Savage's new breech plug.....

[Richard]

Some where around two years ago I did a post on a cure for hard bolt closing. The problem I found was due to the primer getting cocked going into the breech plug. This was caused by the fact that the primer sort of "hangs" down when the rifle is in the horizontal position (as in sitting in your rest on the bench). Because the hole in the breech plug has a sharp edge, the primer occasionally gets cocked and then the bolt does not want to close. I remedied this situation by putting a slight bevel at the mouth of the hole in the BP. This acted to guide the primer into the hole and not get cocked. Well, guess what Savage has not done?
I just got a new hex head breech plug from Savage and low and behold, they have a very nice bevel at that location Wonder where they got that idea

Richard

[10ga]

WOW, a company that actually seeks information and makes improvements on it's products. Don't a bunch of people wish big green would do the same. Somebody is watching, listening and reading! How soon will anothe Mfg. come out with another SML? 10 ga

[boarhog]

Where are all the High Powered Patent Attorneys when ya need one???

[somedaysmokeless]

Richard,
I didn't think you were a fan of the new Savage hex head breech plug? Did your old one need replaced?

[rexxer]

Richard- When you first suggested adding a chamfer on the breech plug I was a bit skeptical even though my bolt suffered the same tendencies. Boy Was I wrong,turned out to be a great improvement!

[trbuick]

Reckon one could do this satisfactorily with a drill press, or might the result be too crude? Thanks.
Alan

[Deleted]

wonder when savage will offer a recessed plug, maybe they have a snoop that visits this board. they could definitely get some ideas on improvements.

trbuick, I did my old plugs with a cordless drill and a countersink

[northny]

If you have not read Richards original post on curing hard bolt closing, there was a lot of other great information there, I recommend it to any one looking for reducing the amount of effort to close the bolt.

Here is a link to the post

dougva.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=Savage&action=display&thread=6195

[Richard]

somedaysmokeless........Actually, I don't really have anything against them, I just think that the original one along with the tool Savage provides seems to work just fine! I'm wondering if these hex head plugs will be installed in the new ML's and what type of tool they will provide? (Maybe a nice Snap-ON socket wrench set with a long extension ;D ;D ;D)
But NO, I did not buy one. One of our members bought it and had Savage ship it directly to me so I could modify it.
Northny...........Thank you so much for locating that post. I was just about to do a "re-make" of that and request the moderators put it in the "Hints and Tips" (unless it is already there?) I just took new pictures. Actually, I will add one more location where I think some grease should be added: The area where the "cocking piece rides along the bolt every time you open and close it. I have a piece of yellow tap in the location
Between radiusing and smoothing all these areas along with a little gun grease, you will greatly reduce the effort to open and close your bolt........Plus reduce wear. If you look at your bolts and the receivers, you will see a wear mark occurring. Guaranteed!
You will also note how much bigger the radius or bevel is on the Savage BP than what I had originally done on mine. I did not want to go too big as that is more area which is not supporting the primer. Evidentially Savage feels it is OK!

Richard

[youp50]

Richard,

When you beveled that old style plug was it necessary to reset head space?

[smokeeter]

I'll go out on a limb here and say no, but closing the bolt was easier.

[rexxer]

Same as smokeeter, I didn't change a thing!

[youp50]

Thanks. I am in the rebuild stage. I just recently started to have this problem. I really doubt that the bolt head is wearing. More than likely this bunch of primers has a thinner flange.

[Richard]

The above posts are right......It will not change headspace!
Richard