HELP! The bolt on my .308 is malfunctioning

R

randomvalleyguy

New member
I bought a Stevens 200, took it to the range today for the second time, fired 27 shots in about an hour and a half. The last shot, I pulled the bolt back, inserted a round, pushed the bolt foreward, pushed down on the bolt handle to lock the round in the chamber, and it wouldn't close. I extracted the round, worked the bolt back and forth opened and closed it, seemed to work fine. So I loaded it, the bolt closed when I pushed the handle down, and fired. Worked like a charm. Loaded another shot, same thing happened, bolt wouldn't close to lock the round in, only this time I couldn't fix it, so I packed up the gun and left. When I got home I stripped the rifle, cleaned the barrel, action, and bolt, placed a training round in the rifle, tried to load it, and the same thing happened, the bolt wouldn't close. Anyone know what may be wrong with my rifle?
 
Does the bolt close when there's NO round in the chamber? If so, something is preventing your rounds from completely chambering, anything from mechanical obstruction to overlong reloads.
 
Are you shooting new ammo or reloads?

If you are shooting reloads, your brass may not be sized properly.

If your bolt closes easily with no round in the chamber and will not close with a factory round in the chamber, then you do have a problem.

A little more info should help diagnose the underlying issue.

Geetarman:D
 
geetarman, you have it right. Factory Federal ammo, open and closes just fine with no round in the chamber. When I throw in a round, bolt doesn't close... It feels like there's something blocking it from shutting. It won't budge after I lower the handle about a quarter inch, maybe just a smidge more than that...
 
You fired 27 rounds w/o problem before this? The action fed and extracted those satisfactorily. Do, when you are trying to cycle a round now, does it extract ok after the failure to chamber. I'm thinking you could have an extractor that failed after 27 rounds. I can't think of any organic problem with the rifle that may cause this. Chambers just don't change dimensions w/o something real bad happening. My guess would be something has malfunctioned in the bolt. Did you examine the last case fired? I would say contact Savage/Stevens. Good luck, this is puzzling.

I guess that if the barrel nut wasn't secured right, that it could effect headspace. I have no real experience with Savage Stevens, except firing an associates Savage, at the range. I have read a lot about them and talked about them with the hands in the local gunshops. Again contact Savage Stevens.
 
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I have a warranty, but this gun is NEW! And if I send it in, may not get it back by the start of hunting season. I've treated it better than my old lady, never roughed it up or dropped it or anything. I cleaned it before firing it the first time, did a proper brake-in, cleaned after every shot the first ten shots, then cleaned it after every fith shot for twenty rounds... I didn't fiddle with the bolt by polishing it or jeweling it or anything like that. Used shooters choice bore cleaner, hoppes, and rem-oil to clean and protect my gun. It has no reason to be acting up!
 
The extractor still works. 27 rounds shot flawlessly, made some beautiful groups at 100 yards, right when I stopped regretting my purchase and thought that this gun was kicking ass, the bolt won't shut. But it will still extract whatever I put in there. I know these arn't the best rifles, but I've hardly put 50 rounds through it, I thought it would have lasted longer than that! Should have gone with the darn remington!
 
Remove the bolt from the action and depress the spring loaded ejector into the bolt face. It could be jammed with brass shavings.

Another possible issue is the forward action screw. If it is too long, it will bind the lower bolt lug and prevent the bolt from closing.
 
The springloaded ejector isn't jammed, I'm going to loosen the front action screw and see if that helps. If it is the screw, what do I do? Grind it down to make it shorter?
 
Bolt

Check the extractor not ejector. Sounds like it's stuck forward or it's stuck to the most outward stop it can get to. I've had that happen a few times. I have a herd of Savages and Stevens wouldn't own a Remington I spend more time working on them then I do any other.
 
The extractor IS messed up some how. It looks like it's laying down flush with the bolt head (I think that's what it is) I moved the extractor, but a little steel ball came out along with a spring, I replaced the spring ball and extractor, and I'm back to square one... I'm not sure what I need to do to get the extractor working. The position of it just doesn't look right.
 
The extractor, ball detent and spring are working as intended. The extractor slides back and forth in a keyway on the front of the bolt lug and is centered by the spring-loaded ball detent.

If the forward action screw is too long, you'll be able to see it with a flashlight when you look down into the receiver's bolt recess. Shorten it with a few strokes of a file.

Another possibility is a too long scope mount screw blocking the movement of the upper bolt lug.
 
After taking a close look, I think it may have something to do with the rear baffle assembly on the bolt. I don't think it's the screws because it's the same setup I used last time I fired it and it worked without a hitch. I looked into the bolt recess and didn't see anything sticking out. I noticed the rear baffle on the bolt is wedging against the reciever when I try to push the bolt handle down. Seems to be stopping it from chambering.
 
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Sounds like the best option is to send the rifle back in for warranty repair ASAP before hunting season begins.



Check the extractor not ejector. Sounds like it's stuck forward or it's stuck to the most outward stop it can get to. I've had that happen a few times. I have a herd of Savages and Stevens wouldn't own a Remington I spend more time working on them then I do any other.
Yesterday 09:07 PM/QUOTE]

I guess I have been very fortunate in the 40 plus years of shooting Remington 700's?? Never have had to work on a Rem 700 not even a wardrobe malfunction LOL
Click to expand...
 
I guess I have been very fortunate in the 40 plus years of shooting Remington 700's?? Never have had to work on a Rem 700 not even a wardrobe malfunction LOL
Click to expand...

I hear that. Mine have been trouble free also.

Geetarman:D
 
I hear that oneoldsap, but I got the stevens 200 so I can build it up and turn it into something awesome. I kinda knew that it was cheap and wanted to get a 700 SPS, but since I'm gonna rebuild most of the rifle I'm not too worried. Gonna replace the stock, barrel, recoil lug, bolt handle, maybe the trigger but I got the pull down to about 2 1/2 lbs and am rather comfortable with it. I stripped the bolt down last night, and threw it back together, and I guess I fixed something in the process because it works now. The thought of taking apart the bolt scared me, but it was rather simple really. After all the responses and advice/tips I figured it had to be the bolt.
 
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