Sako action heavy bolt lift on empty chamber

[cbs]

Bolt lift seems to be getting progressively stiffer. I've had the gun for 20 years and disassemble and clean the bolt regularly but the bolt lift keeps getting heavier. It's to the point the cocking ramp shows slight wear.

Any suggestions?

 

[Liven The Dream]

Possible Chamber needs Cleaning /
Brass Seizing Off
Hot load ?

 

[cbs]

This is on an empty chamber.

 

[Murray Brook]

How do your lugs look.

 

[Dan V.]

Are you putting grease on your lugs?

 

[HandgunHTR]

Have you taken the bolt apart to see if there is something (like gummed up grease) on your firing pin spring? (Assuming it is cock on opening. I am not ultimately familiar with the Sako bolt)

 

[joshb]

What cartridge?
Are you handloading hot loads?
Have you scrubbed the bolt ways in the action and checked them with a borescope? Can you see the face of the action lugs?

 

[hogpatrol]

Check for a carbon ring forward of the neck area in the chamber. Scotch that. Just saw it's on an empty chamber.
Would check cleanliness of trigger.

 

[BlueWater]

Bolt lift seems to be getting progressively stiffer. I've had the gun for 20 years and disassemble and clean the bolt regularly but the bolt lift keeps getting heavier. It's to the point the cocking ramp shows slight wear.

Any suggestions?

I'd definitely look closely at the lug area of the receiver.

Had a Savage 12 where I cleaned it similarly to how I've cleaned a dozen rifles over the past three decades, yet where I changed to a particular new bore cleaner. Seems that the product has a slightly greater tendency to "gum up" unless it's completely cleaned out. Clearly, my own cleaning technique wasn't quite up to snuff. Hadn't been sufficiently cleaning the lug seating area of the receiver, such that this new, somewhat-more-gummy cleaner ended up building up over time. After a couple dozen times firing (and cleaning) it, the bolt got progressively more difficult to operate. Cleaned out the lug area completely ... and, voila!, bolt lift back to normal.

Something to consider. If you either have the receiver off or can "scope" it, you might well see some gummed-up residues that shouldn't be there. Bolt might be fine, but if the receiver's lug area is getting build-up, ...

 

[Bill Rodolph]

As well as above, check for galling on your locking lugs/recesses, where the cocking piece engages its notch in the bolt check for grit, dirt, galling and lastly where the bolt handle contacts the rear receiver bridge for primary extraction, check for galling. Everywhere that can gall also needs to be lubed.

 

[Lone Hunter]

Bolt lift seems to be getting progressively stiffer. I've had the gun for 20 years and disassemble and clean the bolt regularly but the bolt lift keeps getting heavier. It's to the point the cocking ramp shows slight wear.

Any suggestions?

Another thread from 2016 that a guy complains about the same symptoms as yours. As has been said check your maintenance.

Heavy bolt lift on empty chamber...

My Ruger Precision 6.5 has what I consider an unusually heavy bolt lift. This is felt with an empty chamber as well. When I close the bolt, then lift, it's very heavy. If I close it again without pulling bolt back, just lifting bolt up then down and up again, it's quite light and 'normal'...

forum.accurateshooter.com

 

[david12601]

Sako a7 243 has the same heavy bolt lift from the day I bought it

 

[Capt. Oblivious]

Have a look at this part that sits in the bolt, it rotates and might have some gunk under it.
You can take it off but its a pain in the ass to get it back on and there some things that go flying when you remove it. The black ring below the fingers is the retaining clip

 

[Catfur]

Bolt lift seems to be getting progressively stiffer. I've had the gun for 20 years and disassemble and clean the bolt regularly but the bolt lift keeps getting heavier. It's to the point the cocking ramp shows slight wear.

Any suggestions?

Yeah. I’d guess the part that’s showing wear is your problem, the cocking ramp (and the sear).