Hi. picked up a Ruger American Rimfire and the bolt is very difficult to close. Cycling the action is fine but opening and closing the bolt takes a lot of effort. I have read that this may loosen over time. Is this normal for a bolt action? anyone experience this or have any suggestions to fix this? I am thinking of filing down the area where the bolt locks down into the receiver. Please any suggestions or tips would be much appreciated. Thanks
Ruger American Hard to Close Bolt
- Thread starter plugchu
- Start date
Kayser Sose
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
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- Southern Van Isle
Get away from that file.
Have you fired the rifle yet? Give it 250 rounds before you get brutal on your rifle (fer the love of Pete!)
Is it a new rifle or simply new to you?
eta: I have a nice rifle, target rifle, which preengages the bullet with the rifling, thus making for a firmer closure and stiffer extraction; it's an accuracy enhancing thing with the .22s. Maybe that's the deal with yer rifle
Have you fired the rifle yet? Give it 250 rounds before you get brutal on your rifle (fer the love of Pete!)
Is it a new rifle or simply new to you?
eta: I have a nice rifle, target rifle, which preengages the bullet with the rifling, thus making for a firmer closure and stiffer extraction; it's an accuracy enhancing thing with the .22s. Maybe that's the deal with yer rifle
That would drive me nuts , I think I would polish ( not file ) the lugs after cleaning everything and checking the bolt contact with a sharpy or somthing then polish the high spots . It's a 22 so I wouldn't be scared of the hardened surface etc . But I've been wrong before
A disc grinder with a medium wheel will work much faster than a file. You should be able to have it quite loose in no time at all if looseness is your goal.
You don't mention if ammunition is involved...
I suggest you go to a dealer and handle another rifle for comparison. Perhaps take yours in for a comment on how it functions.
plugchu;
Good morning to you sir, I trust that the day is as nice out west as it is here in our part of the world.
You have, in my opinion, already been given some very good advice - don't file anything and do see how another similar rifle operates in comparison to yours.
While we are opening and closing the bolt, the bolt handle is coming into contact with the rear of the receiver notch - hopefully not the front. We can test the bearing surfaces with the judicious application of lipstick and see if it's smeared or not. Go ahead and laugh, but I got that tip in a gunsmithing book decades back and the lipstick test is one I use to determine bolt lug bearing, stock to recoil lug fit and a few other critical bearing surfaces...
Here's a photo of a stripped RAR rimfire bolt.
The mainspring is being compressed while we open the bolt and as well there may be roughness and friction between the bolt handle and bolt body at the front during that operation. Both could cause the drag you're feeling.
Anyway, hopefully that gives you a few more ideas and was useful. Good luck with your rifle whichever way you decide.
Dwayne
Good morning to you sir, I trust that the day is as nice out west as it is here in our part of the world.
You have, in my opinion, already been given some very good advice - don't file anything and do see how another similar rifle operates in comparison to yours.
While we are opening and closing the bolt, the bolt handle is coming into contact with the rear of the receiver notch - hopefully not the front. We can test the bearing surfaces with the judicious application of lipstick and see if it's smeared or not. Go ahead and laugh, but I got that tip in a gunsmithing book decades back and the lipstick test is one I use to determine bolt lug bearing, stock to recoil lug fit and a few other critical bearing surfaces...
Here's a photo of a stripped RAR rimfire bolt.
The mainspring is being compressed while we open the bolt and as well there may be roughness and friction between the bolt handle and bolt body at the front during that operation. Both could cause the drag you're feeling.
Anyway, hopefully that gives you a few more ideas and was useful. Good luck with your rifle whichever way you decide.
Dwayne
Thanks for all the responses. I'm using CCI Quiet. I've only taken it to the range once and put 40 rounds through it. I've sat at home watching tv and cycling the action to try and work it in. It doesn't seem to be loosening at all. I don't want it super loose but i've tried other bolt actions and none of them have been as tight to close. After opening the bolt the action is smooth going backwards and forwards and loads the next round fine. It just takes a lot of effort to close the bolt. However the problem occurs without the mag in as well when i'm just opening and closing the action. The rear of the receiver notch seems to be the problem it's very pronounced and has a sharpness to it. I'm going to try the lipstick and cleaning approach first before I try "grinding" down any surfaces. Thank you again for all your tips.
Also. What lube to use? I have grease I use on my bike. Great for areas where there is metal to metal contact, doesn't run and i easy to clean out. Sorry for all the noob questions. I plan on greasing the bolt lugs and greasing the rear part of the receiver where the bolt closes. Thanks again.
plugchu;
Good afternoon sir, it sounds like you're on the right track for diagnosing this to me.
As far as I'm concerned that's the last time you need to apologize for asking ANY question. We all learned this thing we do one piece of information at a time and speaking personally when I quit learning about firearms like as not I'll have crossed over....
I used to think I knew quite a bit, then I met some folks who really did. Now I believe I know enough to ask an intelligent question now and then.
I'm a believer in gun grease for sure, but then I don't take our hunting rifles out in any colder weather than say -25° at most so most synthetic grease is still fine then. If I was still back in the flat lands then I might rethink the grease for the -45° days.
If you bought the rifle new, then you might want to take it back to the dealer before beginning any smoothing of the receiver. It's quite critical that the distance not be diminished there as the fit of the rear of the bolt handle to the receiver notch actually determine the headspace on a rimfire cartridge.
If the rifle was purchased used, then I'd most likely recommend you find a gunsmith who knows their way around rimfire bolt guns and proceed that way.
Our eldest daughter ended up with a short version of the RAR rimfire in .22LR and hers shoots surprisingly well when fed ammo it likes so from a sample of one I'd suggest it might be worth the trouble you're going through. Let's hope so anyway.
Again hope that helped a wee bit and good luck with the rifle.
Dwayne
Good afternoon sir, it sounds like you're on the right track for diagnosing this to me.
As far as I'm concerned that's the last time you need to apologize for asking ANY question. We all learned this thing we do one piece of information at a time and speaking personally when I quit learning about firearms like as not I'll have crossed over....
I used to think I knew quite a bit, then I met some folks who really did. Now I believe I know enough to ask an intelligent question now and then.
I'm a believer in gun grease for sure, but then I don't take our hunting rifles out in any colder weather than say -25° at most so most synthetic grease is still fine then. If I was still back in the flat lands then I might rethink the grease for the -45° days.
If you bought the rifle new, then you might want to take it back to the dealer before beginning any smoothing of the receiver. It's quite critical that the distance not be diminished there as the fit of the rear of the bolt handle to the receiver notch actually determine the headspace on a rimfire cartridge.
If the rifle was purchased used, then I'd most likely recommend you find a gunsmith who knows their way around rimfire bolt guns and proceed that way.
Our eldest daughter ended up with a short version of the RAR rimfire in .22LR and hers shoots surprisingly well when fed ammo it likes so from a sample of one I'd suggest it might be worth the trouble you're going through. Let's hope so anyway.
Again hope that helped a wee bit and good luck with the rifle.
Dwayne
