AR-Stoner 6.5 Grendel barrel short chambered.

[MikeGideon]

Have any of you taken your new barrel, put factory ammo in the mag, pulled back the charge handle and let a round be chambered and fired it? Don't let it close slow, let it chamber from the bolt catch. I have done this on 10 to 15 new barrels from the same batch. All fed fine and extract fine too. The barrels are not hand lapped so I guess you can keep measuring but if buy a nerw pare of shoes, wear them. See how they are in a few days.

Just my opinion..

I have 10 to 15 more new barrels I will be doing the same function testing with factory ammo. If an issue arises then I'll post it and why don't some of you do the same.

Also no response to my post #66 on the OAL. Am I reading the OAL of non ballistic tips correct? If so, the measurements your posting are long.

Same thing went through my mind.

[mccuistion]

Have any of you taken your new barrel, put factory ammo in the mag, pulled back the charge handle and let a round be chambered and fired it? Don't let it close slow, let it chamber from the bolt catch. I have done this on 10 to 15 new barrels from the same batch. All fed fine and extract fine too. The barrels are not hand lapped so I guess you can keep measuring but if buy a nerw pare of shoes, wear them. See how they are in a few days.

Just my opinion..

I have 10 to 15 more new barrels I will be doing the same function testing with factory ammo. If an issue arises then I'll post it and why don't some of you do the same.

Also no response to my post #66 on the OAL. Am I reading the OAL of non ballistic tips correct? If so, the measurements your posting are long.

I've been trying to find factory ammo to test with but no luck so far. I do know a 120g SMK seated at 2.196" will not chamber by releasing the bolt or trying to push it shut.

I have 100 rounds of 129g SST loaded short enough to chamber and plan on shooting them today after work. When I get home I will re-measure all the bullets I have and see what I get.

[hydrotech]

the COAL for a grendel is supposed to be 2.26 isnt it? so I would assume they chamber would take most factory ammo that was this length or shorter.

[JASmith]

Here is what I see to be the issue in a nutshell: SAAMI dimensions for chambers are the minimum for which a barrel may be stamped with the relevant cartridge name. SAAMI dimensions for cartridges are the maximum allowable for the ammunition be be headstamped with the cartridge name.

If a factory load will not chamber in one's rifle one or both of two things are at play: The chamber is out of spec, or the ammunition is out of spec.

In either event, DO NOT try to shoot factory ammunition that won't chamber without a lot of help. Your pressures will be higher and can be dangerous. The added velocity is not worth the risk.

My advice: Try more than one brand or lot of factory ammunition. Then return the barrel to the manufacturer with a description of which ammo fits and which doesn't. If only one flavor of ammo gives trouble this way, contact the ammunition manufacturer.

The SAAMI standard means they are obliged to make the dimensions right, else their liability exposure skyrockets. None of us wants a KABOOM, and the manufacturers are even less interested in having to pay for the results.

[rickOshay]

Has anyone else been able to reach Satern on this? Please post.

[babaganoush]

If a factory load will not chamber in one's rifle one or both of two things are at play: The chamber is out of spec, or the ammunition is out of spec.

In either event, DO NOT try to shoot factory ammunition that won't chamber without a lot of help. Your pressures will be higher and can be dangerous. The added velocity is not worth the risk.
...
The SAAMI standard means they are obliged to make the dimensions right, else their liability exposure skyrockets. None of us wants a KABOOM, and the manufacturers are even less interested in having to pay for the results.

++1

I find it difficult to believe that firing a rifle with ammo that needs to be forced into battery is being recommended in these situations. That sort of advice flies in the face of all I've learned and been taught about safe firearm operation and reloading. If you have to force it, then something is obviously wrong. There should be no question about this one point.

[babaganoush]

If a factory load will not chamber in one's rifle one or both of two things are at play: The chamber is out of spec, or the ammunition is out of spec.

In either event, DO NOT try to shoot factory ammunition that won't chamber without a lot of help. Your pressures will be higher and can be dangerous. The added velocity is not worth the risk.
...
The SAAMI standard means they are obliged to make the dimensions right, else their liability exposure skyrockets. None of us wants a KABOOM, and the manufacturers are even less interested in having to pay for the results.

