Lapping the lugs?

[Newtosavage]

Right now, I have two projects going - both barrel replacements on a pair of long action 110's. One is almost brand new, the other is a 60 year-old 110.

While I have the barrels off the actions, and before I install the new barrels, would there be any value in lapping the lugs?

[shaffe48]

I sent mine to be trued and timed which I do not believe involves lapping the lugs. What I read is that due to the floating bolt head, you cannot get a consistent mating surface with the lapping compound anyways. However, there is a video from vaughn precision on youtube where he laps the lugs if interested.

[Newtosavage]

I sent mine to be trued and timed which I do not believe involves lapping the lugs. What I read is that due to the floating bolt head, you cannot get a consistent mating surface with the lapping compound anyways. However, there is a video from vaughn precision on youtube where he laps the lugs if interested.
I've seen a couple of YouTube videos of guys lapping the lugs on Savage rifles, which is why I ask. I was thinking of doing it to mainly make the bolt work a little smoother. I'm not that worried about increasing accuracy in everyday hunting rifles, but of course that would be a nice bonus.

[shaffe48]

How many times have you worked your bolt? When I had my barrel off the shelves in the action were already pretty shiny and most of thencontact was already there. i had 2500 rounds at least and several times that many dry fires.

[JeepsAndGuns]

You could color the bolt and receiver mating surfaces with a sharpie and then use a little fine lapping compound to make a couple passes and see what the contact pattern looks like.
You will need to find a way to put a little pressure on the bolt face so there is a little pressure pushing the bolt lugs back against the receiver lugs, otherwise you will not be doing anything.

[Newtosavage]

There is not much contact on either rifle, based on the shiny parts (or lack thereof).

As for "back pressure" against the bolt head, I was thinking that because of the way the Savage bolt is designed, there was pressure already there - but I'll have to look at that again. I understand what you're saying.

[JeepsAndGuns]

In the past (on a completely different brand of rifle), I have taken a piece of brass and cut it in half with a small pipe cutter. I then took a section of a old recoil spring from a M1 Garand and cut it down to the length to where I could put it in the case and it would have about a 1/4 inch gap between the pieces. I could then chamber the round and use that to apply pressure to the lugs for lapping.
The barrel was getting replaced, so I did not worry about opening up the headspace.
Only down side is you need a barrel to be able to use this method. Also make sure to use a full length sized piece of brass, so the upper half of the brass does not stick in the chamber. On the one I did, a slight tap with the palm of my hand on the barrel made the upper piece fall out.

On the savages, I just send them off to SSS to be timed and trued. He trues everything up, but does not lap them. I did take all mine that were times and trued, and lapped them a little with some fine compound while applying the pressure with my finger on the bolt face. I did not do much, mainly just enough to smooth over the fine machining marks.