Improving Bolt Lift

[pavogg]

Here is what I have done to improve (reduce effort) on the bolt handle lift on my Savage 10 FCP.

Disassembled the bolt and polished al contact surfaces, cocking ramp, matching ramp on the bolt handle, polished the cocking sleeve and the cocking ramp on the bolt body as well as the cocking pin.

Added a tactical bolt handle (longer lever)

Added a 5 x 12 x4 thrust bearing between the bolt assembly screw (BAS) and the cocking sleeve. These actions reduced my bolt lift to 4 lbs to rotate the bolt and 6 lbs to reach the recock point, a reduction of 4 lbs for stock.

Here are the steps in adding the bearing. The bearing is $3 from Avid RC products http://www.avidrc.com/product/1/bear...-bearings.html

Not wanting to cut down the "firing pin cocked" indicator shaft that protrudes through the back of the BAS., I decided instead to grind the id of the two bearing races to slightly larger then the cocking indicators .250 diameter. I did this by chucking the race in my lathe (a drill motor could be substituted) and grinding the id of the race while the lathe was running with a grinding tip in a Dremmel. Running the lathe or drill while grinding will maintain the eccentricity of the hole to a minimum. I then mounted the two races in a 1/4" bolt sandwiched between two nuts to take about.010" off the outer diameter. Using the Dremmel and spinning the bolt and races in the lathe or drill, you will have to grind down the corners of the two nuts a little also to get to the diameter of the races correct.

Now the bolt assembly screw (BAS) length must be cut to allow for the stack up of the bearing and races. I did this in my lathe. I suppose it could be done on a bench grinder, but squarness of the face would be an issue. In my case the stack up was .176 so I had to cut this much off my BAS on the threaded end. This compensates for the bearing and races so you are not increasing the preload of the firing pin spring.

I have photos in a step by step. Contact me by PM.

[Rosco]

Ballsy for a first post!! Glad it worked out though, and am interested at the feedback that will soon be on the way!!

[drybean]

Everything old is new again

[thomae]

If one does not wish to cut down the BAS, one can add shim washers (the same thickness as the bearing) between the BAS and the bolt body.

[scope eye]

Or even better you can drill a recess hole in the BAS, it also holds it in place and centers it.

Dean

[thomae]

Or even better you can drill a recess hole in the BAS, it also holds it in place and centers it.

Dean

Reading his post carefully, I believe OP has the newer model with the firing pin extending through the BAS, hence his use of the ball bearings in races.

[DanSavage]

Nice work pavogg, was this firing pin indicater rod a change they made on the model's with the bottom bolt release?