Christensen Problem

[miteybucs]

i bought a Christensen Summit, Approx $6,000 and when I got it the bolt slid VERY rough. i had 4 weeks before my first ever elk hunt. I sent it back to Christensen and after 2 weeks they sent it back and its no better. it has remained in my gun room now for a year. The rifle fires fine but if I go to load the next round the bolt is still very rough, catching so I cannot go quick with any confidence. Any suggestions? the service guy at Christensen was brutal...maybe he is gone now? Shame to not use it. I ended up buying a Tika which worked fantastic right out of the box

 

[Corey Paulsen (teamkabob)]

I would send it back again and again if it came back the same way.

 

[Ryan Avery]

I'm guessing this is a TI version?

 

[elkguide]

Definitely send it back.

 

[lintond]

To spend that type of money and not be happy is ludicrous. I’d send it back and make sure I talked to somebody different if I wasn’t satisfied with the response.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Michael54]

No way in hell would i spend 6k on a gun and just put it up because i wasn't happy with it....also you would think a company like christensen would go out of their way to make it right. Sounds like you need to keep calling.

 

[tdhanses]

Get the bolt nitride coated, it’ll be smooth or shoot the crap out of it and it’ll probably work in and be smooth.

If you want send it to me and I’ll break it in.

 

[tdhanses]

Nitride isn’t a coating it’s a surface treatment, and it shouldn’t be done after the fact by anyone other than the mfg.

Plenty of companies do it, why would you not do it other then if the mfg does it, it still wears down and will need replaced, my bolt on my LPA action had it and it’s worn a ton, still smooth cycling though.

 

[HighDesertSage]

You should try again. I've used their customer service before and had very good luck with them. I think you caught the wrong guy on the wrong day. I bet if you copy a link to this thread and send it to their manager you get a call quick.

I've had great luck with their products. Hope it works out for you.

 

[miteybucs]

I'm guessing this is a TI version?

yes

 

[Corey Paulsen (teamkabob)]

Ive seen some horror stories someone from their guns.

 

[tdhanses]

You should try again. I've used their customer service before and had very good luck with them. I think you caught the wrong guy on the wrong day. I bet if you copy a link to this thread and send it to their manager you get a call quick.

I've had great luck with their products. Hope it works out for you.

I got an AR10 barrel that was chambered way out of spec, the customer service rep was kind of a jerk and said impossible, we triple check each barrel before it goes out, sent it in and guess what, got a new barrel. I’ve had good interactions so far but they do act like they don’t make errors when you talk to them.

But the guys that have checked stuff out have been great so far.

 

[Sandstrom]

I just recently ordered a Ridgeline TI. Long story short it was about 3/4 lb over the advertised weight. I called them, they were great! I sent it in and it came back in a few weeks at the advertised weight. They were excellent to deal with, they even offered that I could use the gun for the season and send it back this winter when I didn’t need it.

I would give them a call, the guy I talked to was very nice.

 

[tdhanses]

I have both stainless and Ti LPAs that are nitrided from LPA.

Nitriding treats the surface via heat to case harden the top 20 or 30 thousands of said part. This treatment can impact ductility and can result in making components too brittle.

If your nitriding “wore off” that means 20 to 30 thousandths of that part is no longer there.....

Then I guess Nitride isn’t very durable, after 2 years of use and maybe 1200 rounds this is what mine looks like, still smooth as can be though.

 

[NevadaZielmeister]

I am VERY happy with my Christensen Arms Ridgeline. The bolt was a bit stiff until I added Lucas Oil lubricant and it smoothed out real quick. While mine is not the titanium version, I can see where you have to wear in the bolt and receiver interface. It will also be harder to cycle having dry fired, so maybe there is that.

No reason to deal with their customer service, so maybe all is well on this end. I hope that you get the this issue solved. I spent $5,300 on my last custom rifle but it was a true custom rifle, to my specifications. Not sure why the $6k price tag, that seems steep to me. Maybe I am missing something?

 

[tdhanses]

Your Nitride likely isn't "worn off". Like I said, it's not a coating, it's a surface treatment that changes the metallurgy of the top layer of the part - thickness varies depending on original composition of the part and the treatment process used. The black color is a side effect of the process that may not maintain, but the metallurgic changes that took place are still there and did not wear off from you running the bolt.

Oh ok, that makes more sense.

 

[AZ_Hunter_2000]

Great lesson here: Do not accept a firearm until you do a thorough inspection.

 

[miteybucs]

thank you all. I am sending the rifle back tomorrow. Hopefully this time they get it fixed. Appreciate everyones thoughts

 

[Bear.Parker]

I have a Christensen Arms Ridgeline and had the same issues with the bolt early on and I hated it. I found that it is very finicky with certain brands of ammo. Some cycle really well, others not so much. I was able to find the right ammo that my gun likes the best and after putting plenty of rounds though it, the action is really smooth now. It just took finding the right ammo and breaking it in with a lot of range time. Now I cant image shooting another gun.

 

[longshot3631]

I sent a ridgeline back because the firing pin spring was so tight I could hardly throw the bolt without using two hands. They returned it changed and ‘test fired’. They didn’t even fully reassemble the bolt. I had to put it in a vise and rotate to the proper fit even to put it back into the action. Obviously they didn’t shoot it. I personally think that little rail in the action is what makes them rough. All being said, I love all mine.