I treated myself to a nice 243 Ackley Improved from the fine folks at Cooper, and begin prepping the gun for an initial loading session and range trip.

First: Grabbed 3 handholds that I use for my Tikka 243. These are Virgin Winchester brass, 87r VMax, loaded for the Tikka chamber.

They will not load. Not a single one. I can't get the bolt to close. Every single one sticks and has to be popped out with a cleaning rod down the muzzle. I'm not shocked as they are loaded to the specifics of my Tikka. Whatever, time to try a factory round.

Second: Grabbed 3 factory Winchester Super X. Winchester brass, 100gr soft points.

They will not load. Not a single one. I can't get the bolt to close, and not even close. I'm not talking crush fit, I'm talking hitting a concrete wall-bolt not budging on factory ammo.

For my final trick, I grabbed a 243 Virgin, Winchester brand. It loads, it closes, it extracts. No sweat. Here I hold this beautiful Cooper Classic with French Walnut upgrade, but the damn rifle won't take a round of 243 win. Help!

1) What could possibly be wrong? Is there something I'm not checking? Coopers come with a test target - so they shot the damn thing, though maybe with fire formed brass from other 243 AI's built in house. Who knows. I can't imagine it leaving without someone running the bolt on a vanilla 243.

2) Why will it take a 243 Virgin, but not a loaded round?

3) Where do I go from here? I'm calling Cooper tomorrow, and I'm assuming this gun gets a trip back to it's birthplace. Never had to send a gun back to a manufacture. Any tips?

This is what I get for buying an expensive rifle. I should go apologize to my Tikka, have one more drink, and go to bed.

Last edited by OutdoorAg; 01/19/16.