Bolt Problem with T/C Compass.

[Use Enough Gun]

Took the TC Compass to range today . Shooting reloads I bought a gun show. On sixth round bolt will not pull back and extract brass . Bolt will open but not pull back . Guessing I have a buggered cartridge .

Any suggestions

 

[JustUs4All]

I would guess that could be your problem but be sure the bolt is fully rotated open so as to unlock the lugs for the rearward motion.

I have a Compass in .243. It is accurate and I like it but the first time I chambered a factory round it took a lot of pressure to close the bolt. After firing it took a lot of pressure to open the bolt. I joked with a friend that I was going to need a hammer to open and close the bolt while hunting. It has since loosened up significantly.

 

[nmurph]

Took the TC Compass to range today . Shooting reloads I bought a gun show. On sixth round bolt will not pull back and extract brass . Bolt will open but not pull back . Guessing I have a buggered cartridge .

Any suggestions

You bought reloads or you bought a gun show?

I wouldn't buy someone else's reloads unless I knew them very, very well, and they knew my gun and I knew their skill and experience.

 

[Use Enough Gun]

Got it , thanks to JustUs4all . It finally rotated open after I banged the bolt up three times. Case was ok.

Not sure about hunting with this rifle if you needed a follow up shot .
Bought it several years ago online when they were $200 after rebate .
I did change trigger spring which reduced the stiff factory pull by about 2 1/2 pounds

 

[JustUs4All]

Yep. At first I was planing on purchasing a lether headed mallet so that I could hunt with it in silence.

Spend a few evenings watching the TV and working the bolt. It will get better with time and patience. It ain't a bad little rifle once it gets loosened up.

 

[Use Enough Gun]

Thanks !!

 

[Ray357]

Yep. At first I was planing on purchasing a lether headed mallet so that I could hunt with it in silence.

Spend a few evenings watching the TV and working the bolt. It will get better with time and patience. It ain't a bad little rifle once it gets loosened up.

Or just get some good ammo.

 

[JustUs4All]

I really don't think it is an ammo problem. Mine was tight with factory ammo and hand loads until it had broken itself in so to speak.

 

[Ray357]

I really don't think it is an ammo problem. Mine was tight with factory ammo and hand loads until it had broken itself in so to speak.

Thats weird. Bolt sliding forward and backward can smooth up pretty easily. The lugs are hard. They are not hardened to ppint of being un-toolsble, but they are hard. You usually can not wear them without lapping compound. I had 2 compasses. They were good shooters. Pretty smooth for a $200 rifle. My dad wanted them so he ended up with them.

 

[JustUs4All]

My guess is that there was something on the lugs or the surfaces with which they engage that wore away with a little use.

 

[rosewood]

I have one in 6.5 creedmoor. Never shot factory in it, only my handloads that were full length resized. Can't recall having any tight bolt issues.

I would clean the chamber/lug lockup and bolt real good and try factory loads. If it is still sticking that bad, I would give S&W/TC a call and see what they say. Proper loads within SAAMI spec pressures and dimensions shouldn't stick a bolt shut. There could be headspace issues.

Rosewood

 

[nmurph]

I would look carefully at the lugs for signs of rubbing. If there's interference bw the lug and recess, there should be some sort of rub marks on the lug. If none are seen, your problem is either the chamber is too tight or the cases have not been sized correctly and are too tight. I would put money on the second option.

Have you shot factory loads, and do you have the same problem?

 

[Use Enough Gun]

Guys, thanks for all the feedback. Took the Compass back to the range yesterday . Took Federal and Hornady factory ammo and shot with no problems. Reloads were the problem.

I own prettier rifles but the darn thing was getting tight groups. Nice for a $200 rifle.

I did change out trigger spring which helped by 2 pounds but trigger could still be better .
Not a bad little gun.

 

[rosewood]

I remember my brother buying some reloaded 300 win mag loads several years ago and he had chambering issues. Everyone doesn't properly resize the brass.

Rosewood

 

[Jester896]

Everyone doesn't properly resize the brass.

Rosewood

Have a friend that has been loading for 30 years tell us he was tired of hitting his bolt closed on a custom rifle our friend built him. Has been loading .243 for years with no issue...with factory rifles...but with the tight chamber he wasn't pushing the shoulders back far enough and couldn't determine what the problem was. We showed him how to size it.

If the reloaded round went in fine and you had no issues closing the bolt the round may be too hot for your rifle if the bolt was hard to lift or the chamber wasn't finished properly. It may be too rough to let the case rotate it it after firing. You may have proven that the later not the case by firing the factory ammo with no issues.

I would like to see a real good picture of the fired primer.

 

[chuckdog]

I have one chambered in .308 Win. I bought it in 2018, just got around to installing a scope and addressing the atrocious trigger today.

Mine was $165 after rebate. I had to buy it!

I removed the silver appendage attached to the sear pin and replaced the trigger return spring with half of a custom Ruger LC6 spring. This is an original Model 70 Winchester trigger design, very simple mechanism. (when that silver cancer is removed.)

I have it at it lightest setting now, 2lbs. It has lots of adjustment and can easily be set higher if desired.

The problem described by the O. P. sounds like an over pressure handload or a rifle that wasn't cleaned properly before firing.

Please don't trust anyone's handloads, not even mine!