Uneven bolt contact, new Sabatti 600 223.

Hitzy

Hitzy

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Not sure how bad this is, have 140 rounds through it now and just took these pics.
Should it be looked at by a Smith, or will use wear it in evenly?
Probably wouldn't have bought it had I known they cast everything, my bad for not reading the fine print.
Weird receiver extension so the 600 will fit 870 stocks and the casting dimples.


Uneven bolt contact.



fast picture upload
 
Yessir, grease, close bolt with trigger depressed so it doesn't all scrape off and actually lubes the receiver lugs.
 
My lug contact on the 7.62x39 Sabatti version is a bit better, but even on both lugs. I plan on rebarreling mine someday. The receiver extension looks like something they designed for extra bedding surface. Ruger casts their receivers too and I've never had a problem with mine.
 
As Maynard says, that doesn't look to bad.

If you want more, you aren't talking about removing a lot of material.

This is how I do it.

I take some fine grit valve grinding compound and apply it to the lug with the MOST contact, then work the bolt back and forth under spring tension to hold it back against the lug shoulder in the receiver. Be CAREFUL. This is more aggressive than you might think. Take your time and check contact by cleaning off the grinding compound, marking the lug with the LEAST contact with a sharpie and checking to see how much ink is wiped off when you close and open the bolt.

Likely you will have to repeat this process several times. I like at least 75% contact on both sides.

If you have access to a lathe and can run the bolt true to its axis then with a carbide cutter you can get things as close as needed, but again BE CAREFUL, check and check again before making a cut. When you do this in a lathe, it can be very time consuming and if you take out the bolt to check it and it has to go back for another cut, it can be difficult to get it back to where it was for the first cut.

At the very most you will only be removing a few thousandths of an inch. By using the valve grinding compound method you remove material from both the lug recess and the lug evenly. Seeing as both areas are hard, IMHO this is the best way to go. In fact, I have found when trying to true up the lugs on a bolt to the lug recesses that the issue is in the recess, rather than the lugs.
 
EHG said:
My lug contact on the 7.62x39 Sabatti version is a bit better, but even on both lugs. I plan on rebarreling mine someday. The receiver extension looks like something they designed for extra bedding surface. Ruger casts their receivers too and I've never had a problem with mine.
Click to expand...

You can drop these right into a Sabatti 870 stock... same screw spacing, same lug, bottom metal fits the same and they don't have the weird looking extension. Doubt they need more bedding on the 222/223/7.62x39 version of this rifle.
It's so they only have to make one length action, stock inletting, bottom metal, etc, ease of manufacturing.
I was going to get a stainless 243 to drop in my 223 walnut stock...like the look, plus the gun is just way too heavy for 223.
Exploded view of the 870
sabati.jpg
 
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Hitzy said:
Not sure how bad this is, have 140 rounds through it now and just took these pics.
Should it be looked at by a Smith, or will use wear it in evenly?
Probably wouldn't have bought it had I known they cast everything, my bad for not reading the fine print.
Weird receiver extension so the 600 will fit 870 stocks and the casting dimples.


Uneven bolt contact.



fast picture upload
Click to expand...

Your pictures don't work for me..

but are you considering the tilt of the bolt the trigger causes... it forces the rear of the bolt upwards and usually indicates the bottom lug stronger than the top... of course on firing releasing that 'tilt' and with pressure I am fairly sure both lugs are working.

I wouldn't do anything to the action without having a gunsmith examine it first.

What isn't your rifle doing that you feel it needs fixing?
 
I have just not seen uneven wear like that on a new rifle, even the cheapest budget units. Was more of a safety issue question then anything, I would have brought it to the local Smith for a look if required.
Can anyone else not see the pictures?
20180224_122652.jpg

20180224_122617.jpg
 
Hitzy said:
I have just not seen uneven wear like that on a new rifle, even the cheapest budget units. Was more of a safety issue question then anything, I would have brought it to the local Smith for a look if required.
Can anyone else not see the pictures?
20180224_122652.jpg

20180224_122617.jpg
Click to expand...

I see these pictures...

shoot it until you wear the barrel out... then have the action trued and good barrel installed...
 
guntech said:
I see these pictures...

shoot it until you wear the barrel out... then have the action trued and good barrel installed...
Click to expand...

Barrel is the best part of the rifle lol, rest of it I would probably melt down for ashtrays...
It basically doesn't copper foul at all. Scrub a bit of carbon out but no copper, very smooth finish on the bore.
It hasn't been as accurate as I was hoping for, so as long as it's safe I'll probably dump it on consignment at my local Smith.
 
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Buckmastr said:
If it doesn't shoot, wouldn't it be more likely the barrel than the bolt lugs as the bigger issue?
Click to expand...

Lug contact was more a safety concern question. If it's good to go I'll play around with it a bit more, I know the bedding isn't great and contact under that extension part of the receiver is uneven so I'll clean that up, see if it improves things. Twist is 1/12 but 55's are winning so far, 50's were nothing to write home about.
I don't mind playing around with guns I like...never really warmed up to this one lol. Already sorted out a few issues with it like cocking pin dragging in the shroud and trigger adjustment. I'm fussy though, most people would be happy with the way it shoots (1"/100m), but I have stuff already that does better then that.
 
Lug contact looks pretty good to me. I have seen far worse.

If you want to even them up and get more contact, the lapping compound will do it. But it is important that both lugs are bearing backwards on the receiver. I drop a cleaning rod down the barrel and push it against the wall, to put back pressure on the bolt. Then I lift the bolt up and down. This will quickly increase the lug contact.
 
Both Sabbati rifles I've had needed bedding work. They aren't supposed to because of the way they're put together buttttttt?? Still, neither of them shot well off the shelf and even after being glass bedded they were acceptable but nothing spectacular. Good value for the money.
 
Your bolt looks fine. It will wear in over the course of the next 1000 rounds. If you bed the barrel and practice, your shooting will improve.
 
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