Bolt Assembly Screw

[navymrchief]

What makes the Bolt Assembly Screw on my Savage 110 Bolt back off instead of staying tight? The rifle has a .416 Taylor barrel. Is there anything that I can do about the problem? Thanks!

[RWO]

Clean the screw and bolt threads well and assemble it with a drop of blue Loctite (242) on the screw threads. Let set-up overnight and your problems will be over. The screw will still be removable, but won't loosen on it's on accord.

RWO

[hailstone]

That's one way of doing it but if you screw up then troubles abound. Better still is to slightly deform one or two threads at one point. When this spot encounters normal threads the friction forces are such that it will not loosen by itself. If your skeptical then take a small bolt and nut. Either hit the threads of the bolt with a hammer or take a punch to the side of the nut near the inside threads. Now screw them together. When the damaged threads engage normal threads you'll need wrenchs too tighten. It will not loosen without wrenches.

[Dirk]

What makes the Bolt Assembly Screw on my Savage 110 Bolt back off instead of staying tight? The rifle has a .416 Taylor barrel. Is there anything that I can do about the problem? Thanks!


You are not getting it tight enough! Put some muscle into it.

[Nor Cal Mikie]

Once you distort (damage) the threads on the screw, that will in turn damage the threads on the bolt body. And the fact that the threads are "real fine", it wouldn't take much to damage the bolt body threads.
I'am not a fan of Locktite on any of my rifles but use it if you must. Or you might make sure the screw threads as well as the bolt body threads are "clean and dry" and add a dab of Nail Polish. That would be my choice over Locktite.
Out of 6 Savage builds, I've "never" had a bolt screw come loose and I "mean" never. "Tighten" the screw and you should never have a problem. ;)

[hailstone]

Actually I'm not a fan of Loctite use on rifles either but I do love seeing others use it and screw up using it. Last couple of rifles were heavily discounted because bubba had used Loctite. Makes for little more work getting actions but love the deep discounts. Fifty too hundred dollars per hour for my time undoing there screwups. I'll take that kind of pay all week long.

[BobT]

That's one way of doing it but if you screw up then troubles abound. Better still is to slightly deform one or two threads at one point. When this spot encounters normal threads the friction forces are such that it will not loosen by itself. If your skeptical then take a small bolt and nut. Either hit the threads of the bolt with a hammer or take a punch to the side of the nut near the inside threads. Now screw them together. When the damaged threads engage normal threads you'll need wrenchs too tighten. It will not loosen without wrenches.


The machinist cringes :o, I would never intentionally damage threads ! It happened to me on the rifle with the old style, slotted BAS but only because I was afraid of buggering the screw slot and didn't put the torque on it I should have.

Bob

[Eric in NC]

Yep - it just needs to be TIGHT. The old slotted style is a PITA to tighten (or loosen), just be sure you have the right screwdriver. The new hex style is easy, just get it tight!

[navymrchief]

I tightened it very tight with a good, wide-bitted screwdriver, but it has loosiened on me two or three times now at the range where it is fired about 30-35 times. I will admit that the.416 Taylor rounds are putting the action to the heavy test, even though I am getting no pressure signs on my easily extracted cases. The latest is that the bolt head retainer pin broke in half which I will easily replace. Thanks for all the suggestions. I'm sure they will solve the problem with the bolt assembly screw.

[BillPa]

I tightened it very tight with a good, wide-bitted screwdriver, but it has loosiened on me two or three times now at the range where it is fired about 30-35 times. I will admit that the.416 Taylor rounds are putting the action to the heavy test, even though I am getting no pressure signs on my easily extracted cases. The latest is that the bolt head retainer pin broke in half which I will easily replace. Thanks for all the suggestions. I'm sure they will solve the problem with the bolt assembly screw.


chief,

It sound as though you have a older action with the slotted BAS. I've found a rule from a combination square works perfectly, flat on the sides like a hollow ground screwdriver blade so it won't slip and is long enough to put some "oomph" on them with out bending....well almost! ;D

Another thing, most of the old style screws have a nylon "plug" in the threads about 1/3-1/2 the way from the head to help keep them from working loose. After some "in and outs" it eventually conforms to the threads and won't do it's job any longer. You might remove the worn one and replace it with a new piece of nylon of similar or a plug of lead.

As far as the broken bolthead retaining pin is concerned you may want to upgrade the firing pin, retaining pin and bolthead to the later .095". Your stuff is probably the older .140". The smaller diameter adds some strength to the retaining pin.

Bill

[sharpshooter]

Loc tite is a bad idea because it tends to "migrate" like penetrating oil and get into parts that neede to be free. The best solution would be to wrap the BAS with teflon tape, or replace it with a current allen socket style.

[navymrchief]

PM Sent to you BillPa

[khuff]

I'd try the new style screw, cheap ($6) and you can apply and get a better torque reading with it.