The flutes on the other definitely look deeper. Maybe just shadow? They definitely aren't very deep on mine.
Gunsmithing LRI bolt fluting job. Opinions wanted.
- Thread starter Mxracer532
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I've sent 2 barreled actions off to LRI for bells and whistles, and did not get fluting. Fluting is cosmetic. Don't get cosmetic surgery and then regret it. Just drive that rifle--it will shoot great, and the flutes are just candy. They look great to me fwiw.
Well crap. I thought my rifle head a fluted bolt like it shown where it's shorter than the ejection port. Apparently I'm thinking of an old rifle.
In any case, I wouldn't be concerned about it at all. The only question is whether or not it's mechanically sound
In any case, I wouldn't be concerned about it at all. The only question is whether or not it's mechanically sound
From what I see in the pics, the bolt on the left is " Wrought Iron Pattern ", the both on the right is " Pattern B High Helix ". They are without a doubt two different cut patterns.
Both are wrought iron.
I edited the title to be more politically correct? Didn't mean to rough up any feathers or trash anyone.....
It looks like the first .5" of flutes from the bolt are covered by the reciever. Is there any way to measure both receivers? As in length of the ejection port and where it starts and stops. I am NOT a machinist. To me the bolt looks even.
Yep, looks even to me. My only question was about the flutes on the back of the receiver stopping under the receiver and the front not. Looks odd to me.
Here is a pic of my tikka factory fluted bolt from my new t3x veil wideland 
Does this count as a "First World Problem"? Just kidding....I'd shoot the shit out of that rifle.
I have one rifle with a fluted bolt, a POS Mountain Ascent. I am just not a fan of the fluting of the bolt...but my opinion might be jaded because this truly is just a 1 MOA rifle (as guaranteed by the manufacturer). I have a 1903A3 from 1943 that is more accurate.
I have one rifle with a fluted bolt, a POS Mountain Ascent. I am just not a fan of the fluting of the bolt...but my opinion might be jaded because this truly is just a 1 MOA rifle (as guaranteed by the manufacturer). I have a 1903A3 from 1943 that is more accurate.
I think what I see is a bit excessive, and would expect better for a top-tier job.
I'd be surprised if Chad says that's as good as it gets from his shop.
I know the barrels I've had fluted by him never looked like that.
JMO, calling it as I see it.
If we agree they fluting is only cosmetic (not sure I agree) and the owner does not like the cosmetics then there is an issue.
He basically got a C cup on the right and a D cup on the left. He wanted D cups and now looks lopsided.
A mill finish has to have tooling marks its just the nature of the process, that is why you either surface grind or manually polish if you want a higher finish above a mill finish.If you view the photos on LRI website all the bolting fluting shows tooling marks which is standard for the process.
In my opinion it appears to me that a smaller raidus tool was used to cut the flutes on your bolt than the other one pictured. The larger radius makes the cuts extend further by the size difference towards the locking lugs. Either way, it looks great.
I need more popcorn.
Another thread slamming a well known great smith. Even though Chad didn't do the machining himself it is HIS name that is being trashed. Maybe you should have sent the other bolt back so they could exactly match it, especially if that was a deal breaker for you.
He hasn’t trashed or slammed anyone.
He’s been very transparent with their response and that he doesn’t agree with it. And asking if his point of view is correct in the opinion of others.
This is a problem all around in life right now. When someone doesn’t agree, they are labeled as trashing or not liking something or someone completely. There’s a big difference in just not agreeing.
Not to mention, anytime someone asks a question like this without the smith name, half the forum asks who it is.
And, it’s an example out there of how a tikka bolt with that ejection port and those particular flutes look. Fluting is not just cosmetic, but it’s definitely part of it. Now someone who was considering this may be able to change their plans if they don’t like the looks of it.
The bolt fluting program written for Tikka actions is at least 7 or 8 years old now. It's not changed one bit in that time. The machine is a 4-year-old Haas VF-2. The tool package lives in that machine because it's what we do all the fluting on. -and we do a metric shit ton of it.
EDIT: It's not changed in the sense that once it's vetted in the control, that's it. We DO however add to the library of options.
The 4th axis and tailstock live on that machine as well. They are bolted to a subplate that's machined, stress relieved, and ground. It has not come off the table since buying the machine new in 2016. The collet that goes into the 4th is the same collet I machined 12+ years ago.
So, unless there is some cosmic force at play, the fluting is the same from one bolt to the next.
To the OP:
Lemme guess. You are the same gent that posted this same question up on Facebook roughly a week ago on the Tikka page. One that eroded into all the internet commandos sharing their opinion about how shitty the work is. LRI's phone number is plastered all over your work order, the website, and the signature block of every post I make on here. We've yet to receive a single phone call regarding this.
For the record: I have NO issue with someone calling me out if the work is legitimately screwed up. The customer service effort my company has is rivaled by very, very, very few. The one caveat to this is we act like adults and that starts with a conversation. Not drama-filled posts on multiple platforms that do nothing but tarnish the name I've busted my ass to ensure is well-vetted and trusted industry-wide.
The ball is in your court and from my chair any courtesy your entitled to is now expired. I'm tolerant right up until the point that I'm not.
EDIT: It's not changed in the sense that once it's vetted in the control, that's it. We DO however add to the library of options.
The 4th axis and tailstock live on that machine as well. They are bolted to a subplate that's machined, stress relieved, and ground. It has not come off the table since buying the machine new in 2016. The collet that goes into the 4th is the same collet I machined 12+ years ago.
So, unless there is some cosmic force at play, the fluting is the same from one bolt to the next.
To the OP:
Lemme guess. You are the same gent that posted this same question up on Facebook roughly a week ago on the Tikka page. One that eroded into all the internet commandos sharing their opinion about how shitty the work is. LRI's phone number is plastered all over your work order, the website, and the signature block of every post I make on here. We've yet to receive a single phone call regarding this.
For the record: I have NO issue with someone calling me out if the work is legitimately screwed up. The customer service effort my company has is rivaled by very, very, very few. The one caveat to this is we act like adults and that starts with a conversation. Not drama-filled posts on multiple platforms that do nothing but tarnish the name I've busted my ass to ensure is well-vetted and trusted industry-wide.
The ball is in your court and from my chair any courtesy your entitled to is now expired. I'm tolerant right up until the point that I'm not.
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I have built many rifles over the years and not everything always goes according to plan. When someone posts a thread with the title "Correct or Not"? it is implying something was done incorrectly, not that it doesn't look exactly like the other one.
I need more popcorn
He stated several times he was seeking opinions and not trashing the smith.
Any “implications” after that are what you have created in your own head.
Obviously he could have gone about it in a different way, but he isn’t on here bashing the smith.
Locking thread. This is going nowhere good.
LRI has told him to call.
LRI has told him to call.
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