Rear Baffle impeding bolt from closing smoothly.

Hello all, I'm a new member here.

I have a Savage Model 11 .308 LeftHanded.

The gun shoots great and I love it! However I've encountered a slight problem.

The rear baffle prevents the bolt from fully entering the chamber, by about an 1/8th of an inch. This is causing the bolt closing and opening to be very harsh.

If I remove the baffle, the bolt opens and closes silky smooth.

I can't figure out for the life of me why the baffle is impeding the bolt from fully entering.

Any help is appreciated!

It sounds almost like the firing pin is not cocked. Did this first occur after you had disassembled the bolt for some reason? If so, when you put the firing pin assembly back into the bolt body you'll have to manually cock the firing pin (as in holding the bolt lugs in place and lifting the bolt handle just like after you've fired a shot) or the bolt will not close.

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Originally Posted by dserp

Hello all, I'm a new member here.

I have a Savage Model 11 .308 LeftHanded.

The gun shoots great and I love it! However I've encountered a slight problem.

The rear baffle prevents the bolt from fully entering the chamber, by about an 1/8th of an inch. This is causing the bolt closing and opening to be very harsh.

If I remove the baffle, the bolt opens and closes silky smooth.

I can't figure out for the life of me why the baffle is impeding the bolt from fully entering.

Any help is appreciated!

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Barring either the front action or read scope mount screw somehow being the issue it sounds as though it has excessive primary extraction.

Cartridge extraction is a two step process, initial freeing the cartridge from the chamber and moving the bolt rearward. If you look at the rear baffle there is a cam ( ramp). When the bolt is rotated open the bolt handle contacts it forcing the bolt rearward and basically rips the cartridge free of the chamber, the primary portion of the extraction process.

The PE timing is somewhat critical. Too little and a cartridge may not be pulled initially pulled free of the chamber. The bolt will rotate open, but it is hard or your are unable to it pull rearward. That condition is generally mis-diagnosed as bad chamber.

Too much PE means the locking lugs and PE cam are in conflict, they're fighting each other. When the bolt is rotated open the locking lugs must clear the lead in ramps at the same time or in any case before the PE cam engages. If the bolt handle contacts the PE cam before the lugs are free its trying to force the bolt rearward while the lugs are trying to keep it closed, the condition your action seems to have from what your saying.

A good number is .070". Too little is around .050", too much, about .110", it all depends on the parts involved, the baffle, bolt handle, bolt body, bolt head and the action itself. Unfortunately, to measure it accurately the barrel needs to be removed and two measurements taken from the receiver face to the bolt head with the bolt fully closed and locked and rotated open pushed fully forward. The difference between the two measurements is the amount of PE.

You can do a simple test. Loosen the bolt assembly screw, back it out a turn or two then try working the bolt. It allows the bolt handle to contact the cam later reducing the amount of PE. At some point as the BAS is backed out a half a turn at a time the bolt should open and close normally. NO....you can't leave it that way! ;D

Correcting excessive PE can be simple chore if you have the means, shim the bolt handle , mill the baffle, re-cut the lead in ramps and/or the abutments.

You didn't mention if it was a new rifle or not. If its new I'd call Savage service, explain the problem and have them correct it. Ever if its used, maybe why it may have been on the used rack, they still may fix it for free. Dunno, you would have to call to find out.

Sorry for the long winded explanation, but I wanted you to understand the reasons for, the whys, and hows.

Bill

Thanks for the explanation!

Yes I did buy the rifle used, I will call Savage and see what they say I should do.

I have never disassembled the bolt or touched the baffle prior to this.

Maybe a gunsmith can help me out if Savage can't.

If not I'm not too worried about it as the gun shoots great and I don't plan on shooting it too much. Just for making sure my Scope is sighted in and for hunting.

Thanks for the help guys.

AWESOME post Bill! I just love to read your posts like these.

Should probably be made as a Sticky, or in the FAQ section since there is such detail. Maybe a mod can copy and paste it to there....

Bill For President.....Vote for bill.....

The easiest fix for that problem is to file the ramp on the bolt handle.

Fred, that needs a little more detail. How and where and what angle, etc. should the file be applied.
Thanks
El Lobo.

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Originally Posted by ellobo

Fred, that needs a little more detail. How and where and what angle, etc. should the file be applied.
Thanks
El Lobo.

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Look at the bolt handle, you'll see an angle cut (cam) that contacts the ramp (cam) on the baffle. Just take some off following the original angle. Its almost a file and test operation, make a few passes with a file, try it, file, try and etc until the bolt closes and opens normally.

[img width=412 height=450]http://i55.tinypic.com/dcztxs.jpg[/img]

Where you need to be a bit careful, if you attack it like you gut'n a hog and take off too much then you'll have the opposite problem, not enough PE and be purchasing a new bolt handle.

Bill

Awesome! Thank you so much. I will give a try tomorrow and let ya know how it works.

I'll take it slow and steady haha! Don't want to have to order a new bolt handle.

Thanks again!

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Originally Posted by sharpshooter

The easiest fix for that problem is to file the ramp on the bolt handle.

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which is exactly what I had to do with a SSS bolt handle I installed. There was practically no ramp on it at all and I couldn't even lock the bolt. But a little work with a dremel spinning a rotary file and some final polishing and the bolt cycled smoother than it ever did.

Its workin great! Nice and smooth.

Thanks everyone.