Ring on Brass Below Shoulder

[matthausarchery]

I picked up a Kimber Montana in 308 to mess around with. It shoots good for me but it is leaving a ring on my brass right below the shoulder. It seems like there may be a small ridge in the chamber from tooling.
Anyone have any good solutions for this?

 

[HandgunHunter]

Looks like a ring in the chamber.
If your finger nail will grab the ring on the brass id say the barrel needs replaced. If not maybe it can be polished out.

 

[mdeerjunkie]

Looks like a ring in the chamber.
If your finger nail will grab the ring on the brass id say the barrel needs replaced. If not maybe it can be polished out.

+1

 

[matthausarchery]

Sounds like I will get to see how Kimber’s customer service is.

 

[MThuntr]

I had this exact issue with my Kimber Hunter. I had to send the rifle back and have them hone that out. Their customer service crew was quick to respond. One thing I discovered was that their emails were not getting to my Gmail account unless they put the email as a high priority. I ended up calling them and they were very helpful

 

[antelopedundee]

Or you could just live with it unless you're one of those who get all in a tizzy every time they see it.

 

[cahunter805]

If this was purchased new I’d definitely be contacting Kimber to service this problem. Like stated it looks like either a chip got rolled or a reamer problem. I’d hope Kimber makes it right for you with a new barrel. Polishing that out might be possible but that seems pretty substantial from the pic.

 

[antelopedundee]

I picked up a Kimber Montana in 308 to mess around with. It shoots good for me but it is leaving a ring on my brass right below the shoulder. It seems like there may be a small ridge in the chamber from tooling.
Anyone have any good solutions for this?

Where exactly is the ring? At the neck-shoulder junction? I'm not seeing an obvious ring anywhere else on the body from that pic.

 

[huronmtns]

Where exactly is the ring? At the neck-shoulder junction? I'm not seeing an obvious ring anywhere else on the body from that pic.

The outer shoulder transition. Zoom in with the + on the picture. It is very obvious that there is chamber ring making a groove in the fired brass.

 

[antelopedundee]

The outer shoulder transition. Zoom in with the + on the picture. It is very obvious that there is chamber ring making a groove in the fired brass.

OK. They could probably just set it back some too.

 

[cahunter805]

OK. They could probably just set it back some too.

Most kimber rifles have very little shank to start but a set back wouldn’t be acceptable imo anyway. I’d want a new barrel. It’s amazing things like this can pass QC. A test fire at the factory surely would show that groove in the brass.

 

[antelopedundee]

Most kimber rifles have very little shank to start but a set back wouldn’t be acceptable imo anyway. I’d want a new barrel. It’s amazing things like this can pass QC. A test fire at the factory surely would show that groove in the brass.

Well they probably sent it out with the idea that they'd fix it if it was found out or not to have to do anything if the owner never complained. Some of the stories you hear of stuff that got out of factories makes you wonder or maybe some employee did it out of spite. I know nothing of kimber rifles, but there isn't a 16th of an inch extra length extra length?

 

[cahunter805]

Well they probably sent it out with the idea that they'd fix it if it was found out or not to have to do anything if the owner never complained. Some of the stories you hear of stuff that got out of factories makes you wonder or maybe some employee did it out of spite. I know nothing of kimber rifles, but there isn't a 16th of an inch extra length extra length?

Most certainly there is a 16th but then all the factory stamping and caliber would be off. A full turn would be best to keep everything lined up which I wouldn’t be happy with from the factory.
If it was a used rifle then that might have to suffice or a rebarrel.
Hope the OP can contact Kimber and post their solution here for us.

 

[matthausarchery]

Had my gunsmith look at it he recommended sending it to kimber and requesting they rebarrel it. Kimber answered my call quickly and said they will have an RMA# and shipping label for me tomorrow.

 

[BuzzH]

I really want to like Kimber rifles...but there's just so many of these stories out there.

 

[seeth07]

What issue does this cause with the rifle shooting? Are you having accuracy issues as a result? Is this a dangerous situation with the shell being forced forward when it shouldn't?

 

[HandgunHunter]

What issue does this cause with the rifle shooting? Are you having accuracy issues as a result? Is this a dangerous situation with the shell being forced forward when it shouldn't?

Rings in the brass can lead to case ruptures, troubles extracting, and so on.

also hinders the ability to reload the brass and shortens brass life.

 

[shootbrownelk]

The outer shoulder transition. Zoom in with the + on the picture. It is very obvious that there is chamber ring making a groove in the fired brass.

If you can feel it with your fingernail, it surely will not polish out. Honing maybe. IMO, it's a bad chamber/barrel.

 

[shootbrownelk]

I really want to like Kimber rifles...but there's just so many of these stories out there.

Check out the New Ultra light Arms rifles Buzz.

 

[MThuntr]

I really want to like Kimber rifles...but there's just so many of these stories out there.

Kimber Roulette is a bad game to play. If I hadn't gotten mine for a bargain when they made the Hunter Pro (cabelas/bass pro version) I don't think I would have risked it. Luckily nothing adversely affected my groups and their CS staff were very helpful and responsive. I didn't think I'd run into another person with the ring in the chamber so Kimber gets knocked down a peg because I suppose I could see 1 sneaking through but QC seems to be faltering.