New Bolt Head?

C

Colorado Redneck

New member
I am replacing the barrel on my Savage Model 12 with a Criterion. The bolt face is concaved a bit, as you might expect on a rifle with several thousand rounds down the tube. Before the barrel went south, the gun was capable of 3/8 inch groups with it's favorite load.

Should I replace the bolt head? I have one on backorder at Midway (not the PTG unit---the plain Jane Savage unit). The new barrel is installed using the original bolt head, and is about ready to shoot. I know the new bolt head will require testing the headspace using the go/no-go gauges. Just wondering what the gunsmiths here think about this. Replace or not replace?

Thanks!
Colorado Redneck
 
B

Bart B.

New member
Never heard of a bolt face being concave. Even after 90,000 rounds (30 some odd .308 Win barrels) in the same action.

Something bad made that bolt face cave in. Extremely high pressure comes to mind.
 
C

Colorado Redneck

New member
Scorch---that is kinda what I think, since it is on order. Just wondering if this was a worthy adventure into accuracy or a waste.

Bart--no high pressure stuff from me. My rounds were pretty mild for a 22-250, as barrel life was a concern. Maybe I am imagining things, but there are some concentric rings on the bolt face.

Thanks for the comments!
 
C

Colorado Redneck

New member
Bart--no sir. Full length but bump the shoulder back, trim, chamfer and de-burr and good to go. Tried neck sizing but found the bolt difficult to close on maybe 20% of the rounds after they had been reloaded a couple of times, and then you and a couple others got me on the right track.

I went and looked at the bolt face again, and then put the tip of my pocket knife on the face and tried to "feel" any variation in the face. It turned out (IMO) that the concentric circles are residual traces of the case heads. Just guessing. Couldn't feel anything like a ridge or ridges, or any other deformation of the face. I put on my high power spectacles and really scrutinized the surface and it looks good. I may have been brain washed by some web site that advertises bolt re-work and that mentions concave bolt faces. Jumped to the conclusion that since it was fairly simple and inexpensive I should swap out the bolt head.

End of this tale--I canceled the order. Saved $25 and don't have to reset the head space. I appreciate your comment that you have never heard of this. Got me to thinking maybe it would be good to investigate more thoroughly.

Your feedback is just what I needed. Thanks again. :)
 
F

F. Guffey

New member
The bolt face is concaved a bit, as you might expect on a rifle with several thousand rounds down the tube
Click to expand...

"as you might expect" not me, I would expect it would be difficult to stand fired cases up with a radius on case heads.

F. Guffey
 
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