I recently acquired a little Sako L46, a really old one with the left hand wing safety instead of the rolling safety on the RH side of the bolt.

It is very difficult to raise the bolt, even on an empty chamber. The problem seems to be with the interaction of the firing pin camming surface and the camming surface of the bolt (the cocking of the firing pin). I polished the bolt's camming surface with a Dremel tool, but the problem only got worse!

Anyone have any experience with such a problem?

Yes.
Strip the bolt and make sure nothing is dragging inside. On Mausers sometimes the internal firing pin safety lugs drag on the bolt cut inside. Not sure about Sako.
Soft cocking pieces can make them sticky, as can dirt, rust, burrs on the threads, and stiff main springs, all can make for hard opening. Good lube is important.

I have seen the "bubbathing" of cutting off a couple coils...accuracy will go to hell in a basket

quote:

Originally posted by Duane Wiebe (CG&R):
I have seen the "bubbathing" of cutting off a couple coils...accuracy will go to hell in a basket

Interesting. Why is that?

"couple is a loose term...but the more taken off, the more ignition suffers

I'd try soaking the disassembled bolt body in Ed's Red or Kroil. Then trying a brush thru it. Repeat as necessary. I've seen dried oil and carbon crud harden to the point it causes similar issues.

I would harden and polish the cocking cam. I would also check closely to see if the cocking piece tenon was galling in the bolt body. Regards, Bill

quote:

Originally posted by Bill Leeper:
I would harden and polish the cocking cam. I would also check closely to see if the cocking piece tenon was galling in the bolt body. Regards, Bill

This^^^ Especially in light of this statement: "I polished the bolt's camming surface with a Dremel tool, but the problem only got worse!"

Remember that most cocking pieces and cocking cams have a helical cut on them. if you flatten them out when stoning or polishing, you can make them more difficult to cock.

Make sure the stripped and cleaned bolt body operates smoothly in the receiver before doing anything.

Have a good gunsmith look at it..I have and have had a number of those great little L-46s and never a problem, maybe somebody has pranked with yours..test the hardness of the cocking piece with a 3 corner file..