Brown Bear Casings Suck in Chamber

[snordhol]

I’ve been using Brown Bear .308 in my Savage Scout, and occasionally the spent casing will get stuck inside the chamber after combustion. My solution is to grab the brass cleaning rod and something to hit it with to knock the casing free. I’m unclear about how the brass casing might scratch the inside of my barrel. Brass is much softer than steel, so logic would dictate the barrel remain unscathed? Am I close to the truth, or should I find a better solution to using this crappy ammo?

Thanks

 

[Runningman]

occasionally the spent casing will get stuck inside the chamber after combustion.

That is a very bad sign and should be taking as a warning, this load is not good for your rifle.

If brass cases are sticking in the chamber after firing in a quality bolt action rifle. Either the rounds are generating excessive pressure or the brass is to soft or both.

Brass is much softer than steel, so logic would dictate the barrel remain unscathed?

I would be more worried about locking lug setback (increased head space) in this case if the pressures are excessive.

 

[lipadj46]

A wooden dowel is better but if you are careful brass cleaning rod will suffice. On the steel cased ammo since it does not expand and seal the bore like a brass case then some grime gets on the bore more so than with brass so just be more diligent about cleaning your bore.

 

[Maverick223]

+1 for the wooden dowel, and the most important thing is to watch the crown. Does this happen with other brands of commercially loaded ammo?

 

[snordhol]

I'd only put 60 rounds of brass cased surplus 7.62x51 before I started using the less expensive Brown Bear Ammo, but I didn't have any issues with the brass casing. I think its specifically related to the brown bear ammo.

If I was to scrape the inside of the barrel, how would it adversely affect the performance of the rifle?

 

[Maverick223]

I think its specifically related to the brown bear ammo.

I would find other ammo.

If I was to scrape the inside of the barrel, how would it adversely affect the performance of the rifle?

It may b detrimental to the accuracy...it depends upon where in the barrel...if it is near the muzzle, or worse at the crown...the prognosis is not good.

 

[runner6m]

............

 

[SHvar]

I use brown bear almost exclusively for target shooting/plinking with a few thousand rounds through my AR and some through a ruger target rifle. Ive never had a problem with the laquer on those casings, it isnt like wolf ammo, its much higher quality. In fact I had a few problems with some dirty brass rounds before the brown bear was ever used on one of my rifles. Clean the chamber and make sure you have a thin coat of oil on all of the important parts, you will never have that problem.
I use the 5.56mm, check to make sure the brown bear round is correct for your particular rifles chamber.

 

[lipadj46]

Brown Bear is actually lacquer coated steel cased ammo. If the chamber is hot, the lacquer can get sticky, causing the spent casing to stick to the chamber, making it difficult to extract.
If you want cheap ammo that doesn't stick, try Silver Bear or Golden Bear.

Melting/sticky lacquer as been debunked quite a few times in multiple forums.

 

[Maverick223]

Melting/sticky lacquer as been debunked quite a few times in multiple forums.

Ding...+1 (not hot enough). And steel doesn't expand as much as brass so it is odd that a steel case cartridge is sticking when others did not.