Lilja barrel for Sako Quad - What the ####?!

DaveMachine

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So I ordered a Lilja barrel for my Sako Quad (in .17HMR) and this is the first time I've had it out to shoot and every round is difficult to chamber. As in when I go to close the bolt the last bit is extremely stiff as if the bolt face is squishing the rim of the case up against the breech face. I chambered about 10 rounds, all had this problem.

What gives? Is this inherent to this barrel and rifle or did I get a slightly out of spec barrel? Is there anyone out there that has had this problem in the past?
 
Is it because the bullet is being seated into the rifling as the bolt cams shut?
Extract an unfired round, and see if the bullet has been engraved by the rifling.
 
Is it because the bullet is being seated into the rifling as the bolt cams shut?
Extract an unfired round, and see if the bullet has been engraved by the rifling.

Checked that and I could find no marks on the bullets when I compared them to an unchambered round.

Plus, with the amount of force it takes to close the bolt I'd expect the bullets to be pushed back into the case if they were indeed hitting the rifling.
 
Then, your first gut-feeling may be correct and
it is the bolt "squishing" the rim.
If that is true, then
it means the head-space is not right (too tight).

Edit: But again, I don't know that particular gun.
Does it have the rim pocket cut in the barrel or in the bolt??
 
I have a Quad with the .17HMR Lilja. Let me ask: is this the first time you've swapped the barrel on it? Does the bolt close with no round in the chamber?

You may have installed the barrel too far in. Take the barrel off and drop a round in the chamber. There should be no gap between the rim and the face of the barrel. If there isn't, then you're not installing the barrel correctly, which IS possible to do with the Quad. Don't push the barrel in when you're tightening the screw on the bottom. The barrel will adjust itself to the proper location.
 
It is also important with a Quad to ensure that you are not installing the barrel with the bolt in the closed position, the bolt needs to be open when you install the barrel. Lilja makes some good barrels so you shouldn't be having this problem...
 
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