mugsie, 1st thank you for your service to our Country. 2nd bed that rifle and it will shoot better. Do the 38 thing and you will be better off on bolt manipulation. I lost a shoot due to time in prone position because of heavy bolt lift. The fella that beat me was faster, he was shooting a Savage that had been T&T'd. I was more accurate, he was a little faster, and that cost me a lot.