Seeing that CZ have brought out a Gibbs on their action it made me wonder how durable or breakable the bolt head would be opened out to meet the gibbs case. It looks like a mighty small amount of metal left. Do you reckon in the real world of hunting their are going to be reliability issues with the bolt surround breaking?

Haven't had the opportunity to see the device. Given that the material is likely some Czech variant of HR HT in the 4100 or 4300 family - it's likely not overly stout.

If there's a need, a new bolt head or entire assembly could be forged, heat treated/aged, and machined from C350. (This is how we make highly stressed components)

We could make a few for you - just send us the parts! Oh!....it will cost about as much as an H&H Royal Double too.

Its adequate for normal service but vulnerable to being dropped on a hard surface. I'm very careful when removing the bolt from mine.

The bolt head and face on the CZ 500 M is the hardest I've ever come across. Probably made from old Soviet tanks. The only time they are succeptable to damage is when they are out of the rifle.

Could be. I'm in that neck of the woods every fall and there is a lot of obsolete hardware rusting away in the villages. Was at one outdoor museum last fall - the guy just collected the stuff wherever he saw it and shipped back to his place by truck. Could have out-gunned most small countries with what he had.

Here is what the CZ .505 Gibbs boltface looks like, before a badly needed polishing of the extractor edge:

Not much metal there. What happened to the extractor? Using it as a nail puller?

quote:

Originally posted by Macifej:
... What happened to the extractor ...

A CZ Safari Classic finish happened there.

Looks Like Bubba Neanderpithecus made that with two rocks! Ouch! I'm guessing it works ok though. I can't imagine a proper Czech making such a thing.

quote:

Originally posted by Macifej:
I can't imagine a proper Czech making such a thing.

Dorothy and Toto in Kansas did that one, using parts shipped from Czechoslovakia and a Dremel Tool.

Should have gone to see the Wizard!

This issue has been covered many times before. Much ado about nothing. The .030 rim thickness is not a problem and never has been. The CZ.505 Gibbs has other problems.-Rob

So .700 bolt is sweet just don't drop it on a hard surface...or save some money and buy a .750 bolt action.

Never taken one apart. Is the bolt body a relatively simple cylinder or tube shape? If so it would be fairly easy to make something super tough at a reasonable cost - then you wouldn't have to worry about dinging it. I would be more concerned about the "other" problems that Rob mentioned.