Ejector and Plunger

[Pcc1421]

I have watched COUNTLESS videos of how to remove the plunger in a Savage 11 so that I can properly headspace my rifle. All videos have stated that a 1/16th punch is needed but a 1/16th punch WILL NOT go in the pinhole. I have tried a 1/32 punch but the pin WILL NOT BUDGE. the extractor was a breeze to remove but the tiny little pinhole is giving me problems.

I put pressure on the plunger and try to drive out the pin and I've hit it HARD, but it will not budge. I rented the headpace gauges so the clock is ticking. What the hell am I doing wrong?!

[Robinhood]

Put the bolt head in the vice with this side facing away from you
https://external-content.duckduckgo.com/iu/?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.brownells.com%2Fuserdocs%2Fpr oducts%2Fp_855000291_4.jpg&f=1&nofb=1You will push the pin out this side and drive it back in from here.

[Dave Hoback]

Hard to say without seeing it:confusion: There’s no trick to it...bout as straight forward as can be. The retaining pin is splined to bite into the hole, but it should press out fairly easy. It only goes in & comes out ONE WAY. The pin has a head & splines on one end to keep it from going all the way through. Are you pushing in on the ejector to take the forward momentum off the pin? I always do in habit, as to keep the ejector & spring from shooting out. But I’ve never noticed if the forward weight of the ejector “holds” more tightly to the retention pin.

[sharpshooter]

You don't need to remove the ejector to headspace a barrel.

[GaCop]

You don't need to remove the ejector to headspace a barrel.:thumb::tea:

[Pcc1421]

But the plunger needs to be removed correct? That was a snap. The ball and spring popped out easily but the plunger pin WILL NOT BUDGE. I feel like I need a 1/32 punch even though everyone says a 1/16th will do it. I CAN NOT get a 1/16th punch in the hole.

[Dave Hoback]

I always remove the ejector(you you are referring to as the plunger), when headspacing. You don’t need to remove EXACTROR, and I never do. Guess you don’t “need” to remove the ejector either, but it’s how I learned.

[Texas10]

To remove the ejector, you'll need to compress it while driving out the retaining pin. To do this, snap an empty case under the EXTRACTOR and hold the case straight and in place on the bolt head with a finger. Then drive out the ejector retaining pin applying force from the side opposite from the milled flat. Doing otherwise will bend the pin and make it very hard to remove, which may be what has happened in your case.

[Robinhood]

Nice little trick there TEX.

[000Robert]

But the plunger needs to be removed correct? That was a snap. The ball and spring popped out easily but the plunger pin WILL NOT BUDGE. I feel like I need a 1/32 punch even though everyone says a 1/16th will do it. I CAN NOT get a 1/16th punch in the hole.

I use Starrett punches and the 1/16" worked fine for me. Maybe you have a burr on the edge of your 1/16" punch?

[mnbogboy2]

69997000
As Texas10 said the retaining pin removes easy if you compress the ejector pin first. I use common nuts on all three sizes of bolt heads. Knock the corners off the nuts until they fit easily up to the bolt face. Squeeze the ejector an spring in a vise. Drive the pin out from the side opposite of the spotface.
My punch is turned down to .059/.060.

Shown in pictures: 10-24 nut for small rifle bolthead, 1/4-20 nut for std "308" head, & 5/16-18 nut for magnum head.

Learned this lesson long ago and ended up drilling out a retaining pin.
For what it's worth I use the same method on assembled bolts including Remington. I have the correct size "flat head" screw screwed in the side of my work bench. I use my stomach to compress the ejector, leaving both hands free for the punch & hammer.

[000Robert]

69997000
As Texas10 said the retaining pin removes easy if you compress the ejector pin first. I use common nuts on all three sizes of bolt heads. Knock the corners off the nuts until they fit easily up to the bolt face. Squeeze the ejector an spring in a vise. Drive the pin out from the side opposite of the spotface.
My punch is turned down to .059/.060.

Shown in pictures: 10-24 nut for small rifle bolthead, 1/4-20 nut for std "308" head, & 5/16-18 nut for magnum head.

Learned this lesson long ago and ended up drilling out a retaining pin.
For what it's worth I use the same method on assembled bolts including Remington. I have the correct size "flat head" screw screwed in the side of my work bench. I use my stomach to compress the ejector, leaving both hands free for the punch & hammer.

My Starrett 1/16" punch measures 0.0595.

[tobnpr]

I believe in removing any components that affect "feel"/pressure closing the bolt.
This includes the spring-loaded ejector.

[Txhillbilly]

I have never removed the ejector in order to head space a barrel on any bolt action rifle,Factory or Custom action. There's no need in doing it,once the Go/No Go gauge is in the chamber and the barrel is screwed down,you can feel when the head space gauge bottoms out against the bolt head.

[Pcc1421]

So I ended up breaking the retaining pin and that was while compressing the plunger. I tried 2 separate brands of 1/16 punches. Both would not go in the hole. I turned the punches down slightly but i ended up breaking one off in the bolt head. I finally got it removed. I have a feeling that this is not normal. I have never had any AR Roll pins ever give me this much trouble.So now I'm waiting for a new retainer to arrive.

[mnbogboy2]

Definitely yours wasn't normal. We're you able to salvage the ejector & it's spring? The key was to have it compressed before your first try. When reassembling have the ejector compressed slightly and use a flashlight to make sure you can see "daylight" through the whole before driving the pin in. Do not clamp the ejector tight to allow it to rotate a little while the pin is going by the "slotted" area.
Good luck.

[Pcc1421]

Yeah I was able to salvage the rest of the parts. The barrel nut installation was smooth with no issues.

[tobnpr]

I have never removed the ejector in order to head space a barrel on any bolt action rifle,Factory or Custom action. There's no need in doing it,once the Go/No Go gauge is in the chamber and the barrel is screwed down,you can feel when the head space gauge bottoms out against the bolt head.

If you think difference in resistance/pressure can't affect a measurement by at least a thou or two-even steel on steel- you're mistaken.

[Robinhood]

What measurement is being effected? It is a go no go.

[tobnpr]

Headspace.

I set headspace so that I feel very slight resistance on bolt close. Handle will not drop by gravity- but with very light pressure.

Can't feel that with resistance from an ejector. Makes no difference to me whether it's a Savage where the barrel's being screwed in, or an M700 based on chamber depth.
I remove ejectors from every bolt, every time, all the time. I want to know when there is contact, not whether I can force the bolt closed; there is a difference.

Someone else feels that's unnecessary, go for it.