smoothing up a bolt action, how ?

19 March 2003, 07:26

.358

I've got a Ruger 77 MKII short action rebarrelled to .358 but, the bolty seems to be a little rough when you cycle the action. Is their any way to smooth it out without spending a bunch of dollers ? I was thinking of putting some powdered graphite on the parts that touch or some valve grinding compound, then just work it back and forth a whole lot. Perhaps you guys have a better way and could offer some suggestions. I'm so used to shooting slicked up lever guns, working the bolt seems a little rough to me.

19 March 2003, 07:33

Bigdaddytacp

quote:
Originally posted by .358:
I've got a Ruger 77 MKII short action rebarrelled to .358 but, the bolty seems to be a little rough when you cycle the action. Is their any way to smooth it out without spending a bunch of dollers ? I was thinking of putting some powdered graphite on the parts that touch or some valve grinding compound, then just work it back and forth a whole lot. Perhaps you guys have a better way and could offer some suggestions. I'm so used to shooting slicked up lever guns, working the bolt seems a little rough to me.

Some good molly or lithium? type light/med lube and this after a good cleaning of the bolt and lugs and the inside of the action....look for high bright spots on the extractor and the retainer..lube them....then work the bolt while sitting and watching the tube or similar tasks....make sure the cocking surfaces of the bolt are clean and reclean them durring the process.....just a light coat of lube to avoid galling the recoil lugs and recesses and let the rest rub for the running the bolt process......I wouldn't dryfire it every time but hold the trigger back and cock and recock the action to get the cocking surfaces to mate better.....as long as the surfaces are clean and the high pressure areas have lube I haven't seen any problems doing this to many bolt actions....good luck and good shooting with a nice smooth bolt run.....

19 March 2003, 08:21

Bob Smalser

If there are no obvious burrs or high spots, I dismantle and degrease, replacing all the lube with Happich' Simichrome polish. Work the entire action 50 or so times, replacing the polish with a brush as it turns black and disintegrates. Then clean and lube, and you will notice the difference.

Used to make cheap Scwinn bikes run like Campagnolos using the same technique with the wheel bearings.

19 March 2003, 20:13

Alberta Canuck

One of the big differences betwen the old Mannlicher-Schoenauers and the new Steyr-Mannlichers is the finish to the work, not just the design.

The old M/S rifles were smooth as glass. You could close the bolt just by pointing the rifle down and pulling the trigger (action empty, of course).

So, anyway, when I got my 8 x 57 Steyr Mannlicher Pro in 1990, I didn't like the rough, jerky feel of the bolt in the raceways. And when you pointed the barrel down and pulled the trigger, the bolt just sat there and glared at you. Didn't move a millimeter.

Did exactly what the fellows above have told you. Cleaned it thoroughly. Sat in front of the telly, and opened and closed that sucker a counted 2,000 times with the trigger held back.

Now the Steyr-Mannlicher bolt closes just like the old M/S's did...just point the barrel down and pull the trigger...

Incidentally, makes it much easier/faster to cycle the bolt with the rifle still on aim, too.

21 March 2003, 13:43

Atkinson

No, don't put abrasives in the action and work it....I glue pieces of shape stone to pieces of welding rod and hone the whole inside of an action with the abrasive stones and mineral oil, the using the same type tool with emory paper finish out to 600 or 800 grit...clean well and oil then work the action a lot....the bolt must be hand honed and not buffed...All buffers should be destroyed along with the gunsmiths that use them.. [Wink]