AR-Stoner 6.5 Grendel barrel short chambered.

[XcountryRider]

Remember, Satern does not make the reamers. If a reamer maker sells them a reamer and claims it is SAAMI, and it is used to cut chambers that won't allow the 123gr SST to be seated longer than 2.195", something is very wrong.

I just chambered and extracted two 123gr SST rounds loaded to 2.270". I'm thinking that this is a mass grendeler Hysteria issue.

[Tedward]

I completely agree. However, I didn't buy a reamer. I bought a barrel. Heck, I'm so slow to judge normally that I even feel I need to say that I have no proof that Satern/Liberty made this barrel, as it is AR Stoner from Midway. Of course, from what I've read, I'm pretty sure it is (very recently ordered and arrived). I just want to make it clear that I am not trashing anyone. But I also wanted to make it clear that, as you said, something is very wrong.

Send your barrel and bolt to Satern so they can see the issue would be the best thing for them and you. If you can part with it for a week, I bet they will make good for you and have an accurate answer.

[Tedward]

I just chambered and extracted two 123gr SST rounds loaded to 2.270". I'm thinking that this is a mass grendeler Hysteria issue.

Can someone measure your bolts too? OAL and HS? Really curious.

[Grendanimal]

I've received VERY out of spec bullets from Hornady before (in .284 caliber). They were quite clear that they messed up and didn't blame anyone else. I'm hoping the rest of the industry has that much tact. I am not a Hornady fan boy, as I was quite pissed about their discontinuance of many popular bullets, etc. and I decided I wouldn't use them in those calibers ever again... but I digress. All I'm saying is that they didn't blame anyone else or anything else, and just replaced the bullets with the correct ones.

[Tedward]

I just chambered and extracted two 123gr SST rounds loaded to 2.270". I'm thinking that this is a mass grendeler Hysteria issue.

yes, feeling that too. Might have been a burr in one or two barrels out of hundreds so they might have a 1% issue rate with that being said.

[Tedward]

I've received VERY out of spec bullets from Hornady before (in .284 caliber). They were quite clear that they messed up and didn't blame anyone else. I'm hoping the rest of the industry has that much tact. I am not a Hornady fan boy, as I was quite pissed about their discontinuance of many popular bullets, etc. and I decided I wouldn't use them in those calibers ever again... but I digress. All I'm saying is that they didn't blame anyone else or anything else, and just replaced the bullets with the correct ones.

Send them your barrel, you might get the same result from Satern with an explanation.

[XcountryRider]

yes, feeling that too. Might have been a burr in one or two barrels out of hundreds so they might have a 1% issue rate with that being said.

Especially since the OP fixed his issue with sanding out a bur. I regrettably added to the hysteria with my amateurish load on my Vmax that was one of my first loads right after i got my loading equipment. Once i seated to the proper 2.200" everything is cycling fine.

[customcutter]

I hate to throw another monkey wrench into this. However, I just checked 10 123SST's from 3 different boxes of factory ammo. I got measurements from 2.239" to 2.247". I triple checked measurements 3-4 times and repeated within .0005". Granted this is with a cheap set of HF calipers, but still shows a variance of .008". I even went so far as to check the longest, then the shortest and repeated within .001". Has anyone else ever measured a box of factory ammo? I've never had a reason to before.

My 18" barrel doesn't want to close on the 2.247". I am not releasing the bolt carrier group, simply easing it forward till contact then applying light pressure on the forward assist. It closes on 2.245" or shorter.

I'm beginning to think that possibly the barrels were cut with more than 1 reamer?

Looks like several post were made while I was measuring and posting. Maybe they are all cut wih the same reamer?

[XcountryRider]

I've received VERY out of spec bullets from Hornady before (in .284 caliber). They were quite clear that they messed up and didn't blame anyone else. I'm hoping the rest of the industry has that much tact. I am not a Hornady fan boy, as I was quite pissed about their discontinuance of many popular bullets, etc. and I decided I wouldn't use them in those calibers ever again... but I digress. All I'm saying is that they didn't blame anyone else or anything else, and just replaced the bullets with the correct ones.

Have you actually chambered factory SST? I would take a few deep breaths and not jump to any conclusions. My problem was my own fault and i'm betting others as well.

[JASmith]

Look, this is post #146.

