That rifle failure at the range flipped my take on chamber finishes

I was at the Pine Ridge shooting range last Saturday. A buddy's rifle jammed because he polished the chamber too much with a hand drill. I used to think a shiny chamber helped with extraction. After seeing his rounds stick, an old timer explained that over-polishing hurts headspace. Now I know chambers need a certain texture, not just a mirror finish. I use a bore guide and mild pastes now. This helps my work be more reliable.

3 comments

3 Comments

anna293d ago

Wait, I'm not convinced by that old timer's story. A mirror smooth chamber has always helped my rounds eject cleanly. I've polished several rifles myself and never had a headspace issue. Maybe your friend just messed up by using a drill instead of doing it by hand. A little common sense goes a long way with gun care. I still say a shiny chamber beats a rough one any day.

gonzalez.wesley49m ago

My gunsmith buddy in Texas always says mirror finishes can hide over-polishing lol. He showed me how even hand polishing can wear down the chamber shoulder if you're not careful. We measured one with a bore gauge and it was off by .002 inches after too much polishing. So yeah, shiny is good but you gotta know when to stop.

maryhunt2d ago

Remember, polishing can alter headspace even by hand if you overdo it lol.