PSA: New SSS Bolt Fluting Pattern

Stopped out to Fred's last week and he showed me a new fluting pattern he will be using on all bolts from this point forward. According to Fred, while doing the last run of bolt fluting he ran into a problem with the availability of tooling to produce the "fishnet" pattern, and had to find a viable alternative. This is what he calls "dragon scales".

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y48...psac869631.jpg

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y48...ps085862e6.jpg

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y48...ps3ae87ab6.jpg

This pattern replaces the old fishnet pattern as the old-style cutters to properly cut that pattern have been discontinued by the manufacturer.

I just got a bolt from SSS on Friday, and it has this fluting. It looks good, and I'm very happy with it. Very smooth to cycle.

Thanks for the post, I wasn't sure if that was how they always were, and I just couldn't see it in pics, or if something had changed.

Looks like the other post about this fluting was removed.

I would like to know if the bottom half of the oval being wider on the right side is going to be corrected so it matched the top half or do the pics depict what you get?

That's as good as it gets. That is caused by cutter deflection and a minute amount of backlash. You have to understand that the bolt bodies are case hardened about .020" deep and it is hard as a knife blade. There is nothing can be done about it. Besides that, your'e looking too close.....the pic is about 4x actual size.

Thanks, OCD again.

Are they available in green?

Hey guys, this isn't a 20-questions for Fred post, it's a basic PSA (public service announcement) to note a change in the pattern. Your availability/options/pricing questions should be submitted to Fred via email or PM as posing them here on the forum could open Fred up to being in violation of the non-advertiser promotion/solicitation rule since he is not an advertiser.

Thanks