Stuck bolt on Savage
- Thread starter Wendyj
- Start date
Absolutely agreed, but why is the question. If the powder charges are below max something else is driving pressure up. That's what we're trying to figure out.
I'm still leaning towards bullet profile differences, that's why I suggested the smudge test.
I know this is a different caliber, but lust look at the amount of difference with just 3 bullets! They're all loaded to the same COAL, but the Ogive starts in 3 very different places.
(Image (c) Wogpotter 2009)
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condor bravo
New member
We're still trying to evaluate our diagnosing skills. I'm leaning somewhat in a different direction other than high pressure. I would be interested in knowing the following:
1) is the easy bolt lift but difficult bolt extraction happening now with almost every round or was it just with the four as initially reported?
If every round, then go to #2, but disregard if just the initial few instances.
2) if the cases have not been resized, examine them closely, checking for the possibility of dimples or other projections having been formed somewhere on the case walls. Should be easy to recognize if present.
If projections or dimples are present on the case walls, this is a highly probable indication of a pitted chamber and the cause of the bolt extraction difficulty but still easy bolt lift. Advise if there are projections on the cases and additional explanation will follow.
1) is the easy bolt lift but difficult bolt extraction happening now with almost every round or was it just with the four as initially reported?
If every round, then go to #2, but disregard if just the initial few instances.
2) if the cases have not been resized, examine them closely, checking for the possibility of dimples or other projections having been formed somewhere on the case walls. Should be easy to recognize if present.
If projections or dimples are present on the case walls, this is a highly probable indication of a pitted chamber and the cause of the bolt extraction difficulty but still easy bolt lift. Advise if there are projections on the cases and additional explanation will follow.
None had been resized. Don't see any dimples in brass. Had to get out of media to check.
Hornady lock and load measurements to ogive are as follows. First measurement was coal. This is first I've measured each bullet to the lands as I've been loading to fit the magazine. These are measurements in the Savage only. Tikka had no issues. Out of 40 rounds give or take through the Savage there was only four that bolt lifted but wouldn't pull back. Somewhere in the first box of re loads. Kept on shooting. Never happened again. Hope measurements are understandable. Ogive to lands is measurement of back of brass to the ogive using Hornady bullet comparator. First I've used this so I took 3 measurements and divided by 3 for the numbers.
178 gr Amax. Coal. 2.810
Ogive to lands. 2.249
168 gr Nosler silver tip. Coal 2.810
Ogive to lands. 2.280
150 gr Sierra Game King Spitzers. Coal 2.750
Ogive to lands. 2.285
Hornady lock and load measurements to ogive are as follows. First measurement was coal. This is first I've measured each bullet to the lands as I've been loading to fit the magazine. These are measurements in the Savage only. Tikka had no issues. Out of 40 rounds give or take through the Savage there was only four that bolt lifted but wouldn't pull back. Somewhere in the first box of re loads. Kept on shooting. Never happened again. Hope measurements are understandable. Ogive to lands is measurement of back of brass to the ogive using Hornady bullet comparator. First I've used this so I took 3 measurements and divided by 3 for the numbers.
178 gr Amax. Coal. 2.810
Ogive to lands. 2.249
168 gr Nosler silver tip. Coal 2.810
Ogive to lands. 2.280
150 gr Sierra Game King Spitzers. Coal 2.750
Ogive to lands. 2.285
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603Country
New member
Mobuck is right. Buy some factory rounds and shoot them. If all is well with them, then the basic problem would be your reloading. I suspect that the problem is user error, but we (the forum folk) can't look over your shoulder while you reload.
condor bravo
New member
This situation has happened only four times (four shots) and since we have given it our best shots and ideas with no real obvious leads developed towards a cause and solution, it may be time to dismiss it as a viable problem. Perhaps just a flukish one-time thing that was self-correcting. But should the problem happen again, always happy and willing of course to return for additional consideration or continuing to suggest new ideas. But it sounds like the situation might be resolved by a barrel replacement.
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Was using 2 scales. Only been loading about 4 months. Every charge weighed on Lee Vernier scale and verified on Franklin Arsenal digital. Unless both scales are wrong showing same charge it shouldn't be an issue. Savage is gone now. Already had the Tikka in 308. Picked up a Ruger 243 for $50.00 extra on trade. Now thatBoyd makes stocks for the American rifle I probably saved some money. And I have my trigger at 3.1 pounds myself. I know a lot of people bash the Ruger American but my last one was a great shooter. I didn't care much for the 18 inch barrel. That turned into a Tikka.