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Savage Bolt Head Damaged on my brand new rifle...take a look

demolitionman

demolitionman

Send’r Bud
Full Member
Minuteman
Feb 26, 2013
1,366
645
Midwest
I just picked up my Savage LRP tonight. One of the first things I did was inspect the bolt when I got it home. To my dismay, the BOLT FACE looks slightly worn, and has what I would consider a minor dent and scratch on its face and edge. The bolt is an extremely important factor in accuracy, and it needs to have even pressure when it locks in on the reciever right? The recess in the bolt face where it meats the cartridge head looks ok. Anyhow, I'll let the pictures do the talking, and you guys tell me if I should have it machined, sent back to savage, or buy an aftermarket click Precision machined boltface from Pacific Tool and Gauge Thanks!

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I'm researching different rifles and considering ordering a Savage LRP right now. How long of a wait did you have for your rifle?

I would definitely contact Savage with these pictures. Other people are lurking forums like me trying to decide what rifle to buy and I'm sure they will want to make everything right so word doesn't spread.
 
I am by no means an expert but to the best of my knowledge the part of your bolt that is damaged does not contact anything when closed and would therefore have no affect on accuracy. The back of your bolt head is what comes in contact with your receiver and therefore needs to be a machined flat surface and as you said the case head sets down in recess of bolt head so no prob there. Although I would have savage send me a new one anyway. Someone can correct me if I,m missing something.
 
On a Savage that damaged area makes no contact with any surface. It shouldn't matter. Document it and take it shooting and see if the accuracy is less than normal just to be sure.
 
Heronion said:
On a Savage that damaged area makes no contact with any surface. It shouldn't matter. Document it and take it shooting and see if the accuracy is less than normal just to be sure.
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I've never shot this rifle. It is new. Right out of the box. These Locking lugs press into the reciever right? If so, even though the bolt head floats, I'm thinking it would cause some sort of minor concentricity issue, which is more than I'm willing to be ok with. Why would I wanna go through the effort of trimming, measuring, gauging and weighing handloads to keep them all lined up with the barrel, if when I lock the bolt down, it's become uneven because of the raised surface. Maybe your right, maybe it doesn't contact anything, but I find it hard to believe aftermarket boltfaces are so popular with precision shooters because they are extremely well machined compared to stock Savage bolt heads. Errr, I thank you, I'm just a little annoyed right now.
 
the best way to explain is this THE BACK of the LUG is what needs to be precision machined as that is what contacts the FRONT of the action lugs. the damage is to the Front of the bolt lug. IF you send it back they will prob. want the whole gun not just the bolt. So it SHOULDNT have an effect. HOWEVER it shouldnt have left Savage QC like that. the only thing it might do is rake against the inside of the action and cause a choppy bolt throw. Check that
 
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The part that you need to worry about is the other side of that bolt head being flat. If you wanting the most out of it a machined bolt head , recoil lug and barrel nut would help though. Savage stamps there recoil lugs so there not always perfectly flat.
 
Looks like it fell off a bench and smacked the floor. I would send it back to Savage. My Uncle had an issue with a Savage 308 barrel and turn around time was a month for a barrel replacement at no charge. They will take care of you.
 
Hummerdawg said:
$25 from Midway order one if it bothers you, life's to short to obsess over a $25 part.
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I just need to call Savage tommorow. I dunno if the replacement bolt head is gonna change the headspace or not. This gun is a Creedmoor, I dunno if the .308 bolt head would change the headspace or not. I don't have go/no go gauges. I was really wanting to shoot this weekend.
 
demolitionman said:
I just need to call Savage tommorow. I dunno if the replacement bolt head is gonna change the headspace or not. This gun is a Creedmoor, I dunno if the .308 bolt head would change the headspace or not. I don't have go/no go gauges. I was really wanting to shoot this weekend.
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Replacement bolt head will change headspace. .308 and 6.5 Creedmoor use the same bolt head, but machining tolerances dictate that you should check headspace after changing the bolt.

If you want to shoot it this weekend, then shoot it. Like everyone here is saying, the damaged area doesn't contact anything, so won't affect anything. Here's a pic of the bolt while locked. As you can see, there's a good quarter inch between the damaged area and the nearest potential contact point. The barrel will sit about .020" clear of the front of the bolt face. As long as the damage didn't cause a burr .020" proud of the surface, you won't be getting any contact here, either. If it is contacting, you would be able to feel it as you rotated the bolt into the locked position.

