Savage 111 .243 Hard to open bolt after firing

[Dave Hoback]

I was just having a “yeeuk-yeeuk” moment efm77. Wasn’t at you directly. More so, how most all of us are in way of thinking.
Me included! :( That’s all.

[mnbogboy2]

Well I guess I should have prefaced it with not discounting the primary extraction issue. Never meant that couldn't be the problem, but was merely being observant of something I saw in the picture that could be another possibility. Excuse me.
The initial mechanical advantage of primary extraction in a savage should/will overcome any surface irregularity in the chamber. Wear on the rear baffle or bolt handle could cause this unless the baffle is missing or has been swapped out with one from a different bolt. I remember an article where I fellow lost one at the range and was looking to replace it. A simple twist of it when the bolt is out of the action can cause it to dislodge and fall off. The photo of the bolt above does not show it or its location. A good closeup photo could show the two related wear points.

[efm77]

The initial mechanical advantage of primary extraction in a savage should/will overcome any surface irregularity in the chamber