Which bolt face do I need?

[bcsteve]

New guy here. I have a multitude of rifles at home, several customs but my first time playing with a Savage. I decided to use a Savage for this project for its modularity and being able to do most if not all the work myself at home. So here's my dilema.

I'm building a 35 Remington on a .308 Win action with a Shillen pre chambered Savage barrel. The barrel is on order so I'm planing the other details in the meanwhile. The extractor on the present head doesn't have quite enough bite on the 35 Rem cartridge for proper extraction. So these are the options I'm considering:

- Is there "longer" extractor that might make up for the smaler case head of the 35 Rem?

- Would a PPC head have enough tolerance to work with the larger case head of the 35 Rem?

For comparaison, here are the dimension of each:
SAAMI specs for the .308 Win is .473, for the 35 Rem is .460 and PPC is .447.

Real measurements from cartridges I have at home are: .308 Win is .468, 35 Rem is .453 and and 7.62x39 is .443

The 35 Rem falls right in the middle. Any suggestions.

Thanks.

[Blue Avenger]

have a .223 bolt head opened up to fit. then you know it is right.

[bcsteve]

I'm trying to avoid any gunsmithing work and I'm hoping I can fix this with "bolt on" parts. If I were to go the .223 bolt way, what happens with the extractor?

[bcsteve]

Found a guy on another site I frequent that happen to own both a new Savage Scout in 7.62x39 and a 35 Remington. He will test my theory that the PPC/7.62x39 head might be loose enough to work with the 35 Rem.

[sharpshooter]

I'd ditch the 35 Rem idea, and go with a .358 Win. Use a standard bolt face and .308 magazine.

[bcsteve]

I'd ditch the 35 Rem idea, and go with a .358 Win. Use a standard bolt face and .308 magazine.

Well, it's going to be a 35 Rem, the barrel is already on order and I'm looking for something different for a build. I don't care for the .358 Win as I already have a .35 Whelen.

The 7.62x39 bolt head is too tight from what the other guy tested.

I was playing with the rifle earlier, if I have the bolt out of the rifle and push the 35 Rem casing on the bolt face, the extractor can easily slip off the case if I wiggle the case.

But if I throw a 35 Rem cartridge in the chamber (as far as it will go since it has a .308 Win barrel on it now) and close the bolt until I hear the extractor "click" over the rim, it will extract the 35 Rem cartridge everytime.

It may not be as big of a problem as I think it is but I won't know for sure until the rifle is built and can fire it. Are there extractors with longer "claw" that would grab the rim a little more?

[bcsteve]

double post

[Opus Dei]

Are there extractors with longer "claw" that would grab the rim a little more?

IIRC, SSS makes a longer extractor for certain applications. Maybe it'll work for your purposes.

[M.O.A.]

have you thought about the 350rem mag that would just be a mag bolt head and rereaming the chamber right.

[handirifle]

Well like he said he already has the 35 Whelen so why bother? I agree. As far as the extraction goes, I say wait till you get the barrel and see. If it does give you issues, I say get the 7.62x39 head and have it opened. I know you wanted to avoid "smith" costs, but this is what often happens when you choose to build around an irregular (not normally chambered in bolt guns) cartridge.

I would also be looking at hoiw well they stack up and feed from the magazine. I too, like oddball calibers, but sometimes they cost a LOT more to build.

[bcsteve]

IIRC, SSS makes a longer extractor for certain applications. Maybe it'll work for your purposes.

Thanks. I sent them an email with what I'm trying to accomplish. Hopefuly they will have some advice for me.

have you thought about the 350rem mag that would just be a mag bolt head and rereaming the chamber right.

Like I said, I already have a custom .35 Whelen so no interest in its twin, the 350 Rem Mag. I ordered the barrel in 35 Rem so I'm not going to have re-reamed in a cartridge I could have purchased in the first place for the same price

Well like he said he already has the 35 Whelen so why bother? I agree. As far as the extraction goes, I say wait till you get the barrel and see. If it does give you issues, I say get the 7.62x39 head and have it opened. I know you wanted to avoid "smith" costs, but this is what often happens when you choose to build around an irregular (not normally chambered in bolt guns) cartridge.

I would also be looking at hoiw well they stack up and feed from the magazine. I too, like oddball calibers, but sometimes they cost a LOT more to build.

That's the plan for now, wait and see what happens and maybe get a diffrent extractor just to be safe. Worse comes to worse I'll get a PPC head opened up. The cost wouldn't be great its more the time and hassle with gunsmiths I'm trying to avoid.

Stack and feeding is great in the single stack detachable mag.

[taylorce1]

I wouldn't waste time trying different bolt heads I'd just get in touch with SSS and have them open one up. By the time your barre is made you would have the bolt head as well. That would speed things up a bit on your build.

You can always hand ream out the chamber to .358 Win if you decide you don't like the .35 Rem. If I were you I'd seriously consider getting a 6.8 SPC II barrel to accompany your new .35 Rem in the future.

[bcsteve]

I wouldn't waste time trying different bolt heads I'd just get in touch with SSS and have them open one up. By the time your barre is made you would have the bolt head as well. That would speed things up a bit on your build.

You can always hand ream out the chamber to .358 Win if you decide you don't like the .35 Rem. If I were you I'd seriously consider getting a 6.8 SPC II barrel to accompany your new .35 Rem in the future.

I have an email on the way to SSS so if opening a PPC bolt face is what they recommend I might just do that for peace of mind. The 6.8 SPC case head is much smaller than the 35 Rem and I would be running into the same issues that I am right now. You must be thinking about the .30 Rem which is the basis for the 6.8 SPS, its a different case than the 35 Rem. Otherwise it would have made a cool companion.

[cgeorgemo]

Thanks. I sent them an email with what I'm trying to accomplish. Hopefuly they will have some advice for me.

sharpshooter replied with

I'd ditch the 35 Rem idea, and go with a .358 Win. Use a standard bolt face and .308 magazine.

There you go SSS's advice.






Seriously though since you are set on it. (and I would be too if I'd already ordered a barrel)
I hope he has something that can help you.

[bcsteve]

So sharpshooter is SSS? Good to know!

[M.O.A.]

yes thats SharpShooterSupply

[cgeorgemo]

So sharpshooter is SSS? Good to know!

sharpshooter is Fred Moreo who owns SSS or I personally think sometimes it might be Lisa his wife but I have no proof of that assertion. Haven't seen her login posting in a long, long time.

[taylorce1]

I have an email on the way to SSS so if opening a PPC bolt face is what they recommend I might just do that for peace of mind. The 6.8 SPC case head is much smaller than the 35 Rem and I would be running into the same issues that I am right now. You must be thinking about the .30 Rem which is the basis for the 6.8 SPS, its a different case than the 35 Rem. Otherwise it would have made a cool companion.

I kneo the 6.8 was based off of the .30 Remington, just didn't think Remington was that stupid to build the .35 Rem on a different bolt face. Oh well I guess I'll look it up next time before I make a suggestion like that. I didn't realize that there was that much difference between the two.

[bcsteve]

Ended up getting a new bolt face opened up for the .35 Rem from SSS. Still waiting for the barrel and go/no go gauges, should be here soon.