Model 11 idiosyncracies

[Stillkickin]

I've been recently working with a new model 11 in .223.  Broke it in with Federal factory ammo and the ol' fire one shot-clean routine for an afternoon, gradually working up to firing three shots-clean.  At the end of the box of shells, it would shoot three shots into no better than three inches at 100 yds.  I noticed that every case came out of the chamber with a dimple/indentation on the same spot on the case.  Thoroughly re-cleaned the chamber, plugged the barrel and soaked it in bore cleaner, even ran three chamber casts of cerrosafe letting them progressively longer in the chamber to expand before popping them out with hopes of grasping whatever is in the chamber.  No luck.  It still dimples every case chambered.
A gunsmith said, "Just shoot it."  So I worked up a load with Nosler ballistic tips that shot several four shot groups under .6" at 100 yards and I started liking this thing.  Cleaning was regular but limited to regular powder solvent.  Then, the next four groups at 100 yards went from 1.5" to 2" to 2.5" to 3+".  I ran some Sweets 7.62 through the bore and got out the thickest blue colored goop I've ever seen come out of a rifle barrel.  I have never seen a rifle so fouled with copper after so few shots.  I haven't shot it after this thorough cleaning but am hoping that it took care of the accuracy deterioration and that it will ease up on the fouling as it breaks in more thoroughly.  Also don't like the chamber imperfection but, if it continues to shoot tiny groups, I can learn to live with it.
Anybody else have any thoughts on the Model 11?   

[LaOtto222]

You have two issues.

1. Is it still making the dimples? Where is the dimple located? Is it on the shoulder or on the case side? If it is in the case side I would think it is some thing to do with ejection, not an imperfection in the chamber. If it is on the shoulder it might be gas leaking back past the case mouth and denting the case, but I doubt it. If there is some thing in the chamber shoulder area, you will have a difficult time closing the bolt. If the defect is in the case wall, you would not be able to put a cartidge in the chamber without scratching the case from the shoulder down to the dent or dimple. I would take a look at the ejection process causing the dent, like an auto some times does when it ejects. I have converted a couple of my Savages to single shots and disabled the ejector, I pick out the cases with my finger. They will not dent the cses that way...

2. I had a 223 after market barrel that would shoot very good, but foul up very quickly. I had to give it some where around 800 full strokes (out and back) with Mothers Mag polish and JB Bore Bright with a bunch of shooting (20 - 30 rounds) between each 100 stroke polishing session. I just kept up the cycle until it was a shooter. After that, it would shoot lights out (consistant sup .5" 5 shot groups) and not foul any quicker than a normal barrel. I takes some work, but you can do it.
 
Here is few groups from that rifle
 

 
Good Luck and Good Shooting

[Stillkickin]

The dents are occurring on the side of the case about .1" down from the shoulder.  Yes, I thought about the lack of scratching, too, but thought that the amount of taper in the case side might be enough to prevent it.  I hadn't thought about the possibility of the dent occurring upon ejection though.  Are you thinking that it might be striking the edge of the ejection port?  I marked the base of several cases and inserted them with the mark straight up, chambered, and ejected.  Each case had the dimple in the same place, radially, in relation to the mark on the base.
I was also thinking about polishing the bore.  Sometimes it helps to hear about somebody else having had success with what you are thinking about doing yourself.  Thanks for your insight.

[Stillkickin]

LaOtto222,
 
You diagnosed the problem precisely!  I chambered some new, unmarked cases and slowly extracted them until the bolt face cleared the ejection port just enough to allow me to insert a piece of thin cardboard between the case and receiver wall in front of the ejection port.  Completing the extraction of the case then resulted in no dents.  When I then reinserted that case and extracted it normally with the bolt - - dented case.  There appears to be a very sharp edge on the inside of the ejection port that is doing the deed when the ejector snaps the case out of alignment with the chamber.  I'm thinking that some judicious polishing of that sharp edge should solve this malady.  You have my sincere thanks, sir. 

[cybin]

I have a model 11 in .223--it shoots to about .700 at 100 yards. A little less than 3/4 inch--right out of the box. The point of impact changes with changing bullets weights--45 grain,50 grain and 62 grain, but all 3 are less than one inch at 100 yards.
 
cybin