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Temp9 said:
The barrel will sit about .020" clear of the front of the bolt face. As long as the damage didn't cause a burr .020" proud of the surface, you won't be getting any contact here, either. If it is contacting, you would be able to feel it as you rotated the bolt into the locked position.

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My concern was in fact, that the convex imperfections were going to marr the back of the barrel face around the throat area. I realize it wan't make contact to the outside areas of the action now, thanks to your picture, but am wondering if its going to mark up the back of the barrel area around the throat. Anyhow, I'm cycling through it now to look things over.

THANKS TEMP9! Great picture bro.
 
lonely_wolf said:
You should have bought a Remington :D
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Hehehehe, my friend and I both bought rifles at the same time. He got a Remy 700 VTR, and I got Savage 12 LRP. Trust me, we will be doing a side by side review, and I'm hoping his Remy doesn't show up my Savage too bad !
 
I can see one additional area of concern. There seems to be a burr extending sideways from the bolt from the damage. I can't tell if it's actually protruding from the pictures. If it is protruding, it may be enough to drag on the cartridges in the magazine when you cycle the bolt. Just something else to check for. If there is an issue, it would be a simple matter to knock off the burr with fine grit sandpaper.

Best of luck.
 
I sold my LRP because it was too heavy to hunt with. It was however the most accurate rifle I ever shot. Mine was in .260. I would call Savage CS and they may send you a new one.
 
I wouldn't worry about it. As stated that dinged up are won't touch anything or affect accuracy. If you call savage they'll make it right just to keep up with their level of quality and desire to please the customer, but you'll be without a rifle for a month...not worth it

Sent from my DROID BIONIC using Tapatalk 2
 
demolitionman said:
...but am wondering if its going to mark up the back of the barrel area around the throat. Anyhow, I'm cycling through it now to look things over.
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Not sure what you're talking about here... the 'throat' is clear the heck up inside the chamber where the bullet transitions from the case to the rifling. How do you imagine a mark on the front of the bolt head is going to have anything to do with that?
 
milanuk said:
Not sure what you're talking about here... the 'throat' is clear the heck up inside the chamber where the bullet transitions from the case to the rifling. How do you imagine a mark on the front of the bolt head is going to have anything to do with that?
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Milanuk, I ment to be talking of the flat rearmost barrel area around the chamber. . . This:http://www.switchbarrel.com/SAV_SALE_files/r28b.JPG
 
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The time it takes to create a thread and post a pic you could have simply fixed the problem yourself. If you don't feel comfortable doing that, I'll fix it for 45 bucks plus shipping.
 
Savage will take care of you. Call them. This post has already turned into a Ford/Chevy debate
 
seanh said:
The time it takes to create a thread and post a pic you could have simply fixed the problem yourself. If you don't feel comfortable doing that, I'll fix it for 45 bucks plus shipping.
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I agree! Calling savage now! I realize this is very minor, but fortunately I have time to spend on the forum between loading out dump trucks so i post a lot on the hide when I'm waiting :)
 
demolitionman said:
I agree! Calling savage now! I realize this is very minor, but fortunately I have time to spend on the forum between loading out dump trucks so i post a lot on the hide when I'm waiting :)
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Well, depends on your school of thought and which side you prescribe to.

You bought a BNIB product and you deserve it to be BNIB.

On the other hand, that's the one part that over /1/2 of savage owners replace with aftermarket...

IMO, you'd be better off ordering a new bolt body + head from PTG straight up. That way for about $100 you now have a fluted bolt (It's shiny) and a precisely manufactured bolt-head.

Will Savage make it right? Absolutely but, that really depends on how long you're willing to wait. My money is on the PTG aftermarket parts arriving before Savage's do.
 
demolitionman said:
I agree! Calling savage now! I realize this is very minor, but fortunately I have time to spend on the forum between loading out dump trucks so i post a lot on the hide when I'm waiting :)
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2 to 3 week turnaround. They need the whole gun. They will not sell me the bolt head unless i am a known gunsmith lol. I'm going to buy a .308 sa Bolt head off midway and some go jo go gaueges and do it myself.
 
