Savage Rifle

[Simcoe hunter]

Does anyone else find that their Savage takes considerably more energy to open the bolt than most other rifles?  Is this due to rough metal finishing or a strong spring?  It works fine, and all of the time.  It just took more lift to open than I think it should based on previous rifles I've owned.  Thoughts? 

[jackelope]

Over torqued action screws? Have you had the stock off of it?  I never noticed that in the few I've owned. Few being 3 I think so I'm far from an expert.

[Dan-o]

I've got 3 relatively new ones now.  Mine are all smooth and easy, fwiw.

[Simcoe hunter]

Jack, my son hasn't had it apart yet.  We will see if that makes things a little smoother.  Love the kids gun.  Just hate how far out of alignment you are when you are down cycling the bolt.

[jackelope]

Is it an Axis?

[coachcw]

savages can be crued but shoot well. the only rifle I know of that you can see bullets in the mag with the bolt closed.

[Jolten]

It's the firing pin spring. It'll loosen up after some cycles.

[wildweeds]

I have a Savage 110C from 1968 according to the serial # cross reference for year manufactured,it's bolt is smooth but it takes a little ooomph to get it open,has been that way the 25 years I've owned it,but seeings as it shoots a cloverleaf group with nothing more than being stock,I never had cause to have it fiddled with.

[Simcoe hunter]

It is a 116, not an Axis.  Thanks for the replies.

[yorketransport]

It has more to do with action timing than anything else. There are a couple other things in play though. The cocking ramps need to be smooth and cut at the proper angles. Everything needs to be properly greased. The face of the bolt assembly screw needs to be perfectly flat and smooth where it contacts the cocking sleeve.

The cheapest and easiest way to see an improvement is to put a longer bolt handle on there. The extra leverage will make a huge difference. Next up would be to install a bolt lift kit. That's simply a cut down 38 special case with a small bearing epoxied into the primer pocket. The case is then placed between the cocking sleeve and the shortened bolt assembly screw. The bolt assembly screw (BAS) now rides on the ball bearing instead of on the cocking sleeve, reducing the contact area and reducing friction.

If the above steps don't reduce your lift enough, you can send the action to Sharp Shooter Supply or one of the others who does timing and truing for Savage actions. Fred Moreo at Sharp Shooter Supply is the person best know for doing this type of work. I've had two actions worked over by Fred and it's the best money you can spend on a Savage action.

It's sort of a luck of the draw when buying actions though. I always try to dry fire a rifle a few times before I buy it. Some actions are smoother than others and I've bought a few brand new ones which didn't need any mods. Every once in a while you get one that needs a lot of work to smooth out. That's when it's worth sending it off to get smoothed out.

Andrew