Suppressor and tight bolt

[mdhunter]

I purchased a new suppressor and threaded four rifles to use the same one. The first two (smaller calibers) have worked flawlessly. Some of you know I have a MT moose tag in my pocket so I grabbed the .300 wsm today and headed to the range to dial in the rifle and change of impact with the new suppressor.

This is a custom rifle with a custom load that has shot fantastic (with a muzzle break) for years.

The first two shots almost touching. Things are looking good with a scope adjustment.

The next shot had the bolt nearly stuck and very difficult to open. I got the empty shell ejected and sent open more down the tube. Same result, a very stuck bolt again.

I packed up and came home and started googling the cause.

My question for you suppressor folks, will a change of suppressors help or am I now at too high a back pressure due to any suppressor? I really dont want to change loads and will likely take a 6.5 x .284 on the hunt in thirty days versus worrying about finding a new load.

Thanks for any comments.

 

[Wyoming270]

Bolts dont stick from back pressure. Bolts stick from too high of chamber pressure. A lot of variables can cause this from when you worked up your load until today. The most common is temperature swings, and in the case of ball powders the temperature of the ammunition when shooting. If you had it in your car on a 90 degree day and pulled it out and shot it, that can do it with some powders.

It would have been prudent to remove the suppressor and shoot without it to see if that was the variable that caused it.

 

[mdhunter]

Bolts dont stick from back pressure. Bolts stick from too high of chamber pressure. A lot of variables can cause this from when you worked up your load until today. The most common is temperature swings, and in the case of ball powders the temperature of the ammunition when shooting. If you had it in your car on a 90 degree day and pulled it out and shot it, that can do it with some powders.

It would have been prudent to remove the suppressor and shoot without it to see if that was the variable that caused it.

It was certainly warm today. Weird it didnt stick on the first two shots though (only on the last two).

I cleaned the bolt, chamber, etc. I plan to go back tomorrow and will be particularly attentive to the temperature.

I guess it just really bugs me as I have shot several hundred rounds with my current setup and never had an issue. I put on the suppressor and the issue is pretty much immediate. I guess I am just wishing a simple different suppressor with a different type of baffle will be the cure all. That unfortunately doesn’t seem likely.

 

[Wyoming270]

Its all speculation until you prove taking away one variable will do it. There are all sorts of things that can cause this if your load is on the edge. An example would be you work up a load that shoots fine with everything 50 degrees. Then you go out on a 95 degree day in august, have your rifle and ammunition on the bench and they are pushing 110 degrees when you start shooting. Your barrel gains 30 degrees, and your cartridge in the chamber is heat soaking while your aiming. The suppressor will certainly hold more heat in. Now this might not seem like a big deal, but its well known this situation can cause this with some temperature sensative powders using loads that were close to maximum at 50 degrees.

O myself tend to load about 85% of max data for this, for accuracy, and for barrel & brass life. Im already pretty far ahead in velocity at 500 yards shooting at 8,000 to 11,000 feet in elevation. my thought is i cant buy a gentle shooting, tuned to my rifle load, but i most certainly can go buy a box of hornady superformance anytime i feel like i need 300 fps more than im shooting with my hand loads.

Since i only shoot to hunt, i only shoot hunting rifles with tapered barrels. I only shoot 3 shot groups, set my rifle tip up with the bolt out between groups and will let it cool. Sometimes up to 40 minutes after 2 3 shot groups. I want to see how my rifle shoots cold since thats how it is hunting. some old rifles i have, particularly of the design with a bump pressing against the barrel, will change impact 2 inches at 200 yards from cold to hot. It doesnt matter because 3 shots in a DAY is pushing it hunting. Only time that ever happens is when i shoot coyotes while elk or deer hunting. And that happens frequently.

 

[CowboyLeroy]

I never had a sticky bolt with factory loads shooting suppressed. I did however work up a load for my rifle unsuppressed, I found I would get early pressure signs once I put the supressor on. I think the combination of back pressure and barrel temp are probably the culprit.

 

[mdhunter]

I never had a sticky bolt with factory loads shooting suppressed. I did however work up a load for my rifle unsuppressed, I found I would get early pressure signs once I put the supressor on. I think the combination of back pressure and barrel temp are probably the culprit.

I appreciate the insight, thank you.