Can the bolt on a Ruger American Rifle be fluted without causing problems?

Steve...............

I've done a couple but they are a pain in the butt. The material is pretty tough so they are hard on cutters. I have always broken the flutes. I start short of the tail of the extractor so that it can guide on a clean area of the bolt. Then I pull up just short of the extractor collar cut and dive back in between the front of the collar cut and behind the lugs. You also have to skip over the anti bind lug. I also skeletonized one for a guy once where I made the cuts right through the body so that the firing pin and spring was visible. It wasn't my idea and admittedly I was sort of against it. But I'm a whore and he had money so I did what he asked. I guess it looked kinda cool. If memory serves I did them in eight, 1/8th inch flutes. Not the 12 I normally do.

Are you talking about the Mdl.77's or the American Rifle?

Steve..........

The M77. I just read to the Ruger part. LOL The American should be dead simple as its a full diameter bolt like the Icon. If memory serves the bolt handle is removable on that, which would make it a lot easier to set up in the spacer or dividing head. If its a 2 piece bolt there could be some headaches where the head joins the body as there is in the 700.

I thought so, I may put a flute in line with two of the locking lugs, there is a guide slot in line with one lug already.

Steve.........

goodness, the ruger 77 bolt is HARD

quote:

Originally posted by Steve E.:
I thought so, I may put a flute in line with two of the locking lugs, there is a guide slot in line with one lug already.

Steve.........

Just a thought Steve.

I normally do bolts in 12 spline with 1/8th sprocket cutters because the radius leaves enough support on the bottom to keep the flutes from breaking off. With a bolt that large in diameter you might be able to cut the 12 splines with a 1/8th inch key cutter or saw. That would give you a square bottom to your flutes instead of rounded. I have done a few Remington bolts that way in 8 splines and they look cool as hell. They look about 20 feet deeper than rounded bottomed splines.

I suppose it reduces more weight too, but the look is what its all about. You would have to sit down and see what the diameter will be at the bottom or turn a chunk of aluminum and do some test cuts to see if you can get away with it.