Yeah. I guess I didn't really look at the pictures. Looking again they do look a little rough. Especially back near the base of the case.
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I polish chambers with steel cased ammunition.
the manufacturer can't make a gas port smaller.
Yup, hoping they'll be able to deal with it quick.
I am thinking of giving that a try. Whats the best way for a beginner to do a light chamber polish? I've seen the suggestion of a chamber mop with a little flitz mentioned. I want to go minimal on whatever I do, rather than noob it up and create a new problem.
I do wish I had tried some other ammo before giving up for the day. I'll do a little polishing / more aggressive cleaning and try another ammo in the next day or so.
If you didn't do it before I'd go back to what Ray 1970 mentioned. Compare the extractor to another known good extractor. See if they are shaped the same especially the hook area. Also check the groove it sits in.
Good Luck.
Take it to Bowers. Not only will they have whatever part you might need but if you bring the rifle with you Rob can take a peek at it for you.
I'll hopefully get over there in the next few days, assuming the snow clears up. My wife's truck is 4wd, but my car isn't, and is on summer tires, so worthless in the snow.
In the mean time, I've been disassembling, cleaning, inspecting, etc.
Have a few observations, not sure if they are normal, or suggest an issue:
If I drop a fired case into the chamber, it drops in almost all the way, but I have to push in the last 1/8". And the spent case won't drop out from gravity, but just the weight of an aluminum cleaning rod is enough to knock it out of the chamber. An unfired round drops in all the way, and drops out by gravity.
And, with the upper removed from the lower, if I drop/push a fired case into the chamber, then push the charging handle and bolt forward, it takes quite a bit of force on the bolt to get it to rotate all the way and lock in. Then it takes quite a bit of force to pull the charging handle back to unlock the bolt. When it does open, it does extract the fired brass. Repeating this process with an unfired round, it locks and unlocks easily, and extracts the unfired round.
Are these both normal?
Looks like one of mine when it had a broken extractor pin.
Great advice, and it solved the issue 100%. I had previously cleaned the chamber with the chamber brush and some mineral spirits before the first outing. I got a callback from the gunsmith at Kentucky Gun Co, he agreed that a light polish would be a good thing to try. I picked up some #0000 steel wool, and wrapped a little around the chamber brush. Chucked the cleaning rod into my cordless drill, and did about 20-30 seconds at low to mid speed, then blasted it with air to blow out any bits of the wool, sprayed some brake cleaner to flush everything, then did a normal cleaning and relube.
Took it out today, ran about 100 rounds without a single issue.
Thanks to everyone for the suggestions and things to check.