Loading…
8
That rifle failure at the range flipped my take on chamber finishes
I was at the Pine Ridge shooting range last Saturday. A buddy's rifle jammed because he polished the chamber too much with a hand drill. I used to think a shiny chamber helped with extraction. After seeing his rounds stick, an old timer explained that over-polishing hurts headspace. Now I know chambers need a certain texture, not just a mirror finish. I use a bore guide and mild pastes now. This helps my work be more reliable.
3 comments
Log in to join the discussion
Log In3 Comments
anna297mo ago
Wait, I'm not convinced by that old timer's story. A mirror smooth chamber has always helped my rounds eject cleanly. I've polished several rifles myself and never had a headspace issue. Maybe your friend just messed up by using a drill instead of doing it by hand. A little common sense goes a long way with gun care. I still say a shiny chamber beats a rough one any day.
4
gonzalez.wesley7mo ago
My gunsmith buddy in Texas always says mirror finishes can hide over-polishing lol. He showed me how even hand polishing can wear down the chamber shoulder if you're not careful. We measured one with a bore gauge and it was off by .002 inches after too much polishing. So yeah, shiny is good but you gotta know when to stop.
7
maryhunt7mo ago
Remember, polishing can alter headspace even by hand if you overdo it lol.
4