Couldn't stand watching the South African big bore shoot video, so bought a CZ in .458 Win Mag. Once again, to smooth the action, Flitz and a good movie?

So Bill, what exactly are you doing with the Flitz while the movie is running?

Before you start lapping and removing metal, try slathering the bolt and action in Break Free oil and work the action. Do this a few times and there will be a noticeable improvement. Polish the feed ramp with 320 grit emory cloth. Back and forth, not side to side. My CZ 550 in .458 Win did not like to feed these new, flat nosed bullets until the feed ramp was shiny.

Glass bedding the action, and adding two cross bolts would be wise.

i use "mother's billet polish" from autozone or just about any auto parts store. They call it "nano" polish... basically, you can't feel the grit with your fingers, but it does a great job

Jeffe: Do you just smear it on the lugs and work the action a few hundred times? That's kind of what I had in mind. Walter: I'll start with the Break Free ...

I use a smoothing compound from Brownells, but just remember not to lock the bolt down when you do, or it can change the headspace somewhat.

In the bad old days I used Simichrome polish on my motorcycle shiny parts and it worked just as well on any kind of metal to metal surfaces you wanted to polish including rifles, pistols, shotguns...any surface that needed smoothing up.

Flitz works well and is also great for breaking in the barrel. Just use a tight patch rolled on a jag and slathered well. I do that usualy AFTER I've fired a hundred or so rounds to knock down the roughest cut barrels...not needed on hammer forged or button rifled firing alone will handle that...200 more or less strokes, checking after each 50 or so, and changing the patch every now and them.

You also WANT to polish the camming surfaces on the bolt lug surfaces and on the receiver...POLISH...not removing metal...polishing won't have any effect on the headspace except to knock off the microscopic burrs left by the machining process.

Lapping is a similar process used to REMOVE metal, but not the same as polishing, and will have an effect on headspace...but not much unless you get too ham fisted or are watching action movies or porno...

Depending on how lousy the machine/machinist was, you might change headspace by 0.001" but most likely half that amount.

Then again...just working the action without any guck will do the same thing. All you want to do is WEAR OUT...or...WEAR IN the stubborn areas.

OK, tried the Flitz that I have on hand and it helped some, but I notice when I work the bolt that if I am pulling at all toward the left with the bolt handle, the bold is very stick in the first inch of travel. i can't seem to tell exactly where the binding is occurring, but it seems it might be somewhere in the rear of the receiver. Any spots to focus on to ease binding on a Mauser-style action?

First, do not smear the stuff on the lugs and the area they snug up to. If you want to lap the lugs, get proper equipment.
Second, try to use small moovements back and forth at the binding point.

Why didn't you buy the .458 Lott? I can't find a .458 Winchester.

For a new rifle I put some Tetra gun grease on the bolt body and lugs. Work the bolt (while watching you fav hunting vid of course) and occasionally wipe the bolt clean with a paper towel. Reapply the bolt grease and repeat until you notice a smoother action. IME this works well.

John

Thanks guys.
Bent: Will try your suggestion.
Buliwyf: This .458 Had a nice piece of walnut, was the only .458 in the store, and was $759 out the door.
John: Another good idea.