Difficult Bolt Lift?

antelopedundee

antelopedundee

internet bum
I have a Rem 700 short action left hand. Prior to the last 2 months or so, it's been about 20 years since I fired the thing and I have no remembrance of any issues. So what would cause any issues with a difficult bolt lift even with an empty chamber? There is a bit of a hitch when you close the bolt, but you kind of have to whack it with the palm of your hand to get it open. The lugs should have been lapped way back when, but IIRC the action and bolt were nickel plated too. Also IIRC the spring was replaced with a 32# one.

I disassembled the bolt and everything inside looks good.
 

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Difficult bolt lift

you have closed up the operating tolerance by having it plated.
nickel drags ' and is sticky on moving parts. try lapping the bolt in or changing to one that is not plated.
 
What type of "nickel plated" was done.

Electroless or actual electroplating?

Electroplating is markedly thicker and often involves a copper layer before the nickel increasing 'build.'

Electroless is a chemical deposition process and normally far thinner and does not require a copper layer most of the time (if ever).
 
GerryM said:
you have closed up the operating tolerance by having it plated.
nickel drags ' and is sticky on moving parts. try lapping the bolt in or changing to one that is not plated.
Click to expand...

What I was thinking and makes sense. I usually use a little lube on the contact part of the lugs. I could try to file it off or more likely will just live with it. I may try to take an antelope with it this fall.
 
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brickeyee said:
What type of "nickel plated" was done.

Electroless or actual electroplating?

Electroplating is markedly thicker and often involves a copper layer before the nickel increasing 'build.'

Electroless is a chemical deposition process and normally far thinner and does not require a copper layer most of the time (if ever).
Click to expand...

Was done by the Bill Davis [pistolsmith] shop in Sacramento and IIRC it was the electroplate.
 
Post a pic of the cocking cam angle on the receiver as it interfaces with the angle on the root of the bolt handle.
 
Al Nyhus said:
Post a pic of the cocking cam angle on the receiver as it interfaces with the angle on the root of the bolt handle.
Click to expand...

One would think that it would open about about as easily as it closes, but I guess not.

Hope these are what you're asking for. The second one is a bit fuzzy.
 

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John Kielly said:
Don't have a Remington, but does the front screw thread into the lug ways?
Click to expand...

Just eyeballing it, with a BDL it does. No indication that the outer surface of the lugs has had any contact with the front screw. I've got 3 other rifles [and one in the works] with that style of stock [Richards micro-fit dual-grip thumbhole] with nary a problem. I expect that my friend who did the fitting and finishing made sure that the front screw didn't contact the lugs.
 
antelopedundee said:
guess not.Hope these are what you're asking for. The second one is a bit fuzzy.
Click to expand...

No. There is an angle on the root of the bolt handle that contacts another angle on the back of the receiver when the bolt is opened. This is what 'cams' the bolt back and begins the primary extraction. Look down from the top and slowly open the bolt...you'll see it. It what causes the bolt to move rearward at the top of the bolt throw.

Also, with the bolt closed, use a feeler gauge between the front of the bolt handle and the rear of the receiver and see what the clearance is.

Here's a link to a previous thread....there are some good pics of the cam angle interface albeit with a different action.
http://benchrest.com/showthread.php?48036-Bolt-timing-(long-and-pic-heavy)&highlight=bolt+timimg
 
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Yes, good explanation, and a good lesson! :D That action was seriously mistimed - the stripped bolt worked perfectly, but once assembled, the cock-on-close was substanital - similar to an Enfield - I blamed it on the trigger-hanger, or, the placement of the trigger-hanger slot, relative to the cocking piece - obviously, at the time, the solution was, "over my head". :p

Dundee, I'd lose the 30# Wolf spring, and return to the 22-23# spring. When you read through Al's thread, the Rem. 700 which "quit" on me at the NATIONALS, did so due to a combination of mistimed bolt-handle (minimal cocking cam to receiver cam surface contact - only about 1/4th of the cam length:() AND the excessively heavy spring, which exacerbated wear, resulting in almost NO primary extraction. Custom actions are -usually- better timed than Rem. 700s, which are relatively poor.

Many of us messed with the heavy springs, and found that the 'old' 22-23# springs delivered better precision.:eek:
RG
 
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.

antelopedundee said:
Tried that this afternoon and didn't change much.
Click to expand...

So you are saying that without a firing pin assembly that the bolt still cams hard? If that is the case then you have an interference condition somewhere..........
don
 
I would back out the action screws and try without the firing pin, then drop off the trigger and try. One thing I have seen is that, if you just changed scope mounts, a mount screw just slightly too long can do that.
 
ArtS said:
I would back out the action screws and try without the firing pin, then drop off the trigger and try. One thing I have seen is that, if you just changed scope mounts, a mount screw just slightly too long can do that.
Click to expand...

Was dinking around and backed out the front guard screw. Presto, problem fixed. Action now as smooth as a baby's bottom. A couple months ago R G made note that on one of my rifles the action was loose in the stock. So after I got home I checked the rest of my rifles for barrel-forearm clearance and guard screw tightness. One was a wee bit loose and this one was probably it. I note that the screw had been shortened previously by the gent who fit the stock. Guess I need to grind it down a bit more.

Thanks for all of the input.
 
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