Fluke or should I be concerned

SwwPlayboy · June 5, 2015, 05:57 PM

Ok gun is a Rugar 77/17 in a 17 hornet. Problem, bolt would not discharge the round. It was stuck tight. I had to have a buddy hold the rifle while I pulled the bolt and it finally came out.

Before I had bought this gun, I had a Rugar 77/22 in a 22 hornet. By far the most accurate gun I owned. Put a bullet hole through a 45 acp casing twice at 100 yards. Hundreds of round fed with no issues. Heard about the 17 hornet ruger had come out with. The gun was the exact same, just a 17 hornet. And again sub MOA everytime at 100 yards. Put 100 rounds through it once it was sighted in. Cleaned it up and took it on a prairie dog hunt.

Shot off a couple of rounds bout 200 yards out i'm guessing. Bullets seemed to be landing way off considering I had sighted it in for 200 yards before I left, but it was windy as all get out so I figured the wind was just to much for the 17 round. Fired off another shot and went to discharge and the bolt was stuck tight. As I said it took two people to open the bolt. My buddy suggest it was just a bad round and the casing over expanded. I was to nervous to fire off another round to check so I put it in the case and left it alone.

The bullets were Hornady 20 gr VMAX. I have never had an issue with any hornady bullet.

So was he right, was this just a bad round or should I be worried that something is wrong with my rifle?

Dixie Gunsmithing · June 5, 2015, 06:58 PM

What did the cartridge case that came out look like? Did you try just running a few rounds through it, and not firing them, to see if they stuck? Have you cleaned the chamber with a brush?

James K · June 5, 2015, 07:50 PM

IMHO, it is a bad idea to dismiss a problem as "a bad round" until there has been a thorough investigation into just what caused the problem.

Jim

Dixie Gunsmithing · June 5, 2015, 08:27 PM

I'm like you, Jim. If I remember right, those cases are tapered slightly, so they should release and extract easily. It could be something wrong somewhere else in the gun, and not the chamber or barrel at all.

Also, these have a rotary magazine, and it could have something to do with it hanging up.

SwwPlayboy · June 6, 2015, 10:31 AM

To be honest dixie I didnt look at the round once we got it extracted. We didnt consider it could have been the case till later on. By that time we had already left the spot. I didnt try running anymore rounds through it after words. I was to considered i had messed up the bolt with how much force it took to pull it open and wanted to get it back to the house so I could have a good look at it. Lately ive been using hoppe's boresnake viper to clean out the barrel. Then ill run few cotton pads through it to make sure its clean. I went off to work right after the trip so I havent been back home to clean it yet or to take a good look at everything.

So what kind of problem are you thinking?

Gunplummer · June 6, 2015, 02:05 PM

Usually when you get a case "Stuck" in the chamber, it is because the firing pin is welded into the primer. This could be from a round loaded too hot, a firing pin too long, or any number of things. If you can find the empty case, check and see if the edges of the primer are flattened out.

Dixie Gunsmithing · June 6, 2015, 02:13 PM

SwwPlayboy,

I couldn't be certain without looking at it. The first thing I'd inspect, would be to see if I could put a cartridge in the chamber, and pull it back out by hand.

The barrels on these are easy to remove, so it might be something to do, and examine the chamber for any bulges, etc., that a spent cartridge could swell up into.

Last, I don't think the sear would cause the bolt to not open, but I was thinking about the magazine acting up, or not being centered, etc, which might catch the bolt somehow, and block it from opening. I'm not sure it can do this, without looking at one.

If you can't easily find what may have caused it, I'd suggest you take it to a local gunsmith, and let them look it over, especially if it were to do it again.

SwwPlayboy · June 6, 2015, 05:00 PM

Cant thank you enough for the info Dixie. I will look into it as soon as I can.