More than one person appears to have experienced an apparent short chamber problem.

More dirt than I feel comfortable with has been flung around.

While the handloader bears most of the responsibility for safe and reliable operation, if your rifle does not work with factory ammunition, the rifle maker needs to make it right.

[Grendanimal]

Yup. Absolutely could be. But in my case, I'm not letting a bolt go on a cartridge/bullet combination that I know will not be safe. And even if it did fire without damage, it wouldn't prove anything. If I would, then it would be a complete waste of time for me to ever measure anything. Thanks for contributing to this thread though everyone. Much appreciated. I guess we'll see.

[LRRPF52]

Yup. Absolutely could be. But in my case, I'm not letting a bolt go on a cartridge/bullet combination that I know will not be safe. And even if it did fire without damage, it wouldn't prove anything. If I would, then it would be a complete waste of time for me to ever measure anything. Thanks for contributing to this thread though everyone. Much appreciated. I guess we'll see.

Can you tell us more about your barrel/bolt combo?

What is the bolt face depth, for example? You can use the slide in your calipers as an expedient depth gauge.

Are there any markings on the barrel?

[Grendanimal]

Have you actually chambered factory SST? I would take a few deep breaths and not jump to any conclusions. My problem was my own fault and i'm betting others as well.

Post #123 was my paragraph that rickOshay posted for me. No. I haven't chambered factory SST as I stated in that paragraph. And I won't now, as I have already discussed. If the bolt closed on it, it would be because the bullet is being jammed quite far into the lands (assuming that is what is stopping it) As far as taking a few breaths and jumping to conclusions, I have been very clear in multiple posts that I am not placing blame and am giving everyone the benefit of the doubt.

LRRPF52.. I checked the bolt depth a few days ago before I got my components and I determined it was very close to the depths mentioned in other threads.. I can measure again and will be happy to, but I don't think it's important yet due to I have no desire to chamber anything yet in this barrel. Edit... measurement is .1345

I purchased the barrel/bolt combo from MidwayUSA on 1/4/14 and received it a few days later. It is AR Stoner (from Midway) 18" mid length gas. .750 gas block. It was packaged like the packaging from the pictures from the Liberty Barrel Group Buy. Markings show 6.5 Grendel 1-8 5R

Someone posted about how factory bullets can have quite a bit of variance. That is absolutely true. However, the fact that of the bullets I tried (123 SST), the longest seating depth possible for my barrel would have them seated so deep that the cannelure would even be covered by the case neck. Anyways, I will be happy to take certain measurements if someone wants, but I believe I've taken enough measurements to determine that this barrel will be sent back. I am happy that it seems some people have ended up with acceptable barrels, concerned that some have "made them work", and sad that some others ended up like me, but no worries. Thanks again to all of you. I've been lurking here for a few weeks and have ordered the 6.5 load books, etc. and am glad to see its a thriving forum.

[XcountryRider]

Before you send back see if anyone else wants it for what you paid for it.

[Grendanimal]

Before you send back see if anyone else wants it for what you paid for it.

No, thank you.

[MikeGideon]

I'm thinking that Midway really needs to know about it anyway.

[LRRPF52]

If the 123gr SST can only be seated so deeply that the cannelure is totally buried, I think you're making the right choice. The chamber is short.

They would have to produce a bullet so horribly warped out of the norm, that it would become a short radius tangent ogive, and this is after Hornady re-vamped their tooling to increase dimensional uniformity, especially with these new lines of bullets. We might see a few thousandths of variation here and there, but not a tenth of an inch seating depth loss from ogive shape.

[XcountryRider]

If the 123gr SST can only be seated so deeply that the cannelure is totally buried, I think you're making the right choice. The chamber is short.

They would have to produce a bullet so horribly warped out of the norm, that it would become a short radius tangent ogive, and this is after Hornady re-vamped their tooling to increase dimensional uniformity, especially with these new lines of bullets. We might see a few thousandths of variation here and there, but not a tenth of an inch seating depth loss from ogive shape.

Did he actually put a bullet in the chamber?

[Grendanimal]

Did he actually put a bullet int he chamber?

Not trying to start a fight, but have you even read anything I have posted?

[XcountryRider]

Not trying to start a fight, but have you even read anything I have posted?

I'll have to go back and reread my impression was you used the Hornady gauge and took measurements.