Remington 700 SPS over pressure

[AFG270]

Hello everyone, you all have been very helpful in the past so I thought I would run this by.

I have had this rifle in 270 wsm for a few years now. I sent it back to Remington soon after purchasing it for sticky extraction with reloads (starting to mid-range loads) and some factory loads, also it failed to eject cartridges. They sent an email notification that my firearm had been shipped/returned, but there was no explanation of what was done. When I ask for details they said the chamber was polished to smooth out some machine marks, then oiled, headspace checked, extractor replaced and test fired for function. They didn’t respond about the pressure problem so I called them. They said the chamber met their standards and the rifle functioned fine with the factory ammo they tested.

I retired last year, finally made time to work up a load for fall deer hunting in a lead free area. I again tried Barnes 130g TSX with MagPro and then IMR 4350, both had sticky extraction and extractor marks on the brass at mid-range loads, using Accurate, Hodgdon and Barnes data. Next I tried 130g E-Tips with MagPro, IMR 4350 and IMR 4451 all had sticky extraction, hard bolt lift and extractor marks, some at the starting load. All had CCI LRM primers and Winchester brass. So I stopped reloading and bought some Federal Trophy Copper 130g. Same thing, sticky extraction and extractor marks on the brass. Put the gun away and used my 7mm/08.

Now I’m trying again, first I ran the Federal Trophy Copper over my new Magneto Speed and average velocity was 3376 fps, with the high being 3410. The barrel is factory length at 24” on the model 700. Federal says the velocity should be 3280 fps on the Trophy Copper. I also tested some Federal Fusion 150g and they were 3178 fps and Federal says 3080. The temperature was 81 degrees F.

Should my velocity be that much higher than Federal for factory ammo?

Should the fired case rechamber, it won’t, I have to bump the shoulder a lot? Is that normal with the wsm?

I have a lot of .277 bullets so I loaded some 160g NPT with Win 780 and WLRM primers as Hodgdon shows that load with the least amount of pressure. Don’t know if that matters. Also, some 110g TSX with IMR4350 and standard LR primers, will post the results.

Thanks

 

[nvbroncrider]

It's not right. Maybe a short throat.

 

[SJB358]

Yeah, something isn't right. A short throat or tight chamber since you cannot rechamber your brass without resizing. Sorry to say it, but I think you may have gotten a stinker. Not a huge knock but I went through the same deal myself. Little different, but Remington said the same thing about "their standards".

Wished I could offer you better advice on it but with factory rifles things like that do occur every now and again. Remington's Customer Service leaves something to be desired.

 

[26NosFan]

That really stinks that your SPS is having those kind of problems and that big green did not remedy it vis their CS. I suspect its a tight neck area on the chamber or very short throat. Your options are get it to a competent gunsmith to work it over with a fine tooth comb or send it down the road and replace. A new one can be had for $499-$550 without looking very hard.

 

[Tjay]

Sounds like a minimum spec chamber and barrel. Working up loads should not be a problem with the help of the chronograph. Start low below manual lowest starting load several gr. and work up with chrono until you get speed or pressure signs. If that fails a new barrel is probably needed.

 

[Ridgerunner665]

I've had 3 Remington's with that exact same issue.... Remington isn't going to even acknowledge there is a problem, let alone fix it.

That very issue is why Remington will never see another penny of my money ... Not for guns, not for ammo, not for brass.... I'll do without before I buy anything Remington again.


You have 2 options.... Sell it or rebarrel it.

 

[jimbires]

a rough and dirty way of checking your neck clearance , is to take a fired brass case , do not resize , and see if a bullet will go in the neck easily or by slight finger pressure . if it does you have enough neck clearance . if it won't you could still have enough . is your fired brass nice and smooth , or is it rough that you can see or feel or catch a finger nail on ? splined looking brass ? primer pockets still tight ?

if it's a bad chamber a gunsmith could set the barrel back a very little bit . I had one done a few years ago . I think it cost me $100 .

 

[preacher]

Send it out here to my gunsmith (Nightowls 801 964 6846 ask for Ray) and have him run a 270WSM reamer through it OR have it rebarreled. Good luck Pard.

 

[filmjunkie4ever]

Yeah, something isn't right. A short throat or tight chamber since you cannot rechamber your brass without resizing. Sorry to say it, but I think you may have gotten a stinker. Not a huge knock but I went through the same deal myself. Little different, but Remington said the same thing about "their standards".

Wished I could offer you better advice on it but with factory rifles things like that do occur every now and again. Remington's Customer Service leaves something to be desired.

