Bushing a Savage Bolt

[Rustystud]

Normally I would not waste the time an bush a Savage Bolt, but I have a customer who is let handed and owns four Savage model 10 rifles. He shoots LR prone using a sling. Being a High Master shooter he both practices and shoots a lot. Savage rifles are desiged to handle about 3000 rounds in an average lifetime. My customer goes through at least one barrel per year in each gun. This rifle has about 9000 rounds through it not counting the dry firing. He recently started having some unexplained flyers. He addressed the normal issues causing flyers. When I received the rifle to recrown the barrel I noticed an excessive amount of slop in the bolt/bolt race. I had some of Dave Kiffs Savage bolt bodies in .701 They felt real good in the bolt race but they were right handed bolts. I called PT&G to order a couple of left handed Savage bolt bodies but they were going to be at least three weeks out. I ordered a new factory bolt body. It was just as sloppy as the original bolt body. It measured .696. I decided to make a bolt sleeve for this bolt. I took a piece of stock and drilled and bored it long enough to fit the length of the bolt between the action bridges. I turned the bolt body between centers to accomodate the sleeve with a shoulder in the back of the bolt body. I put the sleeve in my mill and drilled/reamed the holes for the bolthead cross pin. I then set the sleeve up on centers and turned it to .702. I then turned it polishing it with 320 grit paper. I got the sleeve to a proper fit and finish. Now the bolt has no slop. My customer has a 1000 yard match in three weeks. It will be interesting to see if this gets rid of those flyers.

Rustystud

 

[sjk]

Rusty,
You're a man after my own heart to see things done right. I'm sure this will help a bunch to get rid of all the slop. Take it from a retired modelmaker with 35 years in the business. Good thinking.
sjk

 

[tensnxs]

beginner smith question...
the Savage 10 has a floating bolt head attached to the bolt body loosely with a cross pin. unlike other 1-piece bolts.

in my head, tightening up the bolt body to the action still allows the bolt head to move around... how does the bushing help with the fliers?

 

[Rustystud]

When a Savage is properly headspaced the case head is pressing the bolt lugs back against the action. It is a pretty snug fit. The bolt head is fitted to bolt body. When the firing pin moves forward the firing pin stop runs up against the back of the bolt head, this slams the bolt head pin back in forth in the hole in the bolt body. If there is excessive slop the bolt body will bounce around in the bolt race way. Some folks time their Savage bolts to have the cocking piece pin bottom out in the cocking piece cut out/ramp. The spring tension causes a wave motion if the bolt is sloppy. In either case if the Savage bolt has a snug fit it will cause less vibration during the firing process.

Rustystud

 

[tensnxs]

that makes sense. less vibration the better. thanks
i have all my Savage rifles trued and timed. may try bushing next when i put new barrels on them.

 

[rayjay]

Nat, I don't think the firing hits any stops if there is a cartridge in the chamber. Fred once posted that the firing pin indents the primer about .025" and that he set up his FP protrusion to .030 or .035 [ crs ]. Since he carefully controls the headspace of his cases he didn't need the normal .040 to .050 protrusion.

 

[Rustystud]

rayjay:

I personally don't like having the cocking piece travel the full length of the ramp. The strike of the primer slows the strike of the firing pin against the firing pin stop. I too like a minimual amount of firing pin protrusion. Less pierced primers. I now am making a modification of the main bolt screw and cocking piece sleeve. I drill and tap the main bolt screw .250 X 28 tpi. I then insert a .250 X .750 X 28tpi cone point set screw. I take off .125 off the back of the screw shortening it. I make a shouldered insert to fit into the back of the cocking piece sleeve. I center drill an indent in the back of this shouldered insert. Now when I put it all to gether I can adjust the firing pin spring tension without having to take the bolt apart. I like just enough tension to fire consistently and no more. The cone point also reduces the contact of the firing pin and the bolt body to about .060 thereby reducing bolt lift on cocking. I think it is a much better arrangment than done by other smiths. I also thread the cocking piece all the way through and put a set screw in against the cocking piece pin locking it into place making it rigid.
Rustystud

 

[queen_stick]

Nat,

How did the sleeve work out for your customer at the 1k match? Did it get rid of the fliers?

Thanks,

Walt

 

[Rustystud]

My customers bolt worked. He shot in the mid to high 190s. I now have reveived a .7015 left handed Savage bolt body from Dave Kiff and my customers rifle is now shooting 10 shot 100 yard groups in the mid 3s and low .4s.

I can not say how much better PT&G Savage bolt bodies are.

Nat Lambeth