June 5, 2015, 05:57 PM	#1
SwwPlayboy Member Join Date: April 14, 2014 Location: Texas Posts: 74	Fluke or should I be concerned Ok gun is a Rugar 77/17 in a 17 hornet. Problem, bolt would not discharge the round. It was stuck tight. I had to have a buddy hold the rifle while I pulled the bolt and it finally came out. Before I had bought this gun, I had a Rugar 77/22 in a 22 hornet. By far the most accurate gun I owned. Put a bullet hole through a 45 acp casing twice at 100 yards. Hundreds of round fed with no issues. Heard about the 17 hornet ruger had come out with. The gun was the exact same, just a 17 hornet. And again sub MOA everytime at 100 yards. Put 100 rounds through it once it was sighted in. Cleaned it up and took it on a prairie dog hunt. Shot off a couple of rounds bout 200 yards out i'm guessing. Bullets seemed to be landing way off considering I had sighted it in for 200 yards before I left, but it was windy as all get out so I figured the wind was just to much for the 17 round. Fired off another shot and went to discharge and the bolt was stuck tight. As I said it took two people to open the bolt. My buddy suggest it was just a bad round and the casing over expanded. I was to nervous to fire off another round to check so I put it in the case and left it alone. The bullets were Hornady 20 gr VMAX. I have never had an issue with any hornady bullet. So was he right, was this just a bad round or should I be worried that something is wrong with my rifle?

June 5, 2015, 06:58 PM	#2
Dixie Gunsmithing Moderator Emeritus Join Date: April 27, 2013 Location: Ohio Posts: 1,923	What did the cartridge case that came out look like? Did you try just running a few rounds through it, and not firing them, to see if they stuck? Have you cleaned the chamber with a brush?

June 5, 2015, 07:50 PM	#3
James K Member In Memoriam Join Date: March 17, 1999 Posts: 24,383	IMHO, it is a bad idea to dismiss a problem as "a bad round" until there has been a thorough investigation into just what caused the problem. Jim

June 5, 2015, 08:27 PM	#4
Dixie Gunsmithing Moderator Emeritus Join Date: April 27, 2013 Location: Ohio Posts: 1,923	I'm like you, Jim. If I remember right, those cases are tapered slightly, so they should release and extract easily. It could be something wrong somewhere else in the gun, and not the chamber or barrel at all. Also, these have a rotary magazine, and it could have something to do with it hanging up.

June 6, 2015, 10:31 AM	#5
SwwPlayboy Member Join Date: April 14, 2014 Location: Texas Posts: 74	To be honest dixie I didnt look at the round once we got it extracted. We didnt consider it could have been the case till later on. By that time we had already left the spot. I didnt try running anymore rounds through it after words. I was to considered i had messed up the bolt with how much force it took to pull it open and wanted to get it back to the house so I could have a good look at it. Lately ive been using hoppe's boresnake viper to clean out the barrel. Then ill run few cotton pads through it to make sure its clean. I went off to work right after the trip so I havent been back home to clean it yet or to take a good look at everything. So what kind of problem are you thinking?

June 6, 2015, 02:05 PM	#6
Gunplummer Senior Member Join Date: March 11, 2010 Location: South East Pa. Posts: 3,364	Usually when you get a case "Stuck" in the chamber, it is because the firing pin is welded into the primer. This could be from a round loaded too hot, a firing pin too long, or any number of things. If you can find the empty case, check and see if the edges of the primer are flattened out.

June 6, 2015, 02:13 PM	#7
Dixie Gunsmithing Moderator Emeritus Join Date: April 27, 2013 Location: Ohio Posts: 1,923	SwwPlayboy, I couldn't be certain without looking at it. The first thing I'd inspect, would be to see if I could put a cartridge in the chamber, and pull it back out by hand. The barrels on these are easy to remove, so it might be something to do, and examine the chamber for any bulges, etc., that a spent cartridge could swell up into. Last, I don't think the sear would cause the bolt to not open, but I was thinking about the magazine acting up, or not being centered, etc, which might catch the bolt somehow, and block it from opening. I'm not sure it can do this, without looking at one. If you can't easily find what may have caused it, I'd suggest you take it to a local gunsmith, and let them look it over, especially if it were to do it again.

June 6, 2015, 05:00 PM	#8
SwwPlayboy Member Join Date: April 14, 2014 Location: Texas Posts: 74	Cant thank you enough for the info Dixie. I will look into it as soon as I can.