I have a L61R with a little cosmetic damage on the bolt shroud I would like cleaned up. The previous monkey obviously decocked the gun and used a pair of vise grips to recock it.


Also, the little silver pin on the side of the bolt shroud has been buggered up and I would like to clean that up as well.

So here's the question. I have no issue disassembling the firing pin assembly from the bolt body...pretty much the same as most mauser style bolts. But taking it down further? There's a flat head screw on the rear of the shroud and an allen head screw on the rear end of the bottom of the cocking piece--I'm told this is used to set firing pin depth--and shouldn't monkey with it. Its probably all under a lot of spring pressure as the finns are fond of a good strong firing pin spring for their cold ass winters.

So what say you? Don't mess with it? Send it to a pro? Or is it something a person of moderate skills can tackle? The shroud will need reblue once its been cleaned up.

Well screw it. Midwest gun works has brand new Sako replacement firing pin assemblies for $103. Fiddling with the old one just isn't worth the time and from what I've read by several respected gunsmiths--some here on this forum--Sako never intended the bolt shroud and firing pin to disassemble and it requires some drilling and fabricating a new pin for the old one which is apparently peened on the inside of the shroud at the factory. So I'm not going to mess with it.

quote:

Originally posted by KY Nimrod:
from what I've read by several respected gunsmiths--some here on this forum--Sako never intended the bolt shroud and firing pin to disassemble and it requires some drilling and fabricating a new pin for the old one which is apparently peened on the inside of the shroud at the factory. So I'm not going to mess with it.

I've heard this, too. A lot of people (apparently) have taken this part apart incorrectly and had the bolt guide shear off and lock up the rifle when fired the next time. There's a gunsmith near Pittsburgh, Accuflite Arms, that offers a drill and pin service for just this kind of thing.

i got the Sako OEM replacement firing pin assembly in the mail today. Quick visual showed it to be very close to the original from the tip of the firing pin to the front of the bolt shroud. Replaced the old one with the new one in the bolt. Put 5 rounds in it and out to the back porch and it worked perfectly The new one isn't adjustable for firing pin length like the original. So it was either gonna work or not. But 5 blams later I'm getting solid primer strikes. $103 for the part. I guess I coulda sent it off and got it fixed. But after postage both ways and gun plumber fee I dooubt I would have gotten off with a C note and a few bucks...