I am having problems when loading bullets for my browning x-bolt 300WM. when I load ballistic tipped bullets to an OAL of the recommended 3.340" it marks the bottom side of the bullet a dozen or so times with tiny chips. It is coming into contact with the bottom side of the chamber as it initally leaves the magazine when the action is still half open. I have had the problem with 180 gr accubonds, 168gr E tips and 180 gr TTSX. I am currently loading the TTSX at a shorter OAL of 3.3" to minimize the problem but would like to move the bullet closer to the lands but in trying this it amplifys the problem. I've shot factory core lokts at a OAL 3.330" without a problem. I called browning to ask if the there was a solution to this and they told me to try a different bullet. I would like some help with this I was thinking of trying Barnes TSX but don't want to invest in another box of bullet just to run in to the same issue.
Marking bullets on the way into chamber
- Thread starter robthompson171
- Start date
- Location
- The Conservative part of Ontario
Without looking at the rifle. It may be possible to make some small modification to make the bullet sit a bit higher at the front to avoid contact. Or perhaps the edge of the chamber is a bit too sharp. I think you need to see a gunsmith.
Without being able to examin the mag and chamber it`s hard to give an opinion on the damage. Compare a group fed from the mag. and a group fed one at a time dropped in the chamber. If they group the same then your not getting enough damage on the bullet to matter. I also don`t worry about published oal and load each bullet that will fit the mag and not hit the lands.
First off, how's your accuracy? Is the rifle, even with the marked bullets, as accurate as you want/need? If so, I might be tempted to just ignore the issue. (Actually, the non-issue, as it's not affecting performance.)
If the accuracy is sub-par, then it seems clear that there is a problem with the rifle and that sharp sharp edge or piece sticking up needs to be dealt with. You can either try to get Browning to stand behind their products and remedy the problem or else get it fixed by a gunsmith.
If you can find the sharp bit and it's clear that doing so will not damage the rifle, you could even take a Dremel to to it and solve the problem yourself. A slight chamfer on a sharp edge should fix things and is not going to make anything unsafe; dab of cold blue on it afterwards and you yourself won't be able to see it.
If the accuracy is sub-par, then it seems clear that there is a problem with the rifle and that sharp sharp edge or piece sticking up needs to be dealt with. You can either try to get Browning to stand behind their products and remedy the problem or else get it fixed by a gunsmith.
If you can find the sharp bit and it's clear that doing so will not damage the rifle, you could even take a Dremel to to it and solve the problem yourself. A slight chamfer on a sharp edge should fix things and is not going to make anything unsafe; dab of cold blue on it afterwards and you yourself won't be able to see it.
The gun is a couple years old been an issue since started using ballistic tip bullets. Called Browning over a year and a half ago and was told to try a different bullet and six months ago and was told the same thing. I wanted to find out if it was an issue with other X-bolts but they didn't really give me any information and didn't want fix the problem sighting user error or a bullet issue. I will have to take it to a gunsmith or try to smooth the edge a bit there there are tiny copper flakes on the edge of the chamber. There is a accuracy difference it with shoot well under an inch at a hundred yards and its closer to 1 1/2" when fed out of the magazine.
