question about bolts

[acemisser]

are the bolts interchangeable? I mean will the bolt from
my mod 10 fit your mod 10 as well..I know head space will have to
be checked,etc..But if they are,like both short action they
should fit,right......OR WRONG...

[nsaqam]

Right.

[Blue Avenger]

and not left and right. :)

[acemisser]

thank you very much for the replies..I wonder how much is involved to change the bolt face?

[sharpshooter]

WRONG....theoretically they are the same, but might not fit properly in another gun. The bolt assemblies are mated to a receiver at the factory. A stack up of tolerance may keep one bolt from fitting into another receiver.

[acemisser]

**** it all

[geargrinder]

While Sharpshooter is technically correct, he didn't share the likelyhood of the tolerance stacking preventing one action's bolt from working in another action. I'd be willing to be that it would be very rare.

[nsaqam]

While Sharpshooter is technically correct, he didn't share the likelyhood of the tolerance stacking preventing one action's bolt from working in another action. I'd be willing to be that it would be very rare.

Agreed.

[Apache]

:pop2:

here we go again......

[sharpshooter]

What most of you guys don't realize is that every part in a bolt assembly is made by an outside vendor. These parts get a random inspection when they arrive. There are always sub-standard parts in the lot when they receive them, and they get weeded out by assembly. If a part doesn't fit in sub assembly, it gets rejected. If all the parts fit in sub assembly, it goes to the next stage of final assembly. The bolts are then mated to a receiver. If the bolt fits and functions, it goes on. If it does not, the bolt is laid aside and another is tried in the receiver. If that fits, it goes on. The next receiver is tried with the bolt that was laid aside, if it fits it goes down the line, even if it is out of mean spec the whole action is still functional and it is accepted. At the end of the day, the parts that don't mate with each other are inspected to see what component is out of spec.
Any time you purchase bulk parts like I do, there is a chance that some are out of spec because the inspection process is at assembly. If you buy a bolt from Savage or Midway, is has not had a final inspection because it has not been installed in a receiver, so there is a chance it won't fit. And if you've bought one, you might have noticed they don't come with an ejector. That's because the ejector is not installed until after proof firing.
I have had several bolt assemblies that came from the factory with short bolt bodies, once again that was never caught because it was never assembled to a receiver.
Last year I received a left port target action that had a receiver that was .058" short. Savage replaced it , no problem. The reason it got out....it was never assembled into a gun. Had it been assembled, it would have been obvious that it was short because the recoil lug fell short of the pocket in the stock.
Rare occurrence?......maybe for you guys.

[geargrinder]

Yes, we don't realize. Usually because you don't tell the whole story. Only the part that proves your point. I'm not trying to start a fight with you but you still haven't told us how often it happens.

So far you've said that you've had several bolt bodies and a RBLP PTA that was short. Out of how many that you've handled?

Also what you've said is that we have the same odds as Savage when fitting a strange bolt to an action. It may work, or it may not. Just like when Savage assembles them.

If I bought a bolt body from you and it wouldn't work due to a tolerance issue, would you replace it? Probably. I bet Midway and Savage would too.

[Blue Avenger]

Wow, Now I am reminded again why he rarely says anything.

I'm also going out on a limb and guessing nothing further will be learned here.