How to polish a bolt?

[DngBat7]

Hi all, Was wondering how to polish my bolt and shroud, as close to a mirror like finish as possible so it moves a little more smooth in the action? The bolt is hardened steel I am assuming and the shroud is titanium.

 

[hogpatrol]

What brand and model of rifle? Long or short action? What finish is on it now?

Common methods would be scotchbrite wheel and buffing wheel with rouge.

On some actions with rough raceways, polishing the bolt may not do much to improve smoothness.

 

[6MMsteve]

I use a dewalt buffer and 800 grit stick and don't touch the lugs or the cam

 

[DngBat7]

What brand and model of rifle? Long or short action? What finish is on it now?

Common methods would be scotchbrite wheel and buffing wheel with rouge.

On some actions with rough raceways, polishing the bolt may not do much to improve smoothness.

It’s a ruger precision rifle. But it is heavily modified. Kreiger but on a direct threaded barrel, tossed the barre nut, and they lapped the lugs. So it’s a nice setup, But I want the bolt to cycle a little smoother. Basically the bolt is a kind of low luster surface. It’s not that it is not smooth, just it’s not like slick feeling at all.

 

[Texas10]

You can wet sand it with progressively finer grits starting with 1000 and going up to 2000 and 2500 which is fairly common in automotive paint stores and some hardware stores. Lapping films are also available if you want to go finer, but they're in micron sizes and hard to compare to the screened grits like 800, 1000, 1200 etc. But even 1200 grit will produce a mirror like finish in many steels.

I'd have to agree with Hogpatrol that the raceways are likely the culprit.

 

[Jason Boersma]

Too smooth can make it sticky, do a little bit and see if it helps or not. Lube the lugs and the bolt body and see if that helps also.

 

[swed6.5]

Very true, my black melonite finished bolts seam to slide smoother than my polished stainless, good lube,and work on how your holding and pushing on it will also improve the feel, but a nice shine is always nice to look at!

 

[Accurat-shooter]

I also have a sticky bolt on a 700 Titanium. My first spiral fluted bolt. It used to be my favorite deer gun, it’s so light, like carrying a stick all day. It lost my favor when it gave me the sticky bolt treatment while I was working on a running deer offhand. Now it sits in the corner with the dunce-hat on, gathering dust. Tried oils and polish to no avail. Wonder if it’s inherent to these...long action .270?

 

[hogpatrol]

I also have a sticky bolt on a 700 Titanium. My first spiral fluted bolt. It used to be my favorite deer gun, it’s so light, like carrying a stick all day. It lost my favor when it gave me the sticky bolt treatment while I was working on a running deer offhand. Now it sits in the corner with the dunce-hat on, gathering dust. Tried oils and polish to no avail. Wonder if it’s inherent to these...long action .270?

Could it be binding on the magazine follower?

 

[DngBat7]

Could it be binding on the magazine follower?

You can wet sand it with progressively finer grits starting with 1000 and going up to 2000 and 2500 which is fairly common in automotive paint stores and some hardware stores. Lapping films are also available if you want to go finer, but they're in micron sizes and hard to compare to the screened grits like 800, 1000, 1200 etc. But even 1200 grit will produce a mirror like finish in many steels.

I'd have to agree with Hogpatrol that the raceways are likely the culprit.

Will this change the diameter of the bolt? Would that not be a good thing?

 

[hogpatrol]

Will this change the diameter of the bolt? Would that not be a good thing?

If you are using any type of emery paper, you are going to remove metal. How much depends on how coarse of grit you use. Aside from that, have you considered jeweling the bolt?

 

[DngBat7]

If you are using any type of emery paper, you are going to remove metal. How much depends on how coarse of grit you use. Aside from that, have you considered jeweling the bolt?

I will look into that. Good idea

 

[tmwinds]

Just my experience, so take it for what it's worth. A highly polished surface will bind or be sticky more than a surface that has a microscopic pore surface that will retain a lubricant. I have found that Mobil 1 synthetic motor oil is the best lube I've tried. It's cheap, $5 for a lifetime supply.

I have a melonited action and bolt that actually feels a little rough to the touch. When lubed it is the slickest action I have.

 

[Texas10]

Will this change the diameter of the bolt? Would that not be a good thing?

I suppose that if you sanded on it everyday, all day for a year you might remove enough metal to be noticeable. Really, when you're down to the grits in the 1000's, you're just polishing, same as rouge.

 

[LHSmith]

Should you still elect to polish your bolt - the bolt should be completely taken apart, then thoroughly cleaned afterwards. The grit from whatever you use will compromise the operation of the ejector and/ or extractor- if not immediately then somewhere down the road when it is needed the most. BTDT.

 

[hogpatrol]

Jeweling will hold lubricant better than a mirror finished bolt.

 

[Texas10]

Perhaps you can report back on what the raceways look like, smoothness of machine work etc. I look at how smooth is the machine work on my 1898 Krag, and then compare it to any of my current Savages, it's depressing to see how far backwards all this technology has taken us. One or two rough cuts and call it good. Yea, it accurate and repeatable, but good God it looks rough and ugly, and without some good ol' hand rework, it's like cycling a bolt covered in sand.

Reducing cocking force through careful polishing of bolt internals and adjusting firing pin travel, a different/longer bolt handle, developing your technique in cycling the bolt all will play into reduced action cycle time.

 

[DngBat7]

What brand and model of rifle? Long or short action? What finish is on it now?

Common methods would be scotchbrite wheel and buffing wheel with rouge.

On some actions with rough raceways, polishing the bolt may not do much to improve smoothness.

You were right for sure! Polished the raceways, 400, than 800. Smooth as silk now. Thanks again!

 

[DngBat7]

Perhaps you can report back on what the raceways look like, smoothness of machine work etc. I look at how smooth is the machine work on my 1898 Krag, and then compare it to any of my current Savages, it's depressing to see how far backwards all this technology has taken us. One or two rough cuts and call it good. Yea, it accurate and repeatable, but good God it looks rough and ugly, and without some good ol' hand rework, it's like cycling a bolt covered in sand.

Reducing cocking force through careful polishing of bolt internals and adjusting firing pin travel, a different/longer bolt handle, developing your technique in cycling the bolt all will play into reduced action cycle time.

I did polish the raceways with 400 than 800. And the ramps inside the bolt where the spring cocks. The ramps were very rough. What an amazing difference.

 

[DngBat7]

Perhaps you can report back on what the raceways look like, smoothness of machine work etc. I look at how smooth is the machine work on my 1898 Krag, and then compare it to any of my current Savages, it's depressing to see how far backwards all this technology has taken us. One or two rough cuts and call it good. Yea, it accurate and repeatable, but good God it looks rough and ugly, and without some good ol' hand rework, it's like cycling a bolt covered in sand.

Reducing cocking force through careful polishing of bolt internals and adjusting firing pin travel, a different/longer bolt handle, developing your technique in cycling the bolt all will play into reduced action cycle time.

After seeing the machining from the factory in the process of polishing and seeing all the tooling marks, I don’t think I will buy an off the shelf rifle ever again. Even tho it is very accurate, (do have a kreiger barrel on it which helps). I can see where you pay for the quality in a custom rifle.