Bolt Head not Extracting

[Appleseed]

Changed from .223 to .243 bolt heads. The smith has closed shop due to illness. He didn't have barrel at time, I head spaced it to two dummy sizing rounds and it will not extract. It is going to a second smith, but I'm curious what may be wrong.

[J.Baker]

When you say it's not extracting, how do you mean? It it not pulling the case from the chamber? Is it pulling the case from the chamber but then dropping it free before ejecting it out of the action?

[Appleseed]

Not pulling from chamber any.

[Texas10]

Snap a cartridge case into the bolt head and carefully chamber it. If it extracts reliably repeat by feeding as you normally would. If it fails to extract this might be an indication that the barrel was chamber spaced too far forward and the cartridge never seats into the bolt head. I have done this myself when setting headspace with a different (new) bolt head with the extractor installed. If in doubt, I remove the extractor and ejector and then set the head space. Others have suggested this method, but for me, i seem to have to learn the hard way :black_eyed:

[Appleseed]

Further test using that method, it will snap in and chamber. But, the bolt head is too long. It will not let the cartridge clear when trying to feed. I wasn't too happy with PTG to start with, poor service and then this non factory spec part.

When the parts were purchased, there wasn't a Savage part available so went with PTG.

[RC20]

I am not getting it. Per Tex10, it sounds like your head space is too far out. Not a big deal and any Savage nut with the tools can help you out if in your area.

Now you are saying the bolt head is too long.

That contradicts first post.

If its too long then the bolt won't close.

If it won't extract when pushed in and bolt has closed, then the head spaces is a tad too long.

What Tex 10 has you doing is checking to see if the extraction system works by having the case head in the bolt.

As this is not a Controlled round feed, push feed , it needs to snap over the rim in order to extract and does not do that until the case is seating in the chamber.

To far forward head space and the round gets pushed in but no snap over, no extract.

[Appleseed]

After working with action using tex10 suggestions, discovered problem. Head space is correct. Switch barrels many times. Bolt head and extractor brand new. Not a head space problem, it is a bolt head problem.

The PTG is being replaced. Using two working dummy rounds in 70 & 100 grain seated to manual specs, used in three other savage rifles/barrels. No room to bring cartridge into chamber from the mag. It's not extraction, it's too long a bolt head either due to PTG or an adjustment on bolt.

[rbp75503]

Do you still have the .223 front baffle installed with the .243 bolthead? With the .243 bolthead you have to either shorten the leg off the .223 front baffle or change out to a standard caliber front baffle.

http://i.imgur.com/XUGLsJI.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/uoIR5Sp.jpg
or you have a long action bolthead installed in a short action.

[Blackthorn]

Do you still have the .223 front baffle installed with the .243 bolthead? With the .243 bolthead you have to either shorten the leg off the .223 front baffle or change out to a standard caliber front baffle.

Sounds like the issue to me....

[earl39]

Did you use the extractor from the 223 bolthead on the 243 bolthead? If so this is your problem. Extractor is too long.

[Appleseed]

I know smith ordered a new one, back in shop today. I looked at that too and took the .223 assembly to the shop for comparison. Asked the smith to replace any parts needed.

[Deadshot2]

Further test using that method, it will snap in and chamber. But, the bolt head is too long. It will not let the cartridge clear when trying to feed. I wasn't too happy with PTG to start with, poor service and then this non factory spec part.

When the parts were purchased, there wasn't a Savage part available so went with PTG.

I just replaced my factory Savage bolt head with a new PT&G bolt head and couldn't be more pleased. PT&G has been slow on delivery for a long time but it's not their lack of customer service and such, it's that they make products that are in great demand and have a backlog that keeps them up to 12 weeks behind. About the same as my barrel maker. With both I just place the order and wait. Eventually the order shows up and the items meet or exceed my expectations.

The bolt head had a couple warnings from PT&G that it wasn't a "Drop In" part and would need some work to make it fit and function properly. In installed it, it closed on the GO gauge, didn't close on the NO-GO gauge and it was off to the range. Gone are the tool marks from the bolt face on the case heads. Also, no more false cratering from an oversized firing pin hole.

I think others have hit on the problem but it's not likely the bolt head itself is the issue.