Why is my bolt assembled this way, and do I need to change it?

[MZ5]

At the moment, I have 3 Savage centerfire rifles on-hand. The oldest, a late pre-bankruptcy long action that I now have a .243 barrel on, has a bolt which is assembled differently than 'normal.' I bought this gun new, and nobody has ever had the bolt apart, so I know it came from Savage this way. Honestly, I've never really even looked at it and actually noticed this before, but the 'bent' washer is between the bolt head and the baffle, rather than behind the baffle. Why is this? Does it actually matter? Can I reverse the order to make it like my other Savages?

This all came about because I was looking at taking the longer baffle/bolt stop out of my 10FP's bolt and swapping it with the 'std' baffle out of this long action which is now a 243. Then the 243's bolt wouldn't have quite so much 'extra' travel, and the 223 FP could cycle the longer-COAL cartridges I want to load & shoot. Yes, I know I need to remove the magazine spacer, too.

Thoughts?

[BillPa]

I guess its possible the spring washer came through like that although I've never found one in that position.

The only real reason to relocate it between the baffle and bolthead is to prevent the baffle from wiping the grease off the lugs. Function wise it makes no difference.

Bill

[MZ5]

That's what I thought from reading your prior posts on the matter, BillPa; thanks. I was reading a thread wherein Sharpshooter used the word "most" when referring to how the design guys wanted the bolts assembled the way mine is, but a communication gap caused "most" of them to leave the factory the way everyone else's is (i.e. with the bolt & baffle touching each other). Anyway, like I said, this bolt has most definitely not been taken apart since Savage put it together a couple evenings before the bankruptcy. :D

Any reason I can't swap the baffles between this long action and my FP short action? Just to get the bolt travel on each of them more how I want it? If I do swap, should I re-assemble the long action's bolt/washer/baffle the way it is now, or put it together the way Savage assembles all the rest of their guns?

[BillPa]

Any reason I can't swap the baffles between this long action and my FP short action? Just to get the bolt travel on each of them more how I want it? If I do swap, should I re-assemble the long action's bolt/washer/baffle the way it is now, or put it together the way Savage assembles all the rest of their guns?


No, there is no reason you can't interchange baffles, been guilty of that myself a time or three. As I mentioned prior the biggest reason to have the washer between the baffle and lugs is to prevent the baffle from whipping the grease off the logs....assuming you do grease the lugs. (ya do don't cha?).

The only thing to watch for, if you look you'll generally see a radius (fillet) at the junction of the bolthead shaft and lugs. The ID of the washers tends to be slightly smaller, won't clear the radius and would allow it to seat tight against the lugs. Some are OK "as is" while others need to be opened a tad otherwise it will jam the retaining pin and cause some increased bolt lift. If you open it only go enough to allow it to just clear the fillet and seat tight against the lugs. Anymore and it can drop down and the catch on the edge of the lug recess in the action. It makes opening the action kinda tough! I usually cut the junction square while truing the boltface, but opening the ID of the washer will accomplish the same thing.

Bill

[ellobo]

The first Savage bolt I took apart had three wavy washers instead of one. Why I never could figure out. When I rebuilt the bolt I used just one and could see no difference in how it operated. Any ideas why the may have been three?
El Lobo

[sharpshooter]

Yea...3 washers were stuck together when an assembler put them on. ;D

[MZ5]

No, there is no reason you can't interchange baffles, been guilty of that myself a time or three. As I mentioned prior the biggest reason to have the washer between the baffle and lugs is to prevent the baffle from whipping the grease off the logs....assuming you do grease the lugs. (ya do don't cha?).

Thanks, Bill. No, I generally don't grease the lugs on bolt guns. I've greased 'em before, but these days I generally end up using a lighter lube (a good oil; generally CLP is what I clean & lube most of my guns with these days). Is there some magic I'm missing by using an oil instead of a grease? Ironically, I always use grease on the Garand as specified/directed.

[BillPa]

No, there is no reason you can't interchange baffles, been guilty of that myself a time or three. As I mentioned prior the biggest reason to have the washer between the baffle and lugs is to prevent the baffle from whipping the grease off the logs....assuming you do grease the lugs. (ya do don't cha?).

Thanks, Bill. No, I generally don't grease the lugs on bolt guns. I've greased 'em before, but these days I generally end up using a lighter lube (a good oil; generally CLP is what I clean & lube most of my guns with these days). Is there some magic I'm missing by using an oil instead of a grease? Ironically, I always use grease on the Garand as specified/directed.


No, not really as long as there is something on them. I use mostly stuff in the tubes( SC, TM) for only convenience sake, they don't make a mess, easy to use and don't take up much room in the cleaning box. In the shop I'll wet them with good old lithium grease. Its one of those "anything is better than nothing". As long as you clean the lugs, the lug recesses-abutments and put some kinda goop on them you shouldn't have any problems.

[Don - LongRangeSupply]

CLP is not a very good high pressure lube. A good quality grease is much better on bolt lugs, especially if you have some tight fitting neck sized cases. The pressure on the lugs is many times greater than the pressure you apply to the bolt handle.

[MZ5]

CLP is not a very good high pressure lube. A good quality grease is much better on bolt lugs..
What makes you say that? I guess I'm looking for more elaboration on a couple fronts: First, are you not confident in the EP properties of CLP's ingredients (which include, but are not limited to, PTFE)? Is there a specific ingredient(s) you look for in a lube? Second, given that the difference between oil and grease is just the viscosity/thickness of the carrier fluid, what specifically do you look for in a grease?

[darkker]

Dry, MZ, Dry....
If you won't listen to me, then use SlipStream.

[sharpshooter]

I had to look hard to find this, but I finally found the best bolt lug grease available. It's called Extreme pressure lube #3. It has no metallic or minerals commonly found in heavy grease. It's just formulated for extreme pressure. I've been using a tube for over 15 years and when it ran out, I panicked because I thought I would never find anymore. To my surprize the company that makes it, now has it in 2 oz. squeeze tubes and calls it "Gun Lube". I now have some for sale, it is $5.00 a tube for 2 oz. That is a bargain when you consider what you pay for those little syringes of grease that Sinclair sells for 8.99 for 7/8 oz.
This grease is not only better, it's less expensive and 2 oz. will last a lifetime for bolt lube.

[MZ5]

Darkker, didn't you get a trial of SlipStream in the mail or something?