New Rem 700,in 223,bolt feels tight

[Pard]

I bought a new rem 700, in 223, I cleaned it real good and lubed up the bolt. I then worked up some brass, when I tryed the brass in the gun the bolt closed tight, like the sholder was touching or something. I got out a wilson gage ,the brass fit perfectly. I tryed new brass, It just feels tight. Any ideas? Pard

[LSUBOY]

You should be glad your bolt is tight when you close it on new brass. Cause you sho gotta winner and I'll tell you why.

1. Imagine that you are looking at a gauge and it reads 2 1/2 clicks below zero.

2. That is the zero place on the go guage for the 223 Remington when checked with a RCBS Percision Mic. Guage.

3. When you purchase new brass, it is sized to fit into a number of chambers thus having more that zero headspace.

4. Because your rifle was assembled with minimum or less than minimum headspace, you are going to find that your bolt closes kinna tight on new brass. If it's closing tite on old brass, you're not sizing it down far enough.

Everything is fine but if you want a small amount of less tightness do this:

{ASSUMING THAT YOU HANDLOAD}
{This can be done with a NEW empty, case}
{For best results use a fired empty case from same rifle}

A. Raise the ram on your single stage press and screw your sizing die down until it contacts the shell holder.

B. Take a black marker or some red fingernail polish and put a mark at 12, 3, 6 and 9 0'Klock.

C. Take your black marker and blacken the shoulder of a case.

D. Put the case in your rifle and work the bolt a number of times.

E. Take a mag glass and look at the shoulder of the case for rub marks.

F. Start adjusting your die down in 3rds until you have a small amount of rub marks on the shoulder of the case.

G. This is the position on your die that you will use for that rifle forever.

[LSUBOY]

Here's a good one for you. I've got a Remington rifle in 223 that will not close the bolt hard on any brass. They set-up the chamber of it with so much excessive space past the go mark that getting good groups is outta tha question.

It just sits in my safe and never get's used. I shoot Savage Rifles and change my own barrels. I just put a fired or new empty case in the chamber, screw the barrel down until it stops {zero headspace} tighten up the locking ring and go shoot sub half minute groups all day.

A case rubbing in a chamber is watcha want. What you don't want is a bolt that closes on a empty case or life round as if that is nothing in the chamber.
When that happens, you'll never see the best your rifle is capable of.

[Pard]

Thank you . I'll take the rifle out and give it a shot. Yes I do handload, and I like the idea about setting the shoulder to just touch,now I'm a little excited! Maybe I've got a winner......Pard

[LSUBOY]

Super loads in my 26 inch Savage 223:

A. 25.0 335 wi fed match sm rifle primer & Hornady 50 V-Max for about 3240 fps and sub 1/2 inch groups. Max is 3300.

B. 27.0 grains of 748 with same combo for about 3300 fps / Max is 3400

Tha Big Cahouna: C. 24.0 grains of Accurate Arms 2015 for about 3325 / Max is 3400

I call it tha Big Cahouna because it's tha motherload in a 223. If you try some 2015 and I strongly suggest that you do, shoot a five-shot group of
22.0 / 22.5 / 23.0 /23.5 and 24.0 you can try to go beyond 24.0 but you'll find that somewhere between 23 and 24 to be tha big one. When your groups open up, go back to where they were tight and don't make-up a bunch of anything until you shoot it in 85 to 90 degree summer heat. O' I always seat my bullets just of tha lands also.

My 223 barrels {3 of them} love this powder/bullet combo. The reason that I prefer it is because it most often times shoot one-hole groups and the max is 3400 fps with a 50 grain bullet. My 24.0 load keeps me 75 fps below max in hot summer days and AA Powders are cheaper.