How to reduce bolt lift?

[ShtrRdy]

I have a Rem 700 that requires a bit more force to lift the bolt than others. Are there techniques to reduce the bolt lift? Does someone make a Reduced Power Firing Pin Spring?

 

[FearNoWind]

http://www.brownells.com/rifle-part...ring-pin-spring-sku309000007-21184-46512.aspx

http://www.brownells.com/rifle-part...-duo-spring-set-sku840000023-78752-30757.aspx

http://www.brownells.com/rifle-part...-duo-spring-set-sku840000022-78752-30756.aspx

 

[MTBULLET]

I would check the bolt lugs and true/lap if necessary, and clean the interior of lug mating surfaces also.

 

[ShtrRdy]

Thanks for the info. I'll check out the lite firing pin assembly.

 

[bigngreen]

Don't reduce the spring but get a better quality so its not coiling up and dragging, remove and clean the threads both on the shroud and bolt interior, polish like a mirror the cocking ramp and the face of the cocking peice, assemble with quality grease on the threads and ramp. There is more than can be done but it takes re machining the geometry and changing pin fall among other thing which only a hand full of guys are capable of.

 

[ShtrRdy]

Don't reduce the spring but get a better quality so its not coiling up and dragging, remove and clean the threads both on the shroud and bolt interior, polish like a mirror the cocking ramp and the face of the cocking peice, assemble with quality grease on the threads and ramp. There is more than can be done but it takes re machining the geometry and changing pin fall among other thing which only a hand full of guys are capable of.

Thanks for the info! This is what I was looking for. I'll try those suggestions.

Can you explain what "pin fall" is? I haven't heard that term.

By "machining the geometry", does that pertain to the cocking ramp in the bolt body?

 

[LoneTraveler]

I 2nd bigngreen's suggestion for the first thing to try.
and MTBULLET's suggestion as the 2nd step if needed.

 

[cornchuck]

ShtrRdy,
Is this happening after the firing pin has gone off? I have a Rem 700 that has done this from day one. I can take the firing pin out of the bolt shroud and there is no resistance at all.

Jason

 

[ShtrRdy]

ShtrRdy,
Is this happening after the firing pin has gone off? I have a Rem 700 that has done this from day one. I can take the firing pin out of the bolt shroud and there is no resistance at all.

Jason

Yes, I'm basically talking about the lift of the bolt without a fired cartridge in the chamber and when the bolt has to re-cock the firing pin. It's not terrible. I've just felt others that seemed easier to move upward.

I too have tried just the bolt body in the action and it has no resistance to bolt movement. I'm thinking it's mainly the cocking piece having to cam on the cocking ramp. I tried cleaning and lubing the threads on the bolt shroud and bolt body and that made a big improvement.

 

[shortgrass]

Does the bolt have the "J" lock?

 

[ShtrRdy]

Does the bolt have the "J" lock?

No, it doesn't have a "J" lock.

 

[LoneTraveler]

I have a 700 that I bought about 1983 with the same problem. I ended up lapping on the rails, locking lugs, bolt threads, cocking incline and cocking piece. The actual lapping is not bad but, The clean up was terrible. I had to take the rifle out of the stock and take the bolt apart to clean the lapping compound out, and lube and Grease the threads. It had a jeweled bolt. not so pretty anymore. But it has worked smooth every since. I had tried everything I knew and this was the Last Option.

 

[ShtrRdy]

I have a 700 that I bought about 1983 with the same problem. I ended up lapping on the rails, locking lugs, bolt threads, cocking incline and cocking piece. The actual lapping is not bad but, The clean up was terrible. I had to take the rifle out of the stock and take the bolt apart to clean the lapping compound out, and lube and Grease the threads. It had a jeweled bolt. not so pretty anymore. But it has worked smooth every since. I had tried everything I knew and this was the Last Option.

What did you use for a lapping compound?

The few things I've done already, (that were suggested in this thread), have helped a lot. I'll probably use it this way for a while

 

[bigngreen]

Thanks for the info! This is what I was looking for. I'll try those suggestions.

Can you explain what "pin fall" is? I haven't heard that term.

By "machining the geometry", does that pertain to the cocking ramp in the bolt body?

Pin fall is how much the pin falls from sear till it stops on the stop collar, it must not bottom out on the ramp or this will cause accuracy issues. You need a min of .230 or consistent ignition which all action have at least that much and usually more but if you start making geometry changes to the cocking ramp which I would not recommend, you will change pin fall so you need to reset basically everything.