Back last winter I picked up a couple of kits that include small thrust bearings with race washers as we'll as two blued washers that space out the bolt screw properly. This kit was obviously designed for older bolts with the short firing pins that don't go through the bolt screw as cocking indicators. The thrust bearing has a .25" hole but the race washers don't and they are hardened steel so there is no easy fix there drilling them out. The other type of mod kit that uses a cut off 38 cartridge with a ball bearing inserted in the primer hole will not work on these newer bolts either. The research I did shows some people have cut off the end of their firing pins to accommodate the mod but I personally don't think that's a great idea. I think it might be a search for the Holy Grail to find those same thrust bearing assemblies that have just over a .25" hole through them. Has anyone done this mod or sourced out this type of bearing?
Savage Bolt Lift Mod
- Thread starter snomad
- Start date
Thanks for the replies. I bought these bearings from someone local who got them out of the U.S. and bought some extras. The ones I have would work very well with the older Savage bolts where the firing pin end does not go through the bolt end cap screw. The dimensions of this three piece thrust bearing are as follows: OD - .473" ; ID - .205" ; THICKNESS - .156. The thickness isn't an issue as long as you put the equivalent thickness of spacer under the bolt end cap screw. THE ID THAT I REQUIRE FOR THIS BEARING IS .250".
The fellow I got these from blued two washers the same thickness as the complete thrust bearing. They were the same diameter as the cap on the bolt end cap screw. Simpler and cheaper than milling of that thickness from that screw.
Blueoval, what generation of bolt do you have on your Savage?
The fellow I got these from blued two washers the same thickness as the complete thrust bearing. They were the same diameter as the cap on the bolt end cap screw. Simpler and cheaper than milling of that thickness from that screw.
Blueoval, what generation of bolt do you have on your Savage?
I have the earlier version that does not have the cocking indicator. If I remember correctly I bought it in 2009.
I was able to get a hold of Ishodu and buy a couple of his kits that are pretty much what you describe but his has a 1 piece spacer as opposed to 2 washers. I'm excited to get home and try them out.
I was able to get a hold of Ishodu and buy a couple of his kits that are pretty much what you describe but his has a 1 piece spacer as opposed to 2 washers. I'm excited to get home and try them out.
So just a quick update. It looks like I have figured out a path forward. I am working on making some tooling to allow me to make kits forthe Axis style rifles. I hope to have this tested by the end of next month. I am waiting on some stuff to come in. Let hope it works out.
