Heavy .22 mag bolt lift

[Redmt]

I picked up a NIB Savage 93 .22 mag. It's a 2004 new old stock. Being new, it is as clean as can be. The issue I'm having is it has a very heavy bolt lift on spent shells. It's a little stiff closing on unfired shells but not what I would call unacceptable for a new rifle. It opens and closes perfectly with an empty chamber. Any ideas here? I really don't want to send it to Savage.

 

[antelopedundee]

About the only way I know to assess higher pressures is if the case head bulges. Do spent cases chamber ok? Also try different brands of ammo. Possibly the chamber is too short, but my gut says it's the ammo as in thinner or thicker case heads where it contacts the bolt face.

 

[Redmt]

I'll run some tests this afternoon. I have several different brands handy. The ammo I have been using is some 5-10 year old Winchester Varmint. I hope it's not Winchester in general as I picked up 2000 rounds of Varmint a couple months ago that I haven't tried yet.

 

[antelopedundee]

A long time ago I had a Colt Diamondback revolver rechambered to 22 mag and had the same issue with the cylinder dragging during rotation. Turned out the case heads were expanding and rubbing on the faceplate. I think it was CCI ammo that was the issue, but I can't be 100% sure. I recall that switching ammo fixed it.

 

[antelopedundee]

I'll run some tests this afternoon. I have several different brands handy. The ammo I have been using is some 5-10 year old Winchester Varmint. I hope it's not Winchester in general as I picked up 2000 rounds of Varmint a couple months ago that I haven't tried yet.

I don't think it would be unsafe to use the ammo any more than it would be a PITA to use it. You could always sell it or trade it.

 

[Redmt]

It looks like it's the Winchester ammo. I ran some CCI through it and not as smooth as I would expect it's much easier and smoother. Maybe by the time I run a thousand through it maybe it might break in some.

 

[Redmt]

I sat down and measured everything that could be measured and found some varia ces in cases but nothing serious. I finally gave the closed bolt, with a spent case, a couple light taps on the bolt handle with a brass hammer and problem solved. My guess is the bolt got whacked sometime in the last 19 years it was sitting in the original box.