tight headspace?

[shade mt]

i bought a custom rifle recently ,custom thumbhole stock , barrel ect... built on a 09 argentine mauser. the guy claimed it was a 7mm mag, but the barrel is not stamped as far as i can see. It will not chamber the empty's from my 7mm mag , i was able to close the bolt on one case but it was very tight and the ejected shell had some shiny scuff marks on the side. i have had to full length size cases already when switching from one rifle to another, all factory rifles though, in order for them to chamber easily.... but i have never had one that you couldn't close the bolt. Could this rifles chamber be that tight?

 

[AJ Peacock]

It's not uncommon for cartridges fired in one rifle to not chamber in another rifle. Especially if one rifle is a factory chamber and the other is a custom.

I'd get some new brass and keep it segregated (I do this will all my rifles).

AJ

 

[J E Custom]

It's not uncommon for cartridges fired in one rifle to not chamber in another rifle. Especially if one rifle is a factory chamber and the other is a custom.

I'd get some new brass and keep it segregated (I do this will all my rifles).

AJ

AJ is dead on.

If the custom chamber is SAAMI spec. it will take factory ammo (Factory ammo is sized small
to fit in any chamber) with what I call small base dies.

IF your chamber will not take new loaded factory ammo then it has a chamber that is smaller/
tighter than SAAMI chambers.

If you cant size this small there are several die makers that make small base dies or have
enough adjustment to do so. The Hornady New Dimension Dies are just one of this type.

I hope this helps and keep your brass separated as AJ recommended.

J E CUSTOM