Quote Originally Posted by efm77
"These new cases are harder on the bolt and receiver and some rifles have had damage done by the increased bolt thrust."

Can you document this? The WSM actions have thicker locking lugs on the bolt head for sure. I'm not sure if the lug recesses in the receiver are thicker or not but I know they are with the 338 Lapua receivers but that's a whole different animal. And you are correct about the increased bolt thrust. However, if it weren't safe, Savage would have recalled them and I haven't seen or heard of any recalls.
A recall would cost money, and when these rifles started having problems the manufactures were fixing these rifles at no charge. I'm not saying Savage hasn't upgraded their bolt lug design or other manufactures haven't fixed the problem all I'm saying is add a little oil or grease in the chamber and the bolt thrust will be doubled. In the last six months I have purchased two Stevens 200 and a Remington 700. The Remington 700 had one locking lug barely touching meaning the left lug was taking most of the load.

Below a WSM chambered rifle with a sheared right locking lug.

[img width=600 height=448]http://i122.photobucket.com/albums/o254/bigedp51/BoltFace-Closeup01-12192009.jpg[/img]

[img width=600 height=448]http://i122.photobucket.com/albums/o254/bigedp51/BoltRightLug-Closeup01-12192009.jpg[/img]

[img width=600 height=448]http://i122.photobucket.com/albums/o254/bigedp51/BoltRightLug-Closeup02-12192009.jpg[/img]

What I'm saying is simple, if you hot rod a car or hot rod a rifle the lifespan is shortened in relation to the horse power applied.

Below from the H.P. White Ballistic Testing Laboratory and the causes of gun failures

[img width=600 height=223]http://i122.photobucket.com/albums/o254/bigedp51/Overpressure-boltthrust.jpg[/img]

Oil or grease in the chamber is the same thing as firing a proof pressure test round, now stop and think about bolt thrust and its effects.