I'm handing off this question to those of you who are more learned than I and may have a rational answer to something that showed-up as I disassembled my Savage rifle bolt to investigate the need to have the firing pin bushed. (There seems to be a lot of slop where the pin protrudes from the bolt.) Anyhow, as I removed the main bolt that holds it all together here is the head of a Starline, .38 Special shell with a ball bearing in the primer hole. See the pics. All it appears to do is put tension on the firing pin spring as the bolt is tightened. All well and good but I find it strange that Savage uses an arrangement like this. Anyone have a clue? The bolt has never been disassembled since I bought the rifle.
Latest Savage Bolt Mystery
- Thread starter Jayhawker
- Start date
steve stanley
Well-known member
Looks like a shadetree gunsmith's attempt at bushing the firing pin would be my guess. I highly doubt it is factory
Thanks for your reply. I take back my saying that no one has disassembled the bolt. The man that installed an aftermarket barrel for me, I suppose, could have done it but doing anything to the bolt was not part of our deal. I also think it looks rather suspicious in that I can't imagine Savage putting a rig like that in their product.
I looked through your other thread and didn't see whether or not you bought the rifle new. Someone has installed a bolt lift kit. There are several folks making them and some of us make them ourselves.
Rest assured, Savage didn't do it. If it has been done right your bolt lift is easier than it normally would be. This has nothing to do with the slop in the firing pin and that isn't something you can fix on your own. Greg Tannel probably does more firing pin bushing jobs than anybody and does a very good job, but there are several others who can do it as well. If you are going to push the envelope on velocity you will probably want to get that done. OTOH-getting your bolt bushed will eliminate some of the pressure signs and you might be better off leaving things alone. That would be your choice, but the lift kit probably has nothing to do with your problem.
Rick
Thank you for your reply. I did buy the rifle new. Could very well be the 'smith who changed out the barrel for me did it. Not a big deal-just more a point of curiosity for me. At least now I know what it is. I'm not up for pushing the velocity up to the point it is with the 29.5 of Varget. The bolt is just too hard to lift and I can't help but think I'm not doing the rifle any good. I know that at 28.5 grains there were no lift problems but the accuracy was just a tad less. I will try the 29 of Varget when I can. The gun is shooting 2s and 3s at 100 yards and 3s and 4s at 300 meters pending the mirage and wind.
The .38 Spl case with a ball bearing is a pretty commonly done 'trick' to ease the bolt lift on Savages. It was popularized by Fred Moreo of Sharp Shooter Supply...he's big in the Savage Nation.
There are other kits out there....the Lambeth single point and the multi ball/radially grooved race being the most popular. The Lambeth is the most effective.
I just did one with the multi ball style. Along with deburring the cocking slot, helped quite a bit.
Good shootin'. -Al
There are other kits out there....the Lambeth single point and the multi ball/radially grooved race being the most popular. The Lambeth is the most effective.
I just did one with the multi ball style. Along with deburring the cocking slot, helped quite a bit.
Good shootin'. -Al
Glad you responded. That pretty well solves my mystery. Thank you.
jackie schmidt
New member
You learn something every day. What appeared at first glance to be some cobbled together fiasco turns out to be a ingenious fix.
Nor Cal Mikie
Active member
"Someone has installed a bolt lift kit."
Had one of my Savage actions worked on (T&T) to make it easier to open. What a waste of time and $$$.
Was NOT impressed! More metal shavings inside the bolt body than what fell on the floor when working on it.
When the bolt lift on any of my Savage rifles is as easy and smooth as my Remington XP 100, I'll be happy.
AND, I've never seen the need to bush the firing pin. Real easy to back off the powder charge.
Had one of my Savage actions worked on (T&T) to make it easier to open. What a waste of time and $$$.
Was NOT impressed! More metal shavings inside the bolt body than what fell on the floor when working on it.
When the bolt lift on any of my Savage rifles is as easy and smooth as my Remington XP 100, I'll be happy.
AND, I've never seen the need to bush the firing pin. Real easy to back off the powder charge.
