Lapping bolt lugs / polishing raceways

[garandman]

Checked numerous Utube vids, searched this forum, found a little help, but.... questions remain.

Is it really necessary?

Can it be done with the barrel on (professional smith installed barrel) ?

Does it simply enhance function? Or accuracy also?

What are the wrong ways to do it / things to watch out for?

Any tips / techiques you recommend? My Rem 700 bolt is pretty sticky. Anything but smooth. Even while stripping rounds from a mag.

Any help appreciated.

 

[spife7980]

Don’t worry about it. The more you use it the more it will smooth up.

 

[b6graham]

if you want it super smooth and pretty send it to chad at LRI

 

[garandman]

if you want it super smooth and pretty send it to chad at LRI

It locks up super tight. (which I like) Its just the raceways that are "sticky."

I've thot about sending it back to the folks who barrelled the action for me (this is my first of 3 rifles thru them) , but I hate paying shipping and seems I should be able to clean up the raceways meself.


This:

 

[garandman]

Ordered these....

BROWNELLS GUNSMITH'S PREMIUM CERAMIC STONE FILE SET | Brownells

Flawless, man-made ceramic stones polish the surface of steel as they cut, so you save time as you produce a clean, ripple free surface on any metal with just a few easy strokes. Double, precision grinding after high pressure extrusion produces th...

www.brownells.com

 

[Ledzep]

if you want it super smooth and pretty send it to chad at LRI

Dixon's process does nothing to the raceways. Also, lapping the lugs does little to improve "feeling"-- in many cases it makes things worse if done improperly.

What does help is timing the bolt handle for primary extraction. You don't need a complete blueprint to do that.

 

[garandman]

What does help is timing the bolt handle for primary extraction. You don't need a complete blueprint to do that.

Explain? Would be greatly appreciated.

My bolt is "sticky" the entire length of its travel.


The guns builder recommended "inking" the bolt surfaces to find the friction points and then relieving 5/10000ths of the bolt's binding surfaces.

 

[garandman]

On another note.....

THIS ALL is why the pros demand 2500 - 4000 for a properly built rifle.

 

[Ledzep]

Explain? Would be greatly appreciated.

My bolt is "sticky" the entire length of its travel.


The guns builder recommended "inking" the bolt surfaces to find the friction points and then relieving 5/10000ths of the bolt's binding surfaces.

Sorry, I should've clarified from the beginning. They are separate issues. The raceway (straight back and forth) and the locking/unlocking (rotation).

If the bolt handle isn't timed correctly (in the correct spot along the circumference of the bolt body) you will cause a few issues. The biggest is that any time you fire a hot round, the case will REALLY stick in the chamber because primary extraction is weak. The other big thing that will happen is that the bolt will get hung up exiting the front ring of the receiver. The second part can be altered by filing or welding&reshaping the "tail" on the counter-clockwise most part of the handle. The first part is mainly a function of position, but can also be tuned by welding and filing to get a shape that more closely matches the ramp on the receiver.

As far as the straight back and forth, it's a trade off between removing material (lapping, polishing etc..) and fit. You can go too far and have a loosey goosey action that feels like poopoo.

Timing doesn't help with the raceway part, but usually does improve overall feel of the action.

 

[garandman]

Thanx !