Savage No4 bolt issue

cornbinder49

cornbinder49

Regular
Rating - 100%
56   0   0
Hello all,

Recently acquired a Savage No4. The rifle is in beautiful shape. But there is something not quite right when trying to cycle the bolt. Some time the cocking piece binds up when dry firing. Also the bolt handle does not stay down against the stock. It springs back about about an 1/8 of an inch. (Likely causing the binding when dry firing.) Now I did some bolt swapping with a No5 I had on hand. The bolt from the No4 seems to work ok in the No5, but the bolt from from the No 5 does not seem to work in this savage No4 either. Did the savage No4 have a non interchangeable bolt with other No4s and this Savage has the wrong bolt?
 
The bolt should be numbered to match the rifle. Savage bolts are essentially interchangeable with other No. 4 bolts, subject to correct fitting and headspacing.
When dry fired, a Lee Enfield bolt handle may jump up. It won't when fired.
 
I think I may have found my issue. In the one picture is the inner locking recess of my No5, and the other is this No4. Not sure why the screw is in there. Maybe take it too the gun Smith and he can grind one side of the screw off, maybe fix the issues? Or part of the issues anyway.

20190927_215749.jpg
20190927_215831.jpg
 
Pictures are blurry but I think you are referring to the ejector screw in which case it should be there.

You can operate the rifle normally without it if you want to back it out for trials but it’s supposed to there.
 
The safety screw is nowhere near the rear locking lug recess nor is it the ejector screw. It most likely is a screw that someone put on the rifle to mount a scope base. Regardless if it is a scope screw
there should not be a screw in the bolt locking lug recess. Can you take a clear picture of the left-hand side of the action?
 
I can get a picture tonight. But you can see no signs of the screw on the outside. Looks like it has a continuous finish right over top. Maybe when the rifle was refurb?
 
20191001_165808.jpg
20191001_165754.jpg


Here are a couple pictures of the left side of the reciever. Looks like there was a spot where a hole was filled towards the front as well. Possibly an ex sniper? Or one that had a scope mounted for sporting use years ago, remove, holes filled, and completely refinished?
 
Leave it to photo-phuckit to well, phuckup your photos.

Switch to imgur.com, and we'll actually be able to see the photo(s) and associated details.
 
7ECA said:
Leave it to photo-phuckit to well, phuckup your photos.

Switch to imgur.com, and we'll actually be able to see the photo(s) and associated details.
Click to expand...

unless you pay for photo bucket your pictures will be bbllleery and we will not be able to see... go some where else to host photos :)
 
Ok, I didn't realise Photobucket didn't work anymore. They look good on my end. But like you guys said, you must have to pay for other people to see them. I will switch to imgur and see how things look.
 
Your imgur pictures are much clearer. To a millimetre, that is a really bad place to have a screw - looks like it is half ways exposed right on the bearing surface in the receiver for the left (lower) lug on the bolt. Check out the rear face of your bolt lug - is it damaged - have a chip missing or a gouge? From the last imgur picture, it looks as if the bolt lug would have only its very top corner bearing, and that would be solely on that screw remnant that is protruding forward of the back face of the recess.

I do not recognize that hole pattern - assuming the two overlapping holes just behind the front receiver ring are also fillers. WWII sniper rifles had their pads installed at Holland and Holland - I don't think that they mislocate drilled holes.

I guess I would also be concerned how a hole got drilled right there. I would have expected that the bearing surface of the bolt lug recess would have been hardened somehow. To drill a hardened area, often have anneal it first by heating red hot and then let it air cool. Afterwards, needs to be re-hardened. Not sure that what is shown is the work of someone who would do the re-hardening...
 
Last edited:
The two circles near the front of the body are, I think, just Maltby refurb stamps. I'm having trouble making out the screw holes at the rear locking recess area.

milsurpo
 
His third picture on imgur - sure looks like a screw end coming through the side wall into the top rear corner of the recess - but maybe I am seeing things...
 
It is a very bad place to have a screw. Looks like the bottom locking surface is damaged and compromised. I would colour both bolt lugs surfaces with a
black marker and put the bolt in top see if it touched the action surface.

It should touch on about 80% or more. Used rifle and all. If it doesn't take it to a competent gunsmith...

BTW this is a picture of a No 4Mk1(T) you can see where the screws for the mount would be.

DSC01680-1.jpg
 
Yes, what you see in the picture of the front of the reciever is an inspection mark. The picture doesn't capture the repair I am trying to show. And yes i see looking closer, the No4T mounts are in a different location. Looks like this may be one to return to sender.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom