorrect advice.
It depends how mechanically inclined the owner is/feels. A 30$ go gauge and some wrenches. It's an easy job. However not financially worth it for 1 rifle.