93R17 extraction & feed issues

[wiredgeorge]

I bought a 93R17 with blued barrel and thumbhole stock several months ago. It has extraction and feed issues. I have never had a bolt action that has been so fussy. I have only used Hornady ammo. When I pull the bolt back to extract the spent case, it stays in and usually above the next round. I have polished the feed ramp to no effect. Any tips would be appreciated. Seems like this may be a common problem from the search of this forum. The rifle is accurate and a ton of fun to shoot except for the feed problem!

[J.Baker]

Are we talking extraction or ejection here? Is the case sticking in the chamber or is it being pulled out by the extractor and then dropped into the action rather than being flicked out by the ejector?

[wiredgeorge]

The former, pulled out but left in the action, typically above the new round feeding onto the feed ramp. Sometimes it is ejected properly but many times not.

[J.Baker]

Ok, so what you have is actually an ejector issue. The ejector is a standing type that remains in the action if you remove the bolt. You might be able to bend it a little and solve the problem, but I would try the two options below before resorting to trying it.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v632/MrFurious45833/FAQs/SavageRimfireEjector.jpg


The below photo illustrates the different parts of the Savage rimfire bolt-head (for lack of a better term). Some guys have had luck solving their ejection issues by removing the spring clip and bending it slightly tighter so it's putting more pressure on the extractor and cartridge guide. Other guys have had success getting and installing a second spring clip over top of the first to make it stiffer. I haven't tried either method as I've never had to, so I can't validate or verify any results.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v632/MrFurious45833/FAQs/SavageRimfireBolthead.jpg

[wiredgeorge]

I called Savage customer support and bought a new spring clip, LH and RH extractor/cartridge guides and a new ejector. All parts were only $2 each. I am going to wait until parts come in before proceeding. The lady in Savage CS said this was a known problem. My rifle was manufactured in 2010 and I suspect they have fixed the issue by slightly modifying some of these parts; probably the ejector. I will compare the parts before moving to fix. The ejector and extractors work in concert with each other and this may be why small modifications to either (by tightening the spring clip) may fix the issue.

See this youtube video and give me your take:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v4flsyGU_vE

Rather than bend the ejector, the guy shaves it down some. I hope I can fix the issue as I really like the rifle and shoot tight groups with it making me feel like I actually am a good shot... I know better as I have other rifles hehe

[J.Baker]

Sounds like you covered all the bases. Consider yourself lucky (or unlucky depending on how you view it) as the newest guns have all those separate parts that are bolted to the bottom of yours cast as one single piece. Makes assembly go a lot quicker in the factory, but also eliminates some of the adjust-ability that's sometimes needed to get magazines centered up and feeding correctly.

As for the video I couldn't make it thought the first two minutes. Between the horrible lighting, constantly being out of focus and using totally wrong terminology my brain cells were threatening suicide if I didn't turn it off. lol These YouTube folks need to learn that the ceiling light in their bedroom isn't sufficient lighting for video and that their bed is not a workbench. At least this guy had his bed made though, I'll give him credit for that. LOL

[wiredgeorge]

Only a rank amateur works on a hard work bench where every small part takes once bounce as it comes out of the action and falls into a dim corner to hide. The pro works on a soft bed where parts more or less can be found if the bed is carefully made as in the video. I found the guy's premise of reshaping the ejector interesting and he seemed happy with the result. Once i have a $2 ejector in hand and if it is identical to the original, I may attempt a similar disfiguration of the part! I want to get the gun cycling as the 17 HMR is a really fun round to burn up. I have a lot of other rifles and a few rounds out of my Savage 111 w/thumbhole stock chambered in 30.06 left my shoulder sore although I liked that rifle and regret trading it for an SKS (due to panic in the ammo shortage and very poor judgement).

[J.Baker]

I'm guessing yours probably just got bent or tweaked a little and that's what's causing the problem - that or you have a weak spring clip.

As for the video, I guess I'm a bit of a snob when it comes to youtube videos. LOL I figure if someone's going to take the time to record a video explaining how to do something then they can at least take a few extra minutes to 1) clean up their work area, 2) ensure there's good lighting, 3) have everything ready to go before they start filming, and 4) actually know what they're talking about. It could be the best, most informative video out there, but if it's poorly lit and shot and/or is being filmed in a pig sty I'm probably not going to make it through the first 30-45 seconds before I'm clicking the back button.

[wiredgeorge]

Unfortunately, the young fella who made the poor quality video was the only person who took the initiative to make a video on a fix for this annoying problem. Wish there was more "how to" on this site on issues that seem relatively common. A google search for this issue turns up multiple instances of the ejection problem and it isn't unique to the 17HMR version of the 93 series rifle. Hopefully, I can get the issue sorted.

[J.Baker]

Our rimfire section of the FAQ's is pretty thing, mainly because most people seem to flock to RimfireCentral.com for their rimfire needs.