My 2015 has them, however, I see lots of other years that don't. Is is just a change that they remove and then bring back and if so what's the reason?
Why do some AI AT's have fluted bolts while others don't?
- Thread starter jlficken
- Start date
From what I know, the fluted are SFP and the non-fluted are LFP.
I may not know what I’m talking about...
I may not know what I’m talking about...
The fluting fairies went on strike. Eventually Tom Irwin caved to the fairy union, and they went back to work. 
Are you serious? The flutes have nothing to do with Firing Pin. The flutes were introduced as part of the Arctic Warfare design to reduce the tendency of the bolt to freeze into the action.
LFP bolts have fluting, just not on all sides of the bolt (they're on the side against the receiver wall, opposite the ejection port).
Did I say the flutes had anything to do with the firing pin? All the LFP bolts I’ve seen don’t have the ejection side flutes. Calm down.
@jlficken are you trying to dig this thread back up? haha https://www.snipershide.com/shootin...ional-fully-fluted-bolt.6313950/#post-6313950
Tom never really answered this question definitively. It seems like around '14 or '15 almost all of the new short action rifles had the fully fluted bolt, left hand rifles excluded of course. It isn't until the 2019 model year that I saw a LH AT with a fully fluted bolt. But as Tom said, since '91 all the bolts have flutes, it's just that the older ones have less and they aren't visible through the ejection port with the bolt closed.
Tom never really answered this question definitively. It seems like around '14 or '15 almost all of the new short action rifles had the fully fluted bolt, left hand rifles excluded of course. It isn't until the 2019 model year that I saw a LH AT with a fully fluted bolt. But as Tom said, since '91 all the bolts have flutes, it's just that the older ones have less and they aren't visible through the ejection port with the bolt closed.
Nope. I didn't know that thread existed. I just saw an AT in a thread today without the flutes and it raised the question in my mind. I figure there must be a reason I just can't figure out what it is.
FWIW, I like that mine has the visible flutes.
I do love a good pot stirring though
ETA: I didn't realize I posted in that thread LOL.
Yeah you were the third person to post in that thread hahaNope. I didn't know that thread existed. I just saw an AT in a thread today without the flutes and it raised the question in my mind. I figure there must be a reason I just can't figure out what it is.
FWIW, I like that mine has the visible flutes.
I do love a good pot stirring though
ETA: I didn't realize I posted in that thread LOL.
I only remember it because it was one of the few threads that Tom Irwin responded to, but he never fully answered all the questions.
