I took my Left Handed Axis in .223 Rem out to the range the other day to see if some of the changes I've made (Boyd's stock, trigger work, scope change) to the rifle improved accuracy, they did and it is shooting really well, not perfect, but really well. After about 35 rounds (ran bore brush through about every ten shots) sent downrange I suddenly noticed a change in the way the bolt felt in closing, and the empty casings were not ejecting as per normal. I took about two more shots and still the same thing, and accuracy had fell of as well. So, wondering if something had gone majorly wrong I packed up and called it quits for the day. Upon taking the rifle apart for normal cleaning I was concentrating on the "extractor claw" on the bolt face when I noticed the claw seemed to have a lot of brass built up on the underside of the claw itself.

I was cleaning the claw with an old tooth brush to little effect, but I noticed that the claw seemed somewhat twisted in the channels of the bolt face. So, turning the tooth brush around I gently pushed on the extractor claw to make sure it was moving free. One touch with the tooth brush handle and all I knew was parts were flying and I could hear little parts bouncing off the nearby walls. Near as I can figure a piece of brass must have wedged itself up under the extractor claw in the gap between it and the bolt, and nearly broke it over the detent ball and spring, because when I just barely touched it, it went past locked position and flew apart. All I was left holding was the bolt, the spring was gone, the ball was gone, and the claw was gone. Needless to say, I was not a happy person at that moment.

After a couple hours searching I was blessed with finding all the missing parts... I took a dental pick and removed the brass fouling from the underside of the extractor claw, and managed to put everything back together with good results. It seems to be working just as it should now.

My precautionary part of this tale is of course if you are having extraction problems be very prepared for the possibility of the extractor, spring, and ball to all go flying into space when you are attempting examine them. They don't seem to be very expensive parts to get from Savage, but I'm sure I would rather not have the down time waiting on getting them. Also I've learned to look for brass flakes under the extractor now that may lead to problems. Just sharing what I've had to deal with, hope it may save some of you from the same headaches that I had looking for the tiny parts in the living room carpet that day. :)