I have bought a Savage 111 30.06 and the bolt is hard to open sometimes after firing some factory and some reloads. I know my reloads were FL sized and then measured and trimmed if needed. The loads showed no pressure signs. I measured a couple of the brass that the bolt stuck on and they measured short of the length recommended by my load book. I tried the brass in the chamber again and it was a little sticky then. I have noticed the bolt is sometimes hard to open without a shell or being fired (empty chamber). Is there something wrong with the gun, or does it just have a real tight chamber?? Thanks for any replies.

Loosen the action screws several turns, then see if it still sticks. The stock could be poorly fit, with pressure in the mid-part of the receiver causing it to 'bow' upwards. Did you bed the rifle by any chance?

Todd

Also, make sure that the front action screw is not hitting the lug. If it is screwed in too deep (forgot a washer?), this sometimes happens. HTH, Dutch.