Bolt sticking on closing

[esmd]

Hello all. Been a long time since I've posted as my Savage has been dialed in now for many years. It works flawlessly. However my brother has run into an issue with his that has me stumped. His is a pre-accutrigger 10-MLII. Stainless barrel with black tupperware stock. He has an issue where his bolt sticks on closure. Everything is fine as he slides it forward until the bolt starts to enter the metal shroud/hole towards the breech plug. Then it sticks, and he needs to force it for the last 1/2" or so before it is fully seated and the bolt handle can be locked down. I thought maybe he wasn't getting the breech plug screwed in far enough or something, but it does the same thing with the breech plug removed. We both have thoroughly cleaned both the bolt and the inside of the shroud/hole as much we can. I also tried my bolt in his gun and it closes and locks just fine with the breech plug in or out - no sticking. It's almost as if his bolt has swelled or bulged at the end. He shoots 59gr of N120 with the 300gr Barnes Original in the orange sabot. Not a factory recommended load, but not an unsafe pressure load by any means. He hasn't double loaded the gun or anything like that, and the barrel isn't bulged. Everything else with the gun seems normal other than the bolt.

Have any of you ever seen or heard of anything like this with anyone else's Savage?

[hunter]

Not real familiar with the savage. On the 700mls the raceway in the bolt can get burred out and binds the bolt.
Also you might check that the action screw is not too long and binding the bolt when closing, but if your bolt works fine in it I would check bolt raceway first.

[esmd]

It's not anything with the raceway, it does it with the action screw in or out.

[jims]

esmd: If you check a few posts below yours someone asks a similar question with photos and possible answers.

[cuda]

I would say you need to get a big brush in there and go it a really good cleaning. Do you have a bore scope? I would look at the bottom of the bolt and check it for burrs along where the screw rides. There has to be something it is binding on.

[smokeeter]

try his bolt in your gun, you might also measure (mic) the dia of the bolt nose. If the dia is out of spec as you suspect you may be able to turn it down or even polish it with emery. A new bolt nose may even be available if required.

[dannoboone]

The bolt nose is removable. Could it be that something
has moved it off-center? Have you tried his bolt in
your rifle?

[johnnywadd]

Check scope base screws may be too long hanging down in bolt raceway

[ET]

Esmd

That is an interesting problem. Okay it starts binding a ½” before bottoming in the shroud. Looking at my bolt I see retaining pin about 1/2 “ from the end. You might want to check that the retaining pin is flush to the bolt body. Both sides of the bolt body.

[hunter]

did you figure out what was happening with the bolt closing issue?

[esmd]

Thanks all. We did figure it out, and hunter I owe you an apology. It was the raceway, and it was the exact issue you mentioned in your PM. When you mentioned the raceway, I assumed you meant that a burr in the channel was hanging up on the retaining screw. But what it actually was is that at some point he must have slammed the bolt back too hard, and the screw created a small lip/ridge at the end of the raceway. This was pushing the bolt up ever so slightly and causing the tolerance issue when fully closing it. We filed that lip down smooth, and the problem instantly went away. Thanks to all for your input and happy hunting!

[hunter]

Thanks, but no apology needed. Glad you got it figured out