# Smoothing an action



## Dyrewulf (Jul 7, 2011)

I have a .300 Remington Ultra Mag with a Choate M&T Ultimate Varmint stock on it, love the darn thing but cycling the bolt is rough, and other than taking a fine sander to the top of the internal mag, which I am very nervous about, I can't figure a way to smooth the action on it.


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## jmoser (Jul 7, 2011)

If you have a few hundred cycles on the bolt you should be able to see any obvious wear marks where it would be rubbing.  you can polish these with a XF Cratex wheel or Dremel pad with fine 600+ grit SiC compound.

The ultra Mags have a very long bolt throw - unless you pull back / push forward completely straight you are going to 'lever' the bolt sideways in the receiver with torque on the bolt handle.

Also you can lube the heck out of everything and see if that helps; no worries in warm weather and no wood stock to spoil.


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## Lead Poison (Jul 7, 2011)

Dyrewulf said:


> I have a .300 Remington Ultra Mag with a Choate M&T Ultimate Varmint stock on it, love the darn thing but cycling the bolt is rough, and other than taking a fine sander to the top of the internal mag, which I am very nervous about, I can't figure a way to smooth the action on it.



It looks like you have a Savage chambered in 300 RUM. Though they are good rifles, Savages aren't particularly known for smooth actions.

I believe some rifle builders use clover valve grounding compound to smooth up some bolts. 

Check with a good gunsmith like Gibby's. I'm sure they can smooth it up for you.


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## EMC-GUN (Jul 7, 2011)

Keep the Dremmel AWAY!!!! I would generously apply J-B Bore Lap and cycle the bolt about a bazillion times (that is a real number). That WILL smooth the bolt a bit.


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## Hammack (Jul 7, 2011)

I've used valve grinding compound on many an action to smooth them up.  Just be sure to clean them well when finished.


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## density1 (Jul 9, 2011)

If you mean that the bolt is difficult in opening and closing, try loosening the forward action screw. If that helps with the bolt, then your action screw is in too far. In Savage rifles the forward action screw goes up into the lug area of the receiver. Check your bolt and lugs for wear marks. If this is the case, you may have to shorten your action screw.


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## Bill Mc (Jul 9, 2011)

Make sure the screws holding the scope mounts are'nt too long.


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## Dave in N GA (Jul 11, 2011)

If you choose to use an abrasive paste on the bolt to smooth things up be careful not to lap the bolt lugs so much you change the headspace of the rifle. When I do this job I disassemble the bolt and use only  the bolt body being careful not to get the abrasive on the contact face of the bolt lugs. Clean all the abrasive from the action when done or it will continue to remove metal.


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## ASH556 (Jul 11, 2011)

The problem with the Savage actions I've encountered isn't so much that the metal surfaces aren't smooth.  It's more to do with the slop and so the bolt tends to get off-axis when closing and binds a bit.  

You want a smoother bolt, get a Remington, Sako, or pretty much anyone else's action.

Those Savages do shoot well, though.


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## triggerman770 (Jul 11, 2011)

*smoothing an action*

the Coate stock instructions tell you to torque down the action bolts to 65 inch lbs. If you did that on a Savage it will cause the bolt to bind some. so if you followed the instuctions you might try loosening the bolts a bit. Iput all mine at 35 inch lbs or so, and my Savage's that I put out are pretty smooth


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