Barrel swap stumper.

[seanhagerty]

I was amazed at how easy the barrel would come off. I'm sold on this barrel change thing.

First time out of the chute, I got the old barrel off easy enough.

New barrel in the barrel vise.

Barrel nut on, easy enough.

Turn the action on, wait a minute. I have to put the bolt in to check for head space, dissassemble it. Go to put the new bolt head on and it wont go all the way down into the bolt. I get to looking and the old bolt head has a slot in the side of it, that the new one doesnt. :'(

I have a 112 bvss in 223. The new bolt head is for a 30-06 long action. What gives? Where do I get the right bolt head to convert to a 260 rem??

[dcloco]

Mr. Dremel will be your new best friend.

Duplicate the position and dimensions of the alignment slot from the old bolt head to the new one. Easy to do...just go slow and test fit.

Notice this is not a precise fit, there is a little room to work with.

[seanhagerty]

I was leaning in that direction, but wanted some one else to say it.

Should I be worried about causing a problem with pressure containment?

[seanhagerty]

Right or wrong, it fits now.

Ill let you know how it works tomorrow.......

[5spd]

I was leaning in that direction, but wanted some one else to say it.
Should I be worried about causing a problem with pressure containment?

Ive dremeled notched 2 heads to date with 0 issues and pressure problems.

[seanhagerty]

OK, the head fit great. Except for the firing pin was to large a diameter to fit inside.

I think I am going to buy a complete bolt.....

[J.Baker]

It's a lot easier to just dremel the alignment lug out of the bolt body than it is to cut the slot into the bolt head. The only purpose of the alignment lug/slot was to ensure the assembly monkeys at the factory didn't install the bolt head upside down. At some point Savage upgraded to better trained monkeys and thus stopped using the alignment slot.

[dcloco]

OK, the head fit great. Except for the firing pin was to large a diameter to fit inside.

I think I am going to buy a complete bolt.....


Numbered drill bit set will be your new friend. 0.005" over the diameter of the firing pin.

[seanhagerty]

At this point, I do not feel comfortable drilling it out. I am wonderinging what other slight variances may arise.

I will just get a complete 30-06 bolt and be good for my 260 REM build. Anyone know a better place than Midway to get one?

[5spd]

At this point, I do not feel comfortable drilling it out. I am wonderinging what other slight variances may arise.
I will just get a complete 30-06 bolt and be good for my 260 REM build. Anyone know a better place than Midway to get one?

I forgot to add that to my post about the firing pin hole, the drilling part is very easy also with the correct bit, all of 30 seconds.
Midwayusa has the best prices on complete bolts also, they do not come with the extractor though.

[seanhagerty]

OK, I was playing with this and looked it over. The pilot at the back of the bolt head appears to be a larger diameter than the hole the pin protrudes through. I could probably drill the back part with no issues. What about the front part? How do I center it on the existing hole.

No Drill press here btw.

[gotcha]

If you don't feel comfortable drilling hole, do you have an Automotive machine shop nearby. I've got one close by & have saved mucho denero. One of the machinists there is now building Savages also. So he tends to give me very reasonable prices on expert machine work. Maybe this could work for you too. ;)

[seanhagerty]

I have a new long action 30-06 Bolt waiting on me at Midway. I will be there next week and can pick it up then.

Problem solving by throwing money at it!!!

[ellobo]

Sean, it sounds like you are using the government method. The drill will follow the hole already in the bolt head unless you are pretty fumblehanded. Just secure the bolt head in a vise and use a dremel or hand drill. Save yourself a big chunk of change. I never had to drill out anything but the bolt head. Nothing you do to modify the bolt will cause any pressure problems. Just grind out the bump inside the bolt body and a new bolt head will work. Have done it on two rifles with no problems.

El Lobo

[seanhagerty]

I just gave up. I could have fixed it. The bolt head now fits inside the bolt body correctly. I didnt want to spend any more time messing with it. I was worried about what else I would find wrong once I got the Firing pin to fit inside the bolt head.....

[Baryngyl]

I drilled mine bigger, just held it in my hand, it works fine.

As for the bump in the bolt, instead of grinding the bolt head or the bump, I just used a tapered punch that just fit inside and pushed it back out to where it was pushed in from, it works great.

Michael Grace