Shoddy workmanship doesn't change a good concept. But poor execution, does.
Well, that will never happen.
Having worked on quite a few of these Savages, you'll never make them 'like' a Remington-ish setup. In fact, the more you try to tighten things up, the worse the result. It's a Savage quirk that the very things that make them 'sloppy' by Remington standards are what actually make them shoot well. In the world of practical varmint hunting or casual target use, you're spot on.
Good shootin'. -Al
Nor Cal Mikie
Active member
One thing that HAS made a difference on the bolt lift for EACH of my Savage rigs is a "tactical" bolt handle. A bit longer for more leverage.
A heavier BR style stock (think fence post) also helps. More weight to help keep it in position and harder to move when working the bolt. It's the little things that count.
A heavier BR style stock (think fence post) also helps. More weight to help keep it in position and harder to move when working the bolt. It's the little things that count.
Butch Lambert
Active member
jackie schmidt
New member
Since Savages are arguably the most accurate “out of the box” rifle you can buy, the must be doing something right, regardless of the bolt lift.
Is "out of the box" completely unmolested? Or can a guy do a liddle scraping and filing here and there, smooth out that trigger and cocking ramp, maybe throw some epoxy down by the recoil lug.... just as long as you keep all the factory parts??
I'm starting to believe "were arguably most accurate...." might be the better term kinda' like "the 788's WERE arguably the most accurate" .......at one time in history....
A Savage Accustock system right out of the box has a lot of stuff right but I'm feeling more and more that the newest gen 700's and the Tikka's are running circles around the Savages with just a tiny bit of hotrodding. I'm getting reluctant to rebarrel a Savage.....
But then Tikka and Remington have absolute CRAP tupperware stocks on offer, so......
the beat goes on
Is "out of the box" completely unmolested? Or can a guy do a liddle scraping and filing here and there, smooth out that trigger and cocking ramp....
Al, one of the biggest improvements you can make to a Savage is shimming the sear to eliminate as much of the side-to-side play as possible...just short of it binding. Then, you can stone the sear engagement surfaces and get a consistent release weight. Since the sear is also the bolt release, there's a little give and take in how far you can take this. The new Jard Savage trigger comes with a new CNC'd sear/bolt release. Haven't messed with one, but it's probably a better way to go if the tinkerer isn't savvy on stoning and sear engagement angles.
For me, the best Savages are the older 112J series single shots. Rebarelled Remington-style with a decent, flat ground recoil lug and a shimmed and sear tweaked trigger, they are killer good. You just have to resist the temptation to try and make 'em like a Remington. And that includes bedding. Bedding the tang on a two screw Savage action is a guaranteed accuracy killer. I could relate a good incident about this that includes a well known accuracy 'smith, a barrel that just "...won't shoot" and the poor owner and 'smith that were not very happy campers!
Good shootin'. -Al
jackie schmidt
New member
Is "out of the box" completely unmolested? Or can a guy do a liddle scraping and filing here and there, smooth out that trigger and cocking ramp, maybe throw some epoxy down by the recoil lug.... just as long as you keep all the factory parts??
I'm starting to believe "were arguably most accurate...." might be the better term kinda' like "the 788's WERE arguably the most accurate" .......at one time in history....
A Savage Accustock system right out of the box has a lot of stuff right but I'm feeling more and more that the newest gen 700's and the Tikka's are running circles around the Savages with just a tiny bit of hotrodding. I'm getting reluctant to rebarrel a Savage.....
But then Tikka and Remington have absolute CRAP tupperware stocks on offer, so......
the beat goes on
Al, I am really not that up on the newest Remington offers, I just go on what I see at the range with Savages. You and Al N seem to be more in the loop on the capabilities of pure factory Rifles than I am.
Jackie, a high percentage of newer 700's seem to all suffer the same out-of-the-box malady...very, very poor primary extraction.
From what I see at my local range and the couple I've worked with, the Tikka's would be my first choice in a hunting level accuracy gun.
Good shootin'. -Al