GreyFox

Dang, it's cost another $25 to ship it. I shoot IMR 4350 almost exclusively.

Factory loads I assume? As a gunsmith, the first place I'd look is the chamber. On a bolt gun or AR polishing the chamber isn't too much of an issue BUT too much and you really mess it up. Contact Remington: They have authorized service centers, send your fired brass with the rifle and explain what you've found. Scratches on the case and sticky extraction: (I DO NOT suggest using a cleaning rod to tap it out - get a solid steel rod but ONLY AS A LAST RESORT) In fact, when I sent it back I'd leave a stuck case in it. It sounds like the chamber needs polishing, BUT, when they cut the chamber the reamer may have been dull. I have had several jobs where a case gets stuck - usually in an AR - and the customer tries to beat it out and breaks the rod inside the barrel or deforms it to where the rod cannot be extracted. This is where the RCBS Stuck case puller is your best friend. I was truly amazed the first time I used one! Here's a short dissertation: Brass is soft, when the round fires, pressure forms the brass to the existing chamber (fire forming for wildcat cartridges). Chambers are polished to allow the newly formed brass to extract. Any burr or groove will allow brass to flow into it which prevents extraction. If you have some case lube (for reloading) try lubing a case and shoot it, same principal as greasing a cookie sheet to prevent food from sticking. See if it's any easier to extract, then take a chamber brush and a drill. The camber brush is brass and softer than the chamber but can be used to really get junk out of there (rust, believe it or not, will lock up an action easily). Remove the bolt and take the barreled action out of the stock, connect the short cleaning rod to the drill and drill IN - if you drill in reverse you'll spin the brush off and make more work on yourself. Hope this helps: Disclaimer, since I do not have the rifle in front of me and I am not performing any work on it, I assume no liability on it's maintenance. Fair enough?

A 180 gr non-lead bullet will be LONGER than a standard or premium 180 gr leaded bullet. We often talk of weight of bullets, but it really has NOTHING to do with weight, it's length. Switching from a lead bullet to a non lead bullet, look at decreasing the weight - hence the 165 class bullets will be close in length to 180 gr leads. If your rifle like 180's and you're going non-leaded, step it down some.

It's how we roll. Typical on forums!!! Seems like a great group of people here. I've done some long range hiking, - Appalachian Trail - and some camp hunting - Alaska - Contacted First Coues and asked about his services. One thing led to another and we're hiking/camping/hunting provided I get a tag!! Coues have always fascinated me, I've never lived in their area though.

Looky there, My very first post here, don't I feel special??? BTW: I am the person First Coues is referring to for camping, I've done a lot of back packing and hunting both together and seperate, but never in the desert and I hope to visit the wonderful state of Arizona this fall and pursue your lovely little deer!!

Sorry to chime in, but this thread went from camping, to fires, to illegals, to dogs..... Come back to the light, Forrest.... LOL Backpack hunting in the desert......