Made my own bolt mod.

[Dave Hoback]

It really was super easy! Used a 38special case, and cut it down to the base, where the brass is solid. Used my Mil with a 5/16” End Mil. Also milled a few thousandths from the case head(mainly to get rid of the head stamp from Remington). Popped out the primer, and just happened to have some 5mm Silicone Nitride, ceramic ball bearings. I milled the primer pocket with a 5mm End Mill, and installed the BB. Had to use considerable force to press it in! Not by hand! Had to use a small vice. The BB just barely protrudes. Also smoothed the point in the bolt body channel.

Nice little difference. Especially for ME, having only the one arm to use, can’t hold the rifle while ejecting the spent shell. This little mod REALLY helps in that regard. Knowing how it performs, had I been armed with that insight, I would likely have already purchased one. I opted to make it instead because well, A, I could, & B, it was FREE!

Now, the units for sale look very nice, but I haven't noticed any that use a BB in the center. Seems to me there is a healthy difference of the force applied to an almost 1/2” surface, compared to a 5mm surface. Anyone else made one?

[Robinhood]

Dave, When you added the bearing did you add a spacer between the BAS and the bolt handle or remove some length from the BAS to compensate for the added spring pressure? Sounds like the height of the lift kit is low after your machine work.

[Dave Hoback]

Dave, When you added the bearing did you add a spacer between the BAS and the bolt handle or remove some length from the BAS to compensate for the added spring pressure? Sounds like the height of the lift kit is low after your machine work.

Haven't yet. I was planning on just milling off the same amount from the BAS. But everything seemed good as it was. The only difference is the bolt handle is much easier to open after firing, and a bit more firing pin spring pressure. But that has never caused any harm to my knowledge. When building my 1911, a heavier firing pin spring was a “good” thing. Mom still debating whether to shoot it and see? Or just go ahead and mill it now, just because. What do you think?


Heck! I was thinking maybe I should make some more. Sell ‘em for $5! I would cover the BB and shipping. LOL! No, that would really anger some people I think.

[Robinhood]

Some doood named Scope Eye on here did some a while back and passed them out to all. I like selfless acts. That was cool.

I have tried a lot of things to lighten bolt lift. Sanding down the spring. Making new tighter toleranced cocking pieces(when I discovered the cocking piece pin was tilting beyond my acceptable limits.) making lift kits like yours and Nat Lambeths with a couple of my own iterations mixed in. All trying to replicate what the guy who we all know as SSS or Fred Moreo pioneered.

Dave, without the machining capability(4th axis milling) the most important part of bolt lift improvement can't be done. The part you did with the bearing is a great start. The next success I have had was machining different sized washers to get the spring force I wanted. I used that as a template for customized spacers and washers. Also to trimmed the BAS rather than use a spacer. The last thing I tried was, using a 320 belt and a piece of dowel as a regulator and some finesse, I sanded down the OD of the spring. Fred may cringe but parts are cheep and to me I enjoy experimenting as much as anything. I feel I have had some success. I only wish that someone would offer a ramp profiling service for bolt bodies.

[JeepsAndGuns]

I too made my own bolt lift kit. When I had my action timed and trued, it came back with the 38spl case. I was unhappy with how sloppy it was in the sleeve inside the bolt.
So I took some small diameter brass rod, chucked it up in my lathe, and turned the OD to match the sleeve. I then turned a section of it to match the ID of the sleeve. I left a lip just a hair thinner than the rim of a 38spl case, then using a small center drill, put a very small hole in it just small enough to a very small ball bearing I had (cant remember the size) and leaving it sticking up just enough to be the pivot point, but no so much it added extra thickness. I then parted it off and left about 1/16-1/8 extend into the sleve. In the end it was about the same thickness at the modded 38 case I removed.
In the end, do I noticed any difference? No, but I like mine better and it fits better/more securely. I had to press it into the sleeve with a good amount of force with my hands, so I know it is not going rotate inside the sleeve, so the only point of contact and rotation is the greased ball bearing. I went ahead and made another one for my other savage (also T&T'd).

[Dave Hoback]

Very cool JeepsAndGuns! I don’t have a lathe, otherwise I certainly would have done the same! Thank you for adding that!

Oh, and before anyone feels the need to point it out....THIS WAS NOT MY IDEA! I did not come up with this in way way! I believe it was Fred who started this little trick with the 38spcl./357mag. cases and ball bearings. I’m simply copying what I have seen, and relaying how I did it. I’m going to try one more, and also mill the BAS to the correct length. But I’m also going to mill a round hole in the bottom of the BAS, for the BB to ride in perfectly centered.

And lastly, I was also joking about making & selling these for $5. (Hope everyone got that!). I will say, I do light gunsmithing freely for my friends & good aquaintances. I have never charged a single cent, and do it for the love of the sport!

[J.Baker]

One thing you all need to know about how Fred's mind works - he's a master at finding the simplest, most effective, and usually the most economical way to do things. He could have machined a nice fancy piece like JeepAndGuns did, but as JAG found out it doesn't work any better than the simple solution. When a spent piece of .38 Spl brass (basically free) and a BB (literally pennies) will do the trick, why complicate it and make it much more expensive (like Nate Lambeth and others have)?

The K.I.S.S. principle still holds a lot of water.

[OLEJOE]

[QUOTE=Dave Hoback;436200]Very cool JeepsAndGuns! I don’t have a lathe, otherwise I certainly would have done the same! Thank you for adding that!

Oh, and before anyone feels the need to point it out....THIS WAS NOT MY IDEA! I did not come up with this in way way! I believe it was Fred who started this little trick with the 38spcl./357mag. cases and ball bearings. I’m simply copying what I have seen, and relaying how I did it. I’m going to try one more, and also mill the BAS to the correct length. But I’m also going to mill a round hole in the bottom of the BAS, for the BB to ride in perfectly centered. [Quote]

I think you will find that milling a hole for the BB will increase the friction on the BB by increasing the amount of surface area the BB makes contact with. Making it take more effort to open the bolt. Not as much as the stock configuration but more than the single very small contact area you have now.

[J.Baker]

Drilling the round hole in the face of the BAS would defeat the whole purpose of this mod as doing so would increase the amount of surface area in contact between the BB and BAS thus creating more drag/friction.

[Dave Hoback]

Drilling the round hole in the face of the BAS would defeat the whole purpose of this mod as doing so would increase the amount of surface area in contact between the BB and BAS thus creating more drag/friction.


Yes, had that in mind going into it. But since I had not shortened the BAS, just wanted to try. And, as we all knew going into it, it was not better. (Why is it PHYSICS, always has to be right?!) Being the case, I went ahead and milled the BAS slightly shorter, & back to flat surface for the BB to rotate on.