Masked said:
Well, depends on your school of thought and which side you prescribe to.

You bought a BNIB product and you deserve it to be BNIB.

On the other hand, that's the one part that over /1/2 of savage owners replace with aftermarket...

IMO, you'd be better off ordering a new bolt body + head from PTG straight up. That way for about $100 you now have a fluted bolt (It's shiny) and a precisely manufactured bolt-head.

Will Savage make it right? Absolutely but, that really depends on how long you're willing to wait. My money is on the PTG aftermarket parts arriving before Savage's do.
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Ah HA! I like the way you think about the PTG bolt upgrade. Their parts look back ordered for months though!
 
Masked said:
Sir, this is why we order from the source: http://www.pacifictoolandgauge.com/newproducts.htm and not Brownells/Midway.

Last I checked, Brownells did have the bolt bodies in stock, though.

Just make sure you get the right one because returns atm are a bitch.
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Masked, I'm gonna figure out what ptg all parts I need and figure if i wanna go that route. For now, I'm gonna get go no go gauges and a .308 savage boltface and learn what I need to do to spin the tube to proper headspace it.
 
demolitionman said:
Masked, I'm gonna figure out what ptg all parts I need and figure if i wanna go that route. For now, I'm gonna get go no go gauges and a .308 savage boltface and learn what I need to do to spin the tube to proper headspace it.
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I went through this same process about a month ago -- Just finished my Savage build w/XLR chassis.

I had some issues with the tolerances on my bolt body so, I did the whole switch at once. PTG face and PTG body. I did the fluted.

The bolt movement is now MUCH SMOOTHER and accuracy at least, IMO, has gone up.

I would've done the go/no-go gauges myself but, I intend on, for the time being at least, keeping this as my .308.

It is, however, very nice to know that we can easily swap to a 6.8 with a new bolt face and a quick barrel swap.

*Forgot to mention -- I also ended up with a new recoil lug because the stock version from savage was a piece of crap. They basically ground down the lug until the flutes were straight on and headspacing was "okay". ~ My smith installed a new lug, headspaced my rifle properly and now the flutes are off-center a bit but, it's a tac driver so, I really don't care.
 
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That bolt got dropped.

It isn't going to hurt a damn thing, but I can absolutely understand dismay when you buy something *new* and it arrives with a big ding or scratch on it.

I'd recommend you either send it to Savage, or fluff/buff the bolt head on a 3M wheel on a benchgrinder. A replacement bolthead is going to require action wrench, barrel nut wrench, headspace gages, and you'll be dissecting your new rifle before you even get to play with it.
 
Exactly. Polish it up a bit and shoot the hell out of it. Won't change a thing.

If it makes you feel any better, I dropped my EDM Windrunner bolt a few years back and had a similar mark on it. When I got finished with the 600 grit lapping compound it was barely noticeable and didn't change POI one bit simply because as everyone has stated, that area doesn't contact anything anyhow.

turbo54 said:
That bolt got dropped.

It isn't going to hurt a damn thing, but I can absolutely understand dismay when you buy something *new* and it arrives with a big ding or scratch on it.

I'd recommend you either send it to Savage, or fluff/buff the bolt head on a 3M wheel on a benchgrinder. A replacement bolthead is going to require action wrench, barrel nut wrench, headspace gages, and you'll be dissecting your new rifle before you even get to play with it.
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It may not be a bearing surface, but it definitely looks like if someone dropped it. May not be a functional issue, but sucks on a new purchase...
 
PBinWA said:
I'm no expert but that bolt doesn't look factory "new". :confused:
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It's factory new. On Savages, the bolt head has the last 4 digits of the firearms serial# stamped on the bolt head. It's for the same as my rifle. The rifle looks immaculate, and damn sexy too.
 
Really depends on you. Being brand new and unfired I'd be bummbed that it was not immaculate inside and out. On the other hand, as everyone has said, it will affect nothing. The front face of the bolt will have .005-.025" clearance between it and the face of the barrel (no contact). If you are casually shooting, I would probably touch up that burr with some sand paper and shoot it. If you are looking for the utmost in accuracy, then I would HIGHLY recommend PTG bolt head and body and recoil lug. Then you know you are dealing with TRUE components. On Savages, if you are removing the barrel, you only need the GO guage as well. Just screw the barrel down until your GO guage makes contact and tighten the barrel nut. That said, you will need an action wrench, barrel vise and wrench for the barrel nut to take those apart/reinstall.
 
