The Accurate Reloading Forums
Steyr SBS Bolt Problems
24 June 2004, 12:38
Mike SmithSteyr SBS Bolt Problems
My friend Matt Norman and I just returned from another great trip. However we encountered problems with his Steyr bolt. Our friend Geoff Hashimoto has had a similar experience. This concerns me as I own a couple of these rifles and really like them. Hopefully somone here can shed some light on it.
Quote:
The trigger sear would no longer engage/hold the bolt-firing pin. i.e., it would not "cock". The trigger pull had been set to just under 2.5 pounds. The adjustments were locked with lock-tite and did not back out. The trigger pull has been increased to 3.5 pounds and it works again...for now.
The rifle had been fired ~80 times prior to it developing a problem. I don't know if it was wear on the sear engagement, the heat, the vibrations.... or is there a glitch in the trigger spring configuration?
Quote:
Thanks for sharing with us the Steyr bolt problem. The same thing happened
to me in the field. I did not modify or lighten the trigger. In fact, my
SBS came out of the RSI custom shop with a two stage military type trigger.
After the bolt would not cock, I naturally attempted to take it apart in the
field , which I did, but could not put it back together, due to the extreme
spring tension.
I lost confidence in the SBS and sold it cheap to an "occasional shooter".
I hope that you will share your findings on the SBS in the AR forum. We may
get some very good technical feedback as I believe it to be a design
deficiency.
Quote:
Got the Steyr fixed...I think. The problem was in the trigger and the relationship with the bolt sear for the firing pin (excuse me for my lack of technical vocabulary). A local gunsmith had adjusted the trigger for me. When I got the rifle it was set at about 4 pounds, which I found a bit stiff. He adjusted it to just under 2.5 pounds. It was a "nice" trigger. I shot it about 50 times after that, sighting it in and testing different loads (by the way Geoff, my load was 165 grain bullet with 42 grains of H4895 in Fed brass).
Then on Wednesday by the time it broke down I had shot about 30-40 rounds.
At the time I had fired four or five shots in rapid succession.
For whatever reason, the sear engagement was no longer enough. So when the action was cycled, the trigger sear did not engage/hold the bolt-firing pin sear back. i.e, it would not "cock".
Was it wear or heat or ???? No adjustments backed out, as the 'smith had put dabs of locktite on them.
My gunsmith cranked the trigger weight up to about 3.5 pounds and it seems to function fine....now.
I'm still somewhat concerned. I don't think 80-90 shots should be enough to wear the sear mating surfaces down.
Anyone else had similar experiences?
Anyone know the reason for the problem?
HunterJim, Are you still hooked up with the people at Steyr?
I would like to hear their opinion on this.
25 June 2004, 05:37
Alberta CanuckExactly "how" did the gunsmith adjust the trigger pull weight downward when he first had it?
A very little incorrect use of a stone, among other things, can destroy the safe operation of some triggers. Likewise, intentional or unintentional replacement of a pin with one of the wrong temper, any cutting of a spring, many other things can affect trigger/sear operation depending on the specific design being fiddled with.
I have had no trouble whatsoever with my Steyr SBS triggers and I've fired hundreds of rounds through my .376 and my 8x57.
I'm not suggesting your gunsmith did anything wrong, but it is worth a check. One never knows. Some "gunsmiths" have no business being in the same room with a trigger, even after they have been in business for years.
AC
25 June 2004, 06:14
Mike SmithI agree, however, Geoff didnt have any adjustments done on his from the factory. Likewise I havent had any trouble with mine. It still remains that 2 out of 3 of us have had the same problem.
25 June 2004, 07:53
HunterJimMike,
John Schaefer on the SBS trigger.
http://www.steyrscout.org/steyrtip.htm#TriggerI don't know any problems with the Steyr SBS trigger, but you can easily adjust trouble into a trigger group. My two rifles don't have the observed problems.
I will ask John to take a look at this thread.
jim
25 June 2004, 08:51
SlingsterI've not adjusted the factory trigger on my two Steyr Scouts and have had no problems. All the problems I've heard about were with triggers that were adjusted by someone other than the factory. I believe my triggers break crisply at just over 3 pounds, which is fine by me.
25 June 2004, 09:49
Mike SmithEric, Mine are factory adjusted and I have had no problems so far. Matt's were adjusted by a gunsmith. However Geoff has not had his adjusted and the exact same problem arose. The spring configuration on the steyr is such that trying to compress it in the field is difficult to say the least. I am very fond of my Steyr rifles but a malfunction like this can ruin a trip in a hurry. That is the reason to try and figure out the problem.
Jim, Thanks, I will appreciate John's input on this.
25 June 2004, 13:50
Matt NormanI'm certain the 'smith did not stone anything. He's not available for me to question the specifics about how he tuned the adjustments. He made some adjustments and put a dab of loc-tite on the adjustments to prevent anything from backing out. I fired at least 80 rounds through it before it suddenly ceased cocking. 40-50 rounds at the range no problem, then another 30-40 rounds at the bigging of this cull shoot. At the time of the failure I was engaged in rapid aimed fire, had gone through 4-5 quick shots, then it ceased to work.
Field stripping the SBS bolt in the field is not a good idea as it does not go back together very easily.
The 'smith increased the trigger adjustment so that it breaks at 3.5 pounds.
25 June 2004, 17:05
HunterJimMike,
John read the thread and made a comment.
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Sounds like "someone" mucked with the sear adjustment. This problem is typical of problems that have surfaced on Scouts worked on by (name deleted) in an attempt to get a "Cooper" trigger (26 oz.)
Elmar Bilgeri specifically says NOT to adjust the sear engagement unless there is noticeable creep after doing the weight adjustments per my instruction sheet. You can easily get 2.25 - 2.5 pounds.
John S.
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Eng. Bilgeri is the design engineer at the Steyr factory.
jim
I'm glad to see this subject posted. I wish to give a little more background on my failed SBS. I put about 250 rounds in on the range to break in the barrel and zero the scope. It was used on a cull hunt in Australia where another 900 plus rounds was fired. The rifle did not fail until I used it on a goat hunt here in Hawaii.
Naturally, I was impressed by the Steyr and decided to use it again. I fired less than a dozen rounds during the goat hunt when it failed.
Could it have something to do with wear? The bolt was properly reassembled and functioned as before. SBS owners will note that the trigger assembly utilizes roll pins rather than solid pins or screws. I believe that the Blazer 93 recall has to do with replacing a mild steel roll pin that tends to rust and cause unintentional discharge.
For myself, the problem has been solved by getting rid of a rifle that I have lost confidence in. However, Mike and Matt still have their Steyrs and hopefully, someone out there can help prevent reoccurrence of this problem in the field.
Looking forward to your input with great interest.
Geoff