Hard to Lift Bolt

[tammons]

I bought a used Savage 7mm mag years ago, and had the same problem.
Super hard bolt lift.
Apparently somebody had taken apart the firing pin assembly and it was assembled improperly and or had the wrong spring or some other wrong part for the bolt body.
I worked on it a good bit and eventually got it to where the bolt would cycle better, but it was never 100% like my other Savages.

[Dave Hoback]

That just reminded me of something else. You didn’t mention what era your Savage is, newer or older, but in some older 110’s the rear Baffle used a set screw holding in the bearing ball. As shown in the picture below. (Curtesy of Desh) If that screw it too tight, it can hinder the Baffle spinning on the Bolt sleeve, which further increases Bolt Lift quite a bit. If it is too tight, loosening just slightly should help.

[centershot]

I am. Just trying to digest all of the suggestions. Thanks for the tips. I have to take my bolt apart and see what I have.
My rifle was made in 2004.

[Oklahoma Jim]

My new Model 12 bolt does not have a cocking indicator that protrudes through the BAS. Does that mean it has the older style firing pin assembly? This rifle has a DOM (date of manufacture?) of 10/16/23.

[centershot]

It you do the .38 Special and ball bearing thing, do you need to shorten something? Like the shroud or firing pin spring?

[Dave Hoback]

My new Model 12 bolt does not have a cocking indicator that protrudes through the BAS. Does that mean it has the older style firing pin assembly? This rifle has a DOM (date of manufacture?) of 10/16/23.

Correct. All the higher end rifles use the adjustable style firing pin assembly. Yours is the older style pin assembly, yes

[Oklahoma Jim]

Thanks Dave. I appreciate you for sharing your knowledge and experience!

[pdog06]

It you do the .38 Special and ball bearing thing, do you need to shorten something? Like the shroud or firing pin spring?

Do you have to? No but you’re basically not gonna gain much if at all. You change the bearing surface but add more tension.

Most will say to shorten the BAS(bolt assembly screw) by the total thickness of the bolt lift kit. I think Desh will shorten it if you send him the BAS and a measurement.

[Dave Hoback]

It you do the .38 Special and ball bearing thing, do you need to shorten something? Like the shroud or firing pin spring?

It’s just like pdog said. Either a spacer or shorten the BAS. I’ve done both. I shortened my stock BAS, but now I use the Lumley Titanium BAS and I machined my own Titanium spacer.

If you want you can send me your BAS to machine shorter. I do it for free.

[centershot]

Went to the hardware store and bought ball bearings. One "floats" in the primer packet, but still sticks out of the pocket, and the other one does not bottom out. Which one should I use?

[Dave Hoback]

What sizes are they? With a standard 38spl/357Mag case, it’s supposed to be a 5/32” steel ball used. When I first made one of these, I had some 5mm bearing balls, so I killed the primer pocket with a 5mm end mill. Then the ball needed to be pressed in the pocket. (Just used my vice & some Aluminum plates). I didn’t need to use any epoxy.