It won't functionally affect a thing with the way the rifle performs.

That being said it obviously bothers you which will always be in he back of your mind and you will never shoot the rifle to its full potential.
 
AIAW said:
Exactly. Polish it up a bit and shoot the hell out of it. Won't change a thing.

If it makes you feel any better, I dropped my EDM Windrunner bolt a few years back and had a similar mark on it. When I got finished with the 600 grit lapping compound it was barely noticeable and didn't change POI one bit simply because as everyone has stated, that area doesn't contact anything anyhow.
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Oh man, bummer about your bolt! I was worried that this was going to affect accuracy in some way, but so long as the headspace between the bolt and the barrel is enough that they don't contact then I have no issues whatsoever. You all on the hide here are valuable resources of information. Tonight I'm going to go over the bolt, and polish it up. I was just pissed thinking it mated to the barrel flush and not seat evenly causing my bullet to sit at a slight angle in the throat.....which makes me spending all those hours of hand loading to less than .003 runout a big waste of time.
 
i just ordered the same savage lrp 6.5 creedmoor just interested what hs precision stock was on the gun i have heard that it is the newer hs precision stock.
 
I just ordered one too, Chad said the last one had the new stock on it. I'm hoping..
 
seanh said:
The time it takes to create a thread and post a pic you could have simply fixed the problem yourself. If you don't feel comfortable doing that, I'll fix it for 45 bucks plus shipping.
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Wow, what a deal! You're all heart.
 
Well, I knocked the massive burr off the edge, which was in fact contacting the feed ramp just enough to slightly dimple the very center top (ahhhhh!) Then hit it with a light polishing compound at a real slow speed on a dremel. It's a million times better than before. It makes me feel a little better. It cycles better in the action. Thought I would post the after pic for shits and giggles. Thanks for all the heads up guys!
<a href="http://s6.photobucket.com/user/rngrchad/media/image-6.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y201/rngrchad/image-6.jpg" border="0" alt=" photo image-6.jpg"/></a>

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turbo54 said:
Wow, what a deal! You're all heart.
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I know. Too bad demo isn't in the Houston area, or I'd just charge him beer (how ever many it takes for me to finish the job). That said, I'm not one to pat myself on the back but in this case, I think I will. Seeing that buying a new bolt face will possibly require head space adjustment, which if you don't already have the tools, is an additional expense, 45 bucks is an exceptional deal....mail it out with a concern and get it back with a warm and fuzzy feeling, that's hard to beat. If you think that's good, you should see what I charge to do a trigger job, fit a 1911 barrels, beaver tails etc...again, exceptional deals.

Demo, I think you just found that It's a good feeling when you're able to repair minor issues on your own. It gets you that warm and fuzzy feeling going, letting you know you can take care of your own problems. That clean up looks 100% better than the original pics...great job.
 
demolitionman said:
Well, I knocked the massive burr off the edge, which was in fact contacting the feed ramp just enough to slightly dimple the very center top (ahhhhh!) Then hit it with a light polishing compound at a real slow speed on a dremel. It's a million times better than before. It makes me feel a little better. It cycles better in the action. Thought I would post the after pic for shits and giggles. Thanks for all the heads up guys!
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You did good, now go shoot it some. Like the others said, I feel your pain about taking something out of the box and seeing it's not perfect from the factory, that would bug me too. However, the realist in me knows that I could fix it with a couple of file strokes and it'd be functionally perfect, just like you did. If you'd torn the rifle down, replaced the bolt head, then headspaced it to the new bolt head likely the barrel markings wouldn't line up perfectly and that would bug you more than the bolt head. It'd be a lose-lose proposition. When you get your first scratch on it you'll forget about the bolt head.
 
Savage customer service has been great to me in the past. I would contact them and at least give them a chance to make it right as long as its not a huge pain for you. It is a brand new rifle you should expect a better level of QC even if it doesnt effect function.
 
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