Tricky chambering the 2nd round in a .308

From my experience, with a ZKK vs a Parker Hale M81, a BRNO has a much BETTER QUALITY chambering job. Indeed rounds that are full length sized to chamber in the P-H are stiff to feed and chamber in the BRNO.

Not because of headspace being less on the BRNO but because the chamber is tighter all around but especially at the case sides just below its shoulders.

My advice use a tighter set of reloading dies say RCBS or the newer, excellent, Redding. Also paint a dummy round with engineers' blue to show any "rubbing" on the action sides as the cartridge goes from the magazine to chamber.

When your BRNO was made it was made to tight tolerances. It deserves ammunition constructed similarly. I'd bet it works OK with Sellier and Bellot ammunition.
 
From my experience, with a ZKK vs a Parker Hale M81, a BRNO has a much BETTER QUALITY chambering job. Indeed rounds that are full length sized to chamber in the P-H are stiff to feed and chamber in the BRNO.

Not because of headspace being less on the BRNO but because the chamber is tighter all around but especially at the case sides just below its shoulders.

My advice use a tighter set of reloading dies say RCBS or the newer, excellent, Redding. Also paint a dummy round with engineers' blue to show any "rubbing" on the action sides as the cartridge goes from the magazine to chamber.

When your BRNO was made it was made to tight tolerances. It deserves ammunition constructed similarly. I'd bet it works OK with Sellier and Bellot ammunition.

Hmmmm the tightness of the chamber will likely have more to do with the number of chambers the reamer had cut before than make of rifle. Reamers that have dulled and been resharpened are more likely to cut a tighter chamber as I understand things.
 
confused now :confused: this started with a feed problem? and now its a chamber problem !! :doh: or has it gone off the rail's ;)
 
Not sure mate what does the term 'chambering' actually refer to? Is it the bolt closing ok onto the round in the chamber?

If so the rifle chambers ok, it just doesn't feed the round 'to' the chamber ok. Although it may do now I've tweaked things I just haven't had chance to try it yet!

Cheers
 
:-| i would say in your case it would mean i'cant get the round out of the mag let alone move it towards the chamber ! yup thay have gone off the plot feller:doh: iv sent you the lube and you should have got it by now ,out of intrested have you tryed a fmj or a hp ! or as one of the feller said be more aggresive on closeing the bolt .also it may sound mad is the mag follower the right way round thus pushing the rounds to the wrongside of mag well!! as said wish i could get me hands on it for a tinker i don't think its much of a big problem ,maybe one of the lads your way could have a look for you if you are fedup with it, and a fresh eyeball may just see the problem for you.
hope all gets sorted
atb
paul
 
Last edited:
Got the lube yesterday mate thanks alot! :thumb:

Only tried SP rounds and briefly at that. I should get chance tmoro to try it again I'm sure it'll be fine once I stop fannying around with it, lol!! :gheyfight:
 
Not sure mate what does the term 'chambering' actually refer to? Is it the bolt closing ok onto the round in the chamber?

If so the rifle chambers ok, it just doesn't feed the round 'to' the chamber ok. Although it may do now I've tweaked things I just haven't had chance to try it yet!

Cheers


Chamering has two uses:-

1) When actually chambering a round. feedign a round (cartridge) into the chamber.

2) When cutting the chamber.

I was answering a previous comment on Brno chambers being tighter than a Parker-Hale M81 and pointed out the condition of the reamer used, as to if it's been reground or not, probably has more effect on the tightness of the chamber than make of rifle.
 
Cheers again mate does age of the rifle make a difference to quality and workmanship as this has 87 stamped on the barrel and action?

When you next over I need to return your reloading gear and those mounts,

Cheers
 
Not this weekend as it's a show at East Kirby Airfield that I am going to which clashes with the Peterborough meet. We will ahve to sort something out.

As for age and quality .................................... hmmm not sure with the Brno really although I do feel that the Rimfire models No1 and No2 are better finished than the current CZ 452. Personally I am not keen on the Americanised 550 so have had little to do with them.

With Parker-Hale quality did dip during a few periods of turmoil within the company and during the take over. It always seems to be that the accountants are more worried about cost cutting than quality with to my mind is short sighted. Poorer quality means less customers.......................................................................... but what do I know as they still keep doing it :cuckoo: .
 
surely one reamer is not the same as another!
depends entirely on the spec they cut it to and the number of chambers it has cut I would have thought. Old reamers make smaller chambers...not bigger ones

I have 3 rifles of the same calibre and another that I load for within reach and they all have different chamber sizes

A Caledonian (John Dickson)
A Parker hale
A BSA
A Mauser

chambers size in increasing dimensions

neck sized rounds from the Caledonian fit everything, neck sized rounds from the Mauser fit nothing...except the Mauser
 
surely one reamer is not the same as another!
depends entirely on the spec they cut it to and the number of chambers it has cut I would have thought. Old reamers make smaller chambers...not bigger ones

I have 3 rifles of the same calibre and another that I load for within reach and they all have different chamber sizes

A Caledonian (John Dickson)
A Parker hale
A BSA
A Mauser

chambers size in increasing dimensions

neck sized rounds from the Caledonian fit everything, neck sized rounds from the Mauser fit nothing...except the Mauser

Chamber reamers are supposed ................................................................ supposed to be made to either CIP or SAMMI specifications. However it also depends on how the reamer is set up and handled as to how well it cuts size wise. With used rifles one must also take into account that someone might have polished the chamber.

As most of the Dixon bolt actions that I have seen are actually modified Parker-Hales I doubt that Mr Dixon chambered the barrels.

I still own Six rifles in one calibre however they are chambered for four different cartridges they being 30-30 Winchester, 30-06 Springfield, 7.62x51 Nato and 308 Winchester.

I also own three rifles chambered for the 270 Winchester cartridge all of BSA manufacture and with 25 years between the oldest and the newest. I do not adjust the dies and have them set at one setting and the cartridges so sized will fit any of the rifles. I have to load carefully though as it was discovered that the newest rifle has a tight bore which increases chamber pressures compared to the two older rifles. Interestingly the newer rifle has a hammer forged barrel and the older ones cut rifled barrels being made before BSA installed the hammer forge equipment.

I am not sure just how BSA chambered their barrels but Parker-Hale had at least one special machine for chambering barrels. One is clearly shown in one of the P-H catalogues in use at their factory. Depending upon when the Mauser was made as far as I am aware would determine the method of chambering used. I believe that some chambering jobs were done at the bench by hand at Obendorf.
 
i kind of have the same issue,
i recently got a browning a-bolt tactical varmint in 308. if i use the magazine it cycles the round into the chamber easily (that's all very good in the field) but when at the range i single feed through the ejection port it's at this point it becomes a pain. if i just place the round in it fouls and will not cycle yet if i part chamber the round it cycles perfectly. is that a common issue or am i just being picky?

​chris
 
Back
Top