++1

I find it difficult to believe that firing a rifle with ammo that needs to be forced into battery is being recommended in these situations. That sort of advice flies in the face of all I've learned and been taught about safe firearm operation and reloading. If you have to force it, then something is obviously wrong. There should be no question about this one point.

And with due respect to Tedward, a tight fitting chamber is hardly the same as a tight fitting pair of shoes. No pair of shoes ever KB'd and sent someone to the hospital.

[XcountryRider]

Steve Satern was wondering if the AA ammo was in SAMMI spec.

[arnie]

I just checked an AR Stoner 18" barrel I got from Midway a few days ago. My 6.5 Sporter from Model 1 sales uses a OAL of 2.227 with a 100 gr.amax and a .010 jump .The stoner will have to be .100 shorter with same jump . Arnie

[arnie]

The chamber is not tight as a new case falls right in and a loaded FL sized ( after fired )case falls in also but stops at the ogive of the bullet .The chamber reamer has too short of lead or free bore . I think these chambers need the lead cut deeper (longer )so the bullet can set out farther rather than pushing them down in the case . Its like loading a 140 gr. bullet in a longer throat chamber ,you still have to set the 140 bullet down fairly deep into the case . Arnie

[Trock03]

Steve Satern was wondering if the AA ammo was in SAMMI spec.

XCR, I can check mine. What dimensions are needed to determine if the ammo is in SAMMI spec?

[XcountryRider]

I just checked an AR Stoner 18" barrel I got from Midway a few days ago. My 6.5 Sporter from Model 1 sales uses a OAL of 2.227 with a 100 gr.amax and a .010 jump .The stoner will have to be .100 shorter with same jump . Arnie

Yeah it seems the bullets on these barrels will need seated a little deeper. They work fine on factory SST so the majority of shooter will not experience anything odd or different. Not many of us every use AA ammo so that will not effect the mast majority of us.

[mccuistion]

The ogive on the SST is the exception to 6.5mm bullets though. Almost all other 107-130g 6.5 bullets have a similarly different ogive than the 123/129 SST. Arnie's measurements mean he has to load a 100g A-Max bullet to 2.127" and that's almost 1 tenth on an inch under his other grendel barrel with an equal jump. Saturn returned my call today but unfortunately it was insane at work and I didn't get a chance to call them back before they closed. Tomorrow i'm taking an extra hour at lunch just so I can sit down and go over my measurements and a solution with a representative from Saturn.

[XcountryRider]

I think maybe if someone has an actual hornady gauge and can take measurements with various Hornady bulllets and submit it to Steve Satern we could get somewhere.

[customcutter]

Talk to Satern and when the shop has a time later today, just got back from Shot Show so a lot going on, they will take a look at the barrels they have on hand from the same batch and take measurements.

I'll let you know when I hear something.

Satern has a barrel on hand from the batch. I'm waiting to hear their response.

From the few articles I read today, it seems that BR shooters want a short throat for accuracy. However, as has been mentioned several times the short throats can lead to pressure issues.

[JASmith]

Steve Satern was wondering if the AA ammo was in SAMMI spec.

Odds are good that AA Ammunition will fit a SAAMI Spec chamber. Hornady built their submission to SAAMI using drawings given them by AA.

One would also expect that Hornady ammunition fits the standard as well because the SAAMI specs are their specs.

[Lead Chucker]

I have a 18" Satern cut rifle barrel I got a couple years ago. I just got my dad a 16" stoner barrel from midway a few weeks ago. If his chamber is .008" or more shorter than mine is going back. A short chamber is a short chamber, I will be short with all bullets. If his is .100" shorter with the same bullet as mine it will be shorter with all bullets. The one I built last year for a buddy the head space and OAL was only .002" different than mine. A few thousandths wont hurt but .100" or even .015" will, .100" isn't a variance its a mistake and needs to be made right.

[BjornF16]

Steve Satern was wondering if the AA ammo was in SAMMI spec.

Oh Lord, here we go again!...

[NugginFutz]

Oh Lord, here we go again!...

Let the Finger Pointing begin!!

[hydrotech]

I stated earlier my factory 123 SST chambered and mag fed fine...today I fired 5 rounds...all went boom...I do want assurance other factory ammo will work.