Just got a Savage Model 12...

[oldnewshooter]

...and can't get the bolt in! HELP!

As near as I can tell the bolt is in the 'fired' condition; the firing pin is protruding from the bolt face, and the bolt handle and the bolt lugs are not lining up properly. Does the bolt have to be in the cocked condition to be installed? If so, how in the heck do you cock the bolt when it's not in the receiver? It looks like when the bolt is in the receiver, lifting the bolt handle rotates the bolt body as the lugs are held in place by the receiver causing the rear of the firing pin assembly to ride the cam slot and retract the firing pin. That's what it looks like but I don't want to get too horsey with a brand new $1000+ rifle.

Many thanks in advance

 

[acloco]

Push down on the lever at the left rear of the action, squeeze the trigger, insert bolt.

Same way to remove bolt as well.

 

[tiny68]

The front baffle (piece that spins immediately behind the bolt lug) can be turned 180 and it want go in either. Probably what acloco suggested.

Luck, Tim

 

[pdm25150]

If the firing pin is protruding it is un cocked. On the back of the bolt body see the round button on the side, and see the ramp machined in the body. If un cocked its at the top and will not go back in the action, take your thumbs or put it on the edge of a table or hard surface and push it down to the bottom of the ramp. No it aint easy but it will go. Once that is down hold the trigger in push bolt release down and slide the bolt in.

 

[BigDMT]

No, no, no...alaco and tiny68, you fellas aren't helping him because you aren't fully understanding his issue.

pdm25150's method will work but is difficult and will probably damage the edge of your table. There is a much easier, "proper" way to do it.



If the firing pin is protruding from the face, it will never be able to be inserted into the action.

The solution is simple.
1. Take an allen wrench and remove the large nut from the back of the bolt. be sure to make note of how the handle goes on in case it falls off.

2. Once that nut is removed, the firing pin spring will not have any tension. Then you simply place the firing pin cocking knob on the top of the angled slide in the bolt cutout.

3. Replace nut on back of bolt. It will be harder to insert the nut now that you are pushing against spring tension. Just push hard to get it started, then turn it on the rest of the way with the allen wrench.

4. Put bolt in action ensuring slide notch on the rear bolt lug is to the right. Then hold gun downward and depress the slide release button and trigger at the same time and it should go right in

 

[mattri]

The bolt does have to be cocked to slide fully into the receiver, but it will slide past the lugs either way. If the bolt is not cocked the cocking pin will not be aligned properly and hang up on the top of the receiver. If you're not getting past the lugs, do as suggested above. If you are, and are getting hung up on the cocking pin, you need to push it toward the back of the bolt and rotate it until it slides into the little notch that it sits in while cocked. you can use anything soft but firm to push against it, a dowel, the side of a counter with a towel or rubber mat on it etc.

 

[oldnewshooter]

OK, got it in, with the old elbow grease and a piece of wood to pull the button back and cock the firing pin. Looked like that was what had to be done but I always like to get a little feedback before I step into the unknown.

Next question:
The rifle is a Model 12 LR Varmint. Do they use a slightly different angle on the bolt handle? The bolt is in and functions properly but the handle does not set all the way down in the cut-out on the reciever and the stock. In fact there's a small white rubber cushion on the underside of the handle that looks like a cushion; it's not contacting anything. Is this normal for this model or have I done something wrong? Hard to tell if something's not right when you haven't seen it before.

 

[oldnewshooter]

No, the gun was brand new in the factory box. Turned out to be just a very small burr where the second forward scope mount screw goes through the reciever. Forced the handle all the way down and when I pulled it out saw a small scratch. Got in there with a pick and with a little cleaning all seems to be as it should.


Thanks all. I'll let you know how it shoots next week.

 

[jonbearman]

Can you give us some details like what caliber it is and barrel length etc.

 

[oldnewshooter]

The gun is 22-250, right bolt, left port, with a 26 inch barrel.

It's what I bought after respones to a post on another forum. Had been considering a .223 or a 6MMBR but went with 22-250 as a compromise. A .223 would have limited me because of the bolt face and I wasn't ready for the expense of mostly handloading for 6MMBR. With the standard bolt face I figure I can change the barrel down the road if I really 'get into' long range shooting.

 

[tome]

you picked a caliber that is not the easiest to get shooting small groups groups....the savage lrpv 22-250 1-12tw i have is a bug hole shooter once i finally found a load..52 gr amax and ww 748 powder was by far the best combination in this rifle,,,unless you get really lucky..it will take some experimentation with powder and bullets to make your rifle shoot up to it's potential. 6mmbr..243 and even 25-06 were a lot easier to find loads for.

 

[Nomad47]

RL-15 and W-760 shot bug holes with 55 Nosler BTs in my 12 BVSS. 26" 12 twist. IIRC, .032" off the lands. I can look the loads up if requested.

 

[ed k]

Does this have the 1-9 twist? My savage will shoot 55-69 grainers very well. 69 grainers like varget and have shot under an inch at 300 yards. ED K