I had this same thing happen to me back in 2003. I bought it brand new from BI-Mart in The Dalles, Or. Pressure issues, chambering issues, and ejector issues. It also wouldn't hold 3 shots in the magazine and the and the bolt stop release would stick so sometimes when you cycled the action, the bolt would come out in your hand. A Remington 700 SPS in .270 WSM.

Oh I sent it back to them alright and over a year later they returned it "fully repaired." B.S. Same problems all over again. They argued with me over the phone about how they had indeed fixed it. I said if it was fixed, I wouldn't be calling. I asked for a refund or a "new one." They said I would have to send it in again for evaluation. After waiting over a year the first time, I said no thanks.

I ended up selling the gun to a smith for much less than I had invested in it. Big Green really pissed me off with how they handled it. Give me a 721 or 700 ADL from yore in a standard caliber ANY day of the week versus their newer products. Which I will NOT be buying any time soon.

Sorry to see someone else is going through this too. Hope they handle it better for you than they did for me.

Dale

 

[Thebear_78]

I'd check the barrel, measure the lands and grooves. It might be a tight barrel.

The barrel I put on my dads 280 AI was slightly tight and runs fast and shows pressure early while loading.

It shoots really well so we haven't messed with it but it craters primers with factory nosler ammo.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[AFG270]

Thank you everyone for your input.

jimbires, a bullet will go into the neck with finger pressure, the brass is smooth except for around the shoulder it is rough and some of the primer pockets are loose.

Dale, wow it sounds like the same problems you had except for the bolt stop, but I also have trouble getting 3 round in the magazine.

We have a good gunsmith in the area, I'm going to contact him tomorrow.

 

[gerry]

My friend had a very similar problem with his Winchester Model 70 270 WSM, took two trips back before it was fixed. They polished out the chamber as well and it helped they also told him it is a fairly common problem with the 270 WSM . Federal is known for having hot factory loads so that doesn't help things at all, your brass is probably ruined from the first firing.

Most posts on this thread have been helpful at least, hope you get it figured out.

 

[AFG270]

I shot the 160g NPT and the 110g Barnes TSX today.

The 160g NPT with Win 780 and WLRM primers. Hodgdon data 62.0g start and 66.0g max. Hit pressure signs at 65.0g (not bad) so I backed off to 64.0g and did three different sets. 2.830 oal, 2.800 oal and 2.770 oal.

Didn't put the TSX on paper.
The TSX with IMR 4350 and standard LR primers starting load averaged 3402 fps, Barnes says 3277. I hit 3549 fps and 64.5g, (no pressure signs) Barnes shows 3552 fps at 67.5g. so I shot 1 round at 65.0g 3627 fps and could not lift the bolt. Stopped with the Barnes. Had a lot of copper fouling.

 

[AFG270]

Thanks gerry, I really like the 270 WSM, just not the problems. I have a Winchester model 70 classic stainless in 300 WSM and it shoots and functions great.

I will see what the gunsmith says and go from there.

 

[gerry]

My buddy comes over and we reload for his 270 WSM, he runs the 130 gr E Tip and recently the 130 gr TTSX and IMR 7828 for a bit over 3200 fps so a 3400 fps factory load doesn't sound good. Your 160 gr Partition load looks quite nice and the speed looks to be around max even if you are a bit under the listed charge weight. I shot a black bear with that bullet last spring from a 270 Win, lets just say it works quite nice

it will be interesting to hear what the gunsmith says about your gun hope you let us know how it works out.

 

[AFG270]

I bought the 160g NPT and the 110g TSX sometime ago for my 270 Win, they both shot very well in that gun. I loaned the rifle to a relative for his daughter to use.

I may try some E-Tips again and just start under minimum and work up using the chronograph like Tjay suggested.

 

[Mountain Goat]

Some early Winchesters had similar issues, and most were out of round chambers. Yours sounds more like an off-center clambering where the axis of the bore isn't exactly centered with the axis of the action. This could be the action itself or the barrel. Its normal to have to bump the shoulder on the short mags about 0.002" for reliable bolt closure. You are better off having a gunsmith check it out, re-barrel it or sell it. I love the 270WSM! A 140 gr AccuBond at 3260 is 22-250 flat with 7 mag pop!

 

[AFG270]

Thanks Mountain Goat, I have a meeting setup with a local gunsmith, so I will see what he says. I wouldn't sell it to anyone without them knowing the problems. I have thought about re-barreling, just not sure what caliber. The 270 WSM is definitely a flat shooter with good power and low recoil.

 

[elkeater2]

I suggest asking the gunsmith to do a chamber cast. It's helped me in the past.
EE2

 

[Mountain Goat]

Just a real random thought...have you checked to make sure the ejector can be pushed down? If a piece of brass got in there preventing it from "plunging," then it could create a high pressure issue.