Ridge in rifle chamber

I recently purchased a Winchester 1885 in 32-40. It had the barrel relined and looks like a professional job. Upon trying to chamber a round they fit really tight and didn't want to extract. I coated the cartridge with Dykem and when a shell was chambered and knocked out of the chamber it has a bright ring 1/4 inch from the rim. The Dykem left a corresponding ring in the chamber. The ridge is maybe a few thou. high. It's like who ever chambered the rifle had a chip in their reamer. Can I lap that out with an abrasive (like valve compound) coated empty casing (cut off just past the ridge so I won't mess with the rest of the chamber) or do I have to rent a reamer?

The standard procedure would be to set the barrel back and clean up the chamber with a reamer. Probably your best bet would be to send a PM to John Taylor. He's a professional gunsmith, and could make recommendations rather than speculations.

What you describe could be lapped out, or run an undamaged reamer into it to clean up that ridge. I'd opt for the reamer, but renting one is spendy.

An undamaged reamer would be my first choice. A close second would be this style hone. https://www.brownells.com/tools-clea...10080302008005

I thought of a hone but with the ridge so near the breech I figured I might be working parts of the chamber that I don't want to. With my home made lap cut off just forward of the ridge and the rim of the case removed (so I don't deepen the rim recess) I'll only be working the area of the ridge. Neil

It's possible that the liner was chambered before installation and the ridge is a result of that.

I forgot to say the ridge is only about 1/16" in length and just high enough that the cartridge wants to stop about 1/8" from battery. Without layout fluid on it you can't see or feel it. No "dent" in the brass.

I'd send it back to the person who worked on it! You could pour a lap and use some NECO 600 grit lapping compound to smoothe it out.

Is it new ammo, or a reload?

If you're using new factory ammo-- it's the barrel.
If its a reload, the cases might not be sized down far enough.

Ive sleeved DP barrels with drill holes.......always have to lap the joint between the sleeve and the original chamber ...........the very real risk with a reamer is that it will be different from the original chamber,and will leave a step or ridge at the shoulder or neck region. I know a 32/40 is just a straight taper and a neck ,but Id think the risk is still there.

Factory ammo (LoadX) or reloads react the same.

Sounds like the brass needs more sizing.

Lapping worked for me. It's hard to believe how long it takes to remove a couple thousandths of steel with lapping compound. The brass lap went away pretty fast though. Thanks all. Neil

Very glad you took the simple direct approach. When asking for advice online, one always gets a range of advice from the sublime to the ridiculous.

I would take it to a gunsmith who has the correct reamer. Otherwise, if you feel qualified, you could rent a reamer and do it yourself. Yes you could probably lap it, but a reamer would be best.

Be very careful of trying to "lap" it out at home. There is a much greater risk of messing up the geometry even worse. The last thing you want to do is fish-bowl the chamber even worse than it is.

I triple the motion of contacting a good gunsmith who sleeves barrels to fix it up properly.