Author Topic: New barrel defective? (Read 1451 times)

67miata · « **on:** June 07, 2012, 05:48:06 PM »

My first post here. Relatively new to contenders. Bought my first in March with a 10" .22 mag barrel.

I just bought a new 14" barrel in .223. None of the .223 ammo I have here will drop all the way in the chamber. When the round has 3/8 -1/2" remaining to go in it sticks. If I force it any farther I would require serious work to remove. Upon examination there are gouges on the breech face. It look to me like someone else got a round stuck and used tools to pry it out and then re-blued the gouges.

It will be no issue to return, but wanted to make sure I wasn't overlooking something stupid.

All the .223 ammo I have is bulk ammo for my AR, should I buy a box of premium ammo to check chamber size? I'm thinking the damage to the breech is enough to send it back for an exchange.

mark

Czech_too · « **Reply #1 on:** June 07, 2012, 10:50:55 PM »

A couple of questions here first. The .223 bulk ammo that you have, is this new or reloads? If reloads, have you checked to OAL and were they full length resized?

67miata · « **Reply #2 on:** June 08, 2012, 01:07:32 AM »

One batch is reloads on once fired brass, the other is "supposed" to be new, but I can't prove that.

That was my thought behind buying a box of .223 with known provenance to check the chamber.

Wouldn't the marks on the breech face be enough to warrant returning? I'm not talking slight scratches.

I'll try to get a picture and post this morning.

67miata · « **Reply #3 on:** June 08, 2012, 02:35:49 AM »

Here are a couple of pics.

I checked a sample of ammo, OAL 2.20, case length 1.75.

I can feel the case dragging when I start to insert, by the point in the second picture it would be press fit.

curteric · « **Reply #4 on:** June 08, 2012, 03:27:15 AM »

In the picture you can see the ammo binding on the extractor. Extend the extractor with your finger.
As for the gouges if it's a new barrel I would send it back.

Junior1942 · « **Reply #5 on:** June 08, 2012, 03:52:17 AM »

+1 on send it back.

67miata · « **Reply #6 on:** June 08, 2012, 04:05:17 AM »

When I extend the extractor the round chambers enough that the extractor fits in the groove before the rim. At that point there is no interference with the extractor but it would take a good tap to seat the round. As it is inserting it that far I have to use pliers to extract the round.

My guess is the gouges have peened the edge of the chamber enough that it is binding.

At any rate since it is new it is headed back this morning for replacement due to the gouging.

curteric · « **Reply #7 on:** June 08, 2012, 07:42:51 AM »

I should have done a better job of explaining things. On rimmed cases (.22 mag) the extractor is flush with the rim grove. Cases will just slide in on a barrel off the frame. On rimless cases (.223 ) the extractor diameter is smaller than the case body.

Richard P · « **Reply #8 on:** June 08, 2012, 12:35:30 PM »

Is your .223 barrel new from a store or dealer ? Or, is it ''new to me'' ? I cant imagine t/c letting one out that looked like that. I just traded for a (in my case--new to me-- but it looks almost unused.) Having worked with the 7-tcu I know there are differences in chambers, and not just in shoulder length. I had to go through all the cases I intended to use and try them for fit and still had three or four that needed a second trip through the sizer die.
If you have new ammo or new unfired cases, try them. Your chamber may want minimum diameter at the base. I have a 7-tcu like that, therefore I segregate cases fired in different barrels. rp

Flynmoose · « **Reply #9 on:** June 08, 2012, 12:36:39 PM »

If someone sent me a barrel with those gouges, I wouldn't have mounted it. It would have left on the first big brown truck.
FM

Junior1942 · « **Reply #10 on:** June 08, 2012, 01:07:10 PM »

Quote from: Flynmoose on June 08, 2012, 12:36:39 PM

If someone sent me a barrel with those gouges, I wouldn't have mounted it. It would have left on the first big brown truck.
FM

1 on the first big brown truck...... That barrel looks like someone dug a stuck case out of it with a chisel.

67miata · « **Reply #11 on:** June 08, 2012, 03:50:59 PM »

Already on the brown truck.

It was supposed to be a NIB barrel. Bought from a well known merchant.

