Savage Bolt Issue

[ChrisC]

I posted this on Rokslide but I cant figure out how to post a picture there, Hopefully I th a picture here it'll make more sense.

I have a problem on my Savage Axis where the bolt doesn't go far enough back to get behind the bullet. Any ideas what im doing wrong? Magazine is all the way locked in...

 

[1_pointer]

Make sure nothing's in the way of your bolt release.

 

[CodyCass]

Hard to say because when I zoom in the pic gets grainy. Can you remove the bolt and take picture of the bolt head?

 

[ChrisC]

I'll look into the bolt release and take some more pics when i get home. I spoke with Savage this morning and the only suggestion they had was a faulty magazine, which seems unlikely. I asked if I could send it in but its a 8-10 week lead time...

 

[Fire_9]

Is this a new rifle/issue or has it functioned in the past?

 

[ChrisC]

The rifle is a few years old. If I recall, it has always been an issue, which I just assumed was either me or the ammo. I was shooting Remington core lokt and they don't have the best point, so i assumed that was the issue with it not feeding properly. I never bothered to look again until I ran through the rest of the ammo i had bought. Yesterday I was using federal premium with a more pointed tip to aee if that resolved the feeding issue. it didn't. I decided to look at it more closely and discovered the bolt wasn't going back all the way. the only reason it pushed a cartridge forward was because it caught the edge of the shell that is about 1/8 or so in front of the back end...if i was better at the cartridge lingo, I'm sure there is a name for that edge.

 

[Keeptrying]

Does it go back further with the magazine removed?

 

[MThuntr]

I think I'd send Savage a message...either via email or phone. They'll be able to walk you through a fix or get you a replacement (stock and/or magazine) to make it work.

 

[Millsworks]

Sounds like the bolt stop might have an obstruction in front of it. Weed seeds, oil and lint build up possibly.
Could be a mis alinement of the action in the stock. A magazine problem would be my first guess though. Tuff to see in a picture.
If your not comfortable working on it yourself, a local Smith is a good idea.
I have taken material off the front of bolt stops in the past to get a longer seated handload to feed well. But if the rifle feeds part of the time it may have nothing to do with the bolt stop.
If removing the bolt shows no obstruction and a new magazine won't fix it, a Smith might need to look at it.
Might want to have it looked at before a mag is purchased, but it is likely it will need to be ordered, so don't wait too long.
Fall is near. Hope it gets figured out soon.

 

[ChrisC]

Thanks everyone for your help. I just took a closer look and the problem. was with the bolt. I have no.idea what it's called but the piece on the bolt that rotates (see pics) was rotated 180 degrees in the wrong direction. you can see one notch is slightly longer than the other, which i assume was preventing it from going all the way back. Thanks again!

 

[Gr8bawana]

Problem solved then? Did it come that way from the factory since it has always been an issue? Glad to see you got it taken care of.

 

[ChrisC]

it appears problem is solved. I cant remember if it came that way or not, but im surprised that wasn't suggested when I called them. My guess is I bumped it around accidentally...

 

[LopeHunter]

I have a bolt action that did not feed the ammo correctly. Would eject fine then not always grab the next round and push forward. I then stretched the spring in the magazine that was decades old. Just a bit of stretching and that fixed the issue. I do not think I can remove and rotate the bolt 180 degrees in any of my rifles and still be able to feed the bolt back into the rifle. Is this something possible with all Savage rifles?

 

[Millsworks]

I don't own an axis, but on the 116 and 110s if that part of the bolt head is rotated it won't slide back into the receiver. There is a small guide machined into the part of the bolt head that rotates. That guide corosponds to a groove inside the receiver.
The axis may not have that , I am assuming?
Hope it's fixed.

 

[ChrisC]

that part that spins is symmetrical as it relates to fitting back in. The only difference I see is that one side is deeper. you can see that in the 1st and 3rd pictures I posted earlier. I think that was what was stopping the bolt from going that extra 1/8 inches.

 

[Millsworks]

Glad to hear you got it figured out.
Good luck this fall.