I am a left handed shooter and have a right handed Savage 110 in 30 06. Last time at the range I neglected to put my shooting glasses on, which I normally use and received a burst of gas from the rifle towards me left eye. Few question I would like to ask, do bolt actions vent from one or both sides, and how do other lefties that shoot right hand bolts deal with the gas venting. Also do other makes vent in a different way than the Savage I have. I use the rifle for mostly target and the occasional hunt. For target, the right handed rifle works fine, the bolt is easily manipulated as it sits in a rest, other than the direction of the vented gas. For hunting though I would think it is more of a problem. Thanks
Bolt gas venting question
- Thread starter Detective_Special
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I pretty well always shoot a few rounds with my OFF hand(which is my left) every time I'm at the range. Just to keep on the up and up in case something ever happened to my right eye. 
Sighhhhh....I usually wear my glasses....NOT always mind you(( uh oh....incoming ..heh heh )) and this is something I have never noticed. I have a Stevens 200-243...2 -6.5 swedes...a browning A bolt 300WSM..and 270...Savage 17HMR...Tikka 223...a few others .and I can honestly say i don't ever feel any blast of gas thru the bolt towards my eye. I have got a blast of sand and dust from time to time with my Boss on my WSM....so has the guy(my buddy) next to me. Does this happen all the time to you with this gun??
Sighhhhh....I usually wear my glasses....NOT always mind you(( uh oh....incoming ..heh heh )) and this is something I have never noticed. I have a Stevens 200-243...2 -6.5 swedes...a browning A bolt 300WSM..and 270...Savage 17HMR...Tikka 223...a few others .and I can honestly say i don't ever feel any blast of gas thru the bolt towards my eye. I have got a blast of sand and dust from time to time with my Boss on my WSM....so has the guy(my buddy) next to me. Does this happen all the time to you with this gun??
The gas handling system of the Savage is VERY good. What problem did you have and why? Determine this so it does not happen again.
If gas escapes from a pierced primer for example, a certain amount enters the firing pin hole in the bolt head. Of course this depends on the position of the firing pin and if it is damaged. A firing pin and spring in good condition will hold back the primer dent a certain amount while blocking the firing pin hole. Gas that does manage to enter this hole has a vent hole to exit upon, which is located inline with the vent hole on the side of the action. On a rh action, this would point to the right side, on a lh action it would point to the left side. The cocking ramp cut out area of the bolt body would vent a TINY amount of gas. Understand that this gas would need to get past the firing pin then past the cocking piece sleeve and pin, these pieces basically plug the center area of the bolt body are quite the obsticle when combined. So far, this would leave the right side of the rifle.
Around the bolt head there is not a lot of room but for a rifle cartridge failure it is plenty. A primer issue gas leak would need to move upwards, forwards, upwards again, then backwards to get past the outside surface of the bolt head. It will pass by the extractor and blow it out if the failure is powerful enough. These gases all must get past the front gas baffle, which remains in the raceways to protect you.
If any gas gets past that, it has two giant openings to exit upon. Namely the loading port and the mag well.
If any gas gets past that, it must be following the raceways. The rear baffle is larger than the raceways.
I can think of NO action that handles gas better, including the REM 700. I know Dennis, who I respect greatly as a gunsmith, will say the 700 is better and the best ever made. However, any gas that gets by the 700 bolt head has a raceway to follow directly to your left eye. The Savage has two gas baffles extra, one blocking and one larger than the raceways and it redirects gas outwards away from your face.
Escaping gas cones out and gets past parts that are made to fit together.
Always wear your safety glasses if at all possible.
So, what leaked and why? Did you fix the problem?
If gas escapes from a pierced primer for example, a certain amount enters the firing pin hole in the bolt head. Of course this depends on the position of the firing pin and if it is damaged. A firing pin and spring in good condition will hold back the primer dent a certain amount while blocking the firing pin hole. Gas that does manage to enter this hole has a vent hole to exit upon, which is located inline with the vent hole on the side of the action. On a rh action, this would point to the right side, on a lh action it would point to the left side. The cocking ramp cut out area of the bolt body would vent a TINY amount of gas. Understand that this gas would need to get past the firing pin then past the cocking piece sleeve and pin, these pieces basically plug the center area of the bolt body are quite the obsticle when combined. So far, this would leave the right side of the rifle.
Around the bolt head there is not a lot of room but for a rifle cartridge failure it is plenty. A primer issue gas leak would need to move upwards, forwards, upwards again, then backwards to get past the outside surface of the bolt head. It will pass by the extractor and blow it out if the failure is powerful enough. These gases all must get past the front gas baffle, which remains in the raceways to protect you.
If any gas gets past that, it has two giant openings to exit upon. Namely the loading port and the mag well.
If any gas gets past that, it must be following the raceways. The rear baffle is larger than the raceways.
I can think of NO action that handles gas better, including the REM 700. I know Dennis, who I respect greatly as a gunsmith, will say the 700 is better and the best ever made. However, any gas that gets by the 700 bolt head has a raceway to follow directly to your left eye. The Savage has two gas baffles extra, one blocking and one larger than the raceways and it redirects gas outwards away from your face.
Escaping gas cones out and gets past parts that are made to fit together.
Always wear your safety glasses if at all possible.
So, what leaked and why? Did you fix the problem?
venting gas
Not sure what leaked but I did get a rush of air to the left side of my face similar to someone blowing air, although it didn't feel hot. I should had someone shoot the rifle while I determined where exactly it came from, or if it indeed happened again, but it was the end of my shooting session and had ran out of ammo. It was factory ammo though. I'll have to try and shoot it again and see what happens. Thanks
Not sure what leaked but I did get a rush of air to the left side of my face similar to someone blowing air, although it didn't feel hot. I should had someone shoot the rifle while I determined where exactly it came from, or if it indeed happened again, but it was the end of my shooting session and had ran out of ammo. It was factory ammo though. I'll have to try and shoot it again and see what happens. Thanks
Savage is one of the very best for gases. Cannot think of a better rifle.
Hunters should practice shooting from the other shoulder. When sitting on a hunt, sometimes I can hear a deer/moose approaching from my right. It is easiest to switch rifle to my left shoulder for a shot than to stand and swing my entire body.
Hunters should practice shooting from the other shoulder. When sitting on a hunt, sometimes I can hear a deer/moose approaching from my right. It is easiest to switch rifle to my left shoulder for a shot than to stand and swing my entire body.