I hope they didn't knowingly send it out like that. It seemed to be originally packed, but like you say I can't see one leaving T/C like that either.

My guess is that someone bought it, tried a hot load pried the case out carefully repackaged it and sent it back. The store I bought it from policy says on barrels they do not take back installed or fired barrels. I think this one may have slipped past them.

Camba · « **Reply #12 on:** June 09, 2012, 04:39:13 AM »

Can that barrel had been a 221 Fireball marked as 223 Rem? Just a thought.

Camba

scratcherky · « **Reply #13 on:** June 09, 2012, 04:54:52 AM »

Did you try to insert a round with the extractor completely removed from the barrel? It sure appears to me that the wrong extractor is installed on that barrel. I once received a 257 Roberts from the custom shop with the wrong extractor installed.

67miata · « **Reply #14 on:** June 09, 2012, 05:59:59 AM »

If the breech hadn't looked like it had been beaten to near death, I probably would have spent more time investigating the issue.

The extractor was not the issue though as pointed out it looks like it in the picture.

Even when I pulled the extractor out and slightly down the round would still not completely chamber. It still lacked 3/8" of going in. I tried several rounds from different lots with the same result.

All the rounds I measured were very consistent in OAL and diameter (.002 difference between neck and base). While I realize my AR chamber probably isn't to the same tolerances as the T/C, the rounds just fall into the AR.

At first I thought this was an ammo problem, but now I'm pretty sure the barrel was mis-chambered or damaged by whatever caused the gouges.

Steve P · « **Reply #15 on:** June 12, 2012, 05:30:32 AM »

From looking at the top photo, I would say the extractor is bent. There is a gap between the extractor and the barrel lug. On most barrels this is almost non-existant gap. When you look at the groove in the extractor, it looks like there is brass on it. Sign of extractor going into groove in brass and gouging some of the brass, OR having brass dragging on extractor as it is going into the barrel.

Second photo tells a little more story. Brass should go into the barrel and clear just enough for extractor to fit into the groove in the brass. With extractor in like this, the extractor is sitting about .050" or more into the chamber. That is what is holding brass from going in further. If extractor were out all of the way, and brass did not quite go into chamber enough for groove to sit on extractor, that would proove extractor is bent up.

I would place money on bet that someone tried to close this barrel with reloads from 5.56 that were resized without the small base dies. Bulge at the base of the brass from oversize AR or military chamber would not allow case to slide into the TC chamber. Hung brass would keep extractor from going in any further and the force of trying to force close action would bend extractor. Extractor is riding on the frame as action closes.

Removing extractor and straightening should resolve this problem. If sent to TC, they will likely replace the extractor, clean up chamber mouth, and return.

Just my guess from photos and past experience.....

Steve

67miata · « **Reply #16 on:** June 15, 2012, 01:11:24 AM »

Just to wrap this up.

Thanks from a new member of the Contender clan for the quick and informative replies.

I returned the barrel for exchange last Friday, a new one showed up in the brown truck yesterday.

Upon quick examination the replacement barrel seems to be good to go. Hopefully get to shoot it this weekend.

mark

Flynmoose · « **Reply #17 on:** June 15, 2012, 02:09:56 AM »

Glad to read that you got a replacement. Now, the FUN begins!!
FM

Richard P · « **Reply #18 on:** June 15, 2012, 02:15:51 AM »

Mark, I recently traded for a .223 14'' barrel. I have only had it out one time. I hope you enjoy yours as much as I like my new addition. ps, I think you may as well go ahead and put a suitable scope on it. rp

BCB · « **Reply #19 on:** June 15, 2012, 10:51:51 AM »

Quote from: Camba on June 09, 2012, 04:39:13 AM

Can that barrel had been a 221 Fireball marked as 223 Rem? Just a thought.

Camba

I was thinking the same thing except could it be a 222 barrel?...

Strange things happen...

67miata · « **Reply #20 on:** June 15, 2012, 05:21:20 PM »

Pretty sure the first barrel was .223, it was really buggered up at the chamber mouth though.

Richard P - I've already been looking at scopes. I know I have the contender fever now. LOL