Can anyone provide some guidance as to how to remove the striker assembly from the bolt on the Browning x-bolt? Can't seem to find it on Google, and the manual does not mention it. Unlike most bolt guns, I can't find a place to insert a pin to hold it back when unscrewing it from the bolt. To clarify, I don't want to take the striker apart; just remove it from the bolt for ordinary cleaning and lube.
Thanks,
Jeff

Might just have to pull the striker back every time to get past the cocking notch and unscrew the shroud. Don't know if any of the standard 700 disassembly tools would work as I haven't messed with an X-Bolt yet but that method works on all of them. It's just a PITA and I have little notches pulled out of my work bench on the corners from doing just that.

Clamp the sear portion of the cocking piece in a vise, pull on the bolt body and turn. A lot like a Sako.

Well, it's fearsome complicated. You screw the bolt shroud all the way into the bolt. Usually 1/2 to 3/4 of a turn past normal. Then you grab the A Bolt / X Bolt fire array disassembly tool out of the top drawer in the brown tool box and jam it in the shroud with the flat toward the pin in the cocking piece and the wedge part forward. Then you unscrew the shroud and the handy dandy tool holds the cocking piece back. I don't have an A Bolt or X Bolt in the shop to demonstrate with right now.

To get the measurements for the tool you just screw the shroud all the way into the body and measure with a caliper. Then what with the filing. And the hack sawing. And the filing. Swearing helps. 10 minutes shot all to hell making that thingy. The wedge for the A Bolt is shorter or longer than the X Bolt but essentially the same damned thing. You make one on one end. And tother on tother end. Clear as mud in mothers milk I expect?

A Bolt X Bolt by Rod Henrickson, on Flickr

Thanks for all the tips everyone. I've owned Sakos before and this seems similar. Maybe I'll make a tool as speerchucker suggested, if I'm feeling ambitious.

Have not seen the xbolt. Does the cocking piece come back far enough to slip a penny between it and the shroud like a Remington?

quote:

Originally posted by ramrod340:
Have not seen the xbolt. Does the cocking piece come back far enough to slip a penny between it and the shroud like a Remington?

No, it's fully enclosed at the rear.

quote:

No, it's fully enclosed at the rear.

What JeffreyPhD said ramrod340. They did have the decency to make it a bit more trim and aesthetically pleasing. Still the same old aluminum trash though and it has to take the full brunt of the striker crashing home. I remember back when we were doing Browning warranty that we replaced probably 40 or 50 of the fool things in 6 years. Some broke but a lot of them would pick up a piece of grit in the threads and everything would pack in. I haven't seen an X Bolt fail yet but they haven't been out that long and I don't do warranty work anymore.

quote:

Originally posted by speerchucker30x378:
What JeffreyPhD said ramrod340. They did have the decency to make it a bit more trim and aesthetically pleasing. Still the same old aluminum trash though and it has to take the full brunt of the striker crashing home. I remember back when we were doing Browning warranty that we replaced probably 40 or 50 of the fool things in 6 years. Some broke but a lot of them would pick up a piece of grit in the threads and everything would pack in. I haven't seen an X Bolt fail yet but they haven't been out that long and I don't do warranty work anymore.

Which models had the problem, the A Bolt?

Well, here is the main problem I have with Browning warranty-that is they don't stock spare parts. I have an outstanding PO for a bolt stop on an A-Bolt III dating to Feb 2015!!! Every three months I call and they tell me they are expecting spare parts any day. I had to cannibalize a bolt stop off another rifle to keep the customer happy.

quote:

Originally posted by JeffreyPhD:

Which models had the problem, the A Bolt?

Yeah the A Bolts. I don't recall any problems with the BBR. Other than the magazine retainer clips.

.
Just to follow up. This is how that little tool is used. Lock the cocking indicator in the vise, pull it back, drop in the tool, take apart the bolt. Assemble in reverse. With the Brownings you don't need to pull back the cocking piece. Just put it in and start unscrewing it.

Yes, I know its a Vanguard and not a Browning. Same tool, same job.


Bolt dissasembly tool by Rod Henrickson, on Flickr

quote:

Originally posted by speerchucker30x378:
.
Just to follow up. This is how that little tool is used. Lock the cocking indicator in the vise, pull it back, drop in the tool, take apart the bolt. Assemble in reverse. With the Brownings you don't need to pull back the cocking piece. Just put it in and start unscrewing it.

Yes, I know its a Vanguard and not a Browning. Same tool, same job.

Thanks for the update. Would you happen to have one of these you would sell?

No, I don't have an export license so I don't do any cross border stuff. Evey time I try, CAD customs and US customs are on me like a little boy pulling the wings off of house flies. Your local gun plumber can probably make one for you in about 10 minutes with a scrap of aluminum and a file.

quote:

Originally posted by speerchucker30x378:
No, I don't have an export license so I don't do any cross border stuff. Evey time I try, CAD customs and US customs are on me like a little boy pulling the wings off of house flies. Your local gun plumber can probably make one for you in about 10 minutes with a scrap of aluminum and a file.

Understood. Thanks regardless for the tips.

Bobster,

I sent you a PM.

Well, I guess you never know who's on a forum. The bolt stop arrived today in a Browning envelope. Thanks cantshootalick! You have restored my faith.

quote:

Originally posted by Bobster:
Well, here is the main problem I have with Browning warranty-that is they don't stock spare parts. I have an outstanding PO for a bolt stop on an A-Bolt III dating to Feb 2015!!! Every three months I call and they tell me they are expecting spare parts any day. I had to cannibalize a bolt stop off another rifle to keep the customer happy.