Savage problem! Help!

P

Parke1

New member
I seem to have a problem.

I purchased a Savage 112 Varmint series .223 over my spring break, and only had the opportunity to fire 10 rounds through it before I had to leave it at home and head back to college.

When I fired the first round, I rotated the bolt handle up and pulled back...

nothing doing.

I couldn't pull that bolt back for anything. I actually had to put the stock up against my thigh and pull back as hard as I could before it popped open. I tried a second round, and it stuck again. By the time I had fired about 6 rounds and gone through this ordeal every time, it seemed like it was getting a little easier to pull back. I had to leave the range, so I just cleaned it up and took off. When no cartridges are in the gun, or if I chamber a round and then pop it out without firing, the bolt is as smooth as glass.

Is this just because it's a new rifle? This is the first brand new centerfire rifle I've bought, so I'm curious. Just please tell me that this is something easily fixed.

Thanks,
-Parke1
 
Y

_YoYo_

New member
Im no expert.. but only to things thought of off the top of my head.. first thing was maybe your front scope mount screw was in to far and you weren't actually getting the bolt handle all the way up.. but if you can cycle rounds perfectly without firing, then it kinda rules that out.. secondly, maybe your loads are bad and the brass is somehow deforming causing it to get in a bind..
like i said.. im no expert.. just a couple things i have seen happen in the past..

good luck
 
C

Commander Fan

New member
About 8 years ago, a guy brought a new rifle into the local bar(also the area FFL) that was doing the same thing. We determined it was also the scope base screws, as mentioned above. Since it works fine non-chambered, this is out. UNLESS the bolt becomes positioned differently, after the firing-pin's spring tension is released. Here the bolt might somehow contact an over-length scope-base screw. Is there any evidence of scratches near the bolt-face end of the bolt? They would be in the area of the bolt directly under the mounting screws.

Are they reloads?
I also had the same problem, but caused by reloads. In my earlier days of reloading, I lacked the case-trimming equipment. I would just keep loading the same cases over and over. When the necks became too long, the bolt would get stuck like yours. This was over 25 years ago, of course, and I have read MANY reloading manuals since then.

I would stop firing until I found the problem. If it's ammo related, you will soon be replacing a BROKEN EXTRACTOR.

Good Luck
 
P

Parke1

New member
Hmm, curious. Well it definitely couldn't be caused by a scope mount screw, because I haven't mounted a scope on it yet. The holes for the screws are empty.

The ammo was that American stuff in the red boxes. 55gr FMJ. Looking at some of the ejected cases (I kept them and happened to bring them back to the university with me), it appears that there are some markings around the cartridge near the bases, where they might have been binding after they expanded. Cheap thin brass, perhaps??? I bought some Black Hills ammo that I'm going to fire the next time I go home (a week and a half), so hopefully that will fix the problem. Any other possible culprits? I just pray that I won't have to send the rifle back to Savage. That would be a nightmare.

Thanks a lot,
-Parke1
 
B

Badger Arms

New member
A too-tight chamber or a burr on the chamber would be the first place I'd look. If it's that, it would cause a scratch or other obvious mark on the case especially if it's keeping hold of the rounds as tightly as you say. If you carefully examine the brass as it comes out of the chamber, you can pinpoint where the burrs are. Take it to a gunsmith and have him turn a finish reamer a few times in the chamber to clean it up some if this is the case. Many gunsmiths will also have borescopes to look at the inside of the chamber.
 
Y

-Yo-

New member
Savages are headspaced very tightly. In fact, most smiths actually headspace right on a fire-formed case.

This puts a lot of pressue on the shoulder of a case during chambering and extraction.

The bolt lugs are also floated so they self-align with the receiver. The floating is maintained by a spring that tensions the toggled bolt head.

Try pushing forward on the bolt handle a little bit when you're working the bolt. This helps flex the spring which helps ease pressure on the bolt lugs.

Also, grease the lugs and the front face of the bolt section that contacts the rear of the receiver.

Your bolt will grow smoother with time.

Take heart. That tightness will actually contribute to the gun's accuracy.
 
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B

Byron Adams

New member
Savage Problems

I had a similiar problem some years ago. The cause was excssive outdoor temperature(100 degrees)ads. The point being it was excessive pressure. Is the "Red Box" Fderal? I have detected some pressure signs on some Federal FMJ in moderate temperature. The Savage is a great rifle. Please post your further range results.
 
P

Parke1

New member
Yes, the Red Box ammo is the Federal American stuff.

Looking at the ejected cases, there are scratch marks all the way around, about 3/16ths of an inch apart. The scratches are about an eighth of an inch long. the scratches start about a quarter of an inch from the face of the cartridge (like standing the case up on a table and measuring up from the table), where pressure signs usually show up on fired cases.

About how much do you think it would cost to have a smith take a finish reamer to the chamber? I'm a poor college student, so every penny counts ;)

Thanks a lot for all the help!
-Parke1
 
J

James K

Member In Memoriam
Chamber polishing can be done by using a slotted dowel or even a slotted cleaning tip and some fine (600-1000) paper. Put a piece of the emery paper through the slot, then wrap it around the dowel or tip to about case diameter. Chuck the other end in a drill and run the rod into the chamber slowly while the drill is running at a slow speed. Don't overdo it; one pass in and out should be enough. Then clean the bore and chamber and fire the rifle. I suspect there might be improvement.

Jim
 
Z

Zorro

New member
Take it to a gunsmith for a checkout.

The redbox Federal stuff is mil spec and is hotter than varmit spec .223.

If the gunsmith oks the gun try a box of green box Remington regular .223 ammo.

Might be a case of a tight rifle and hot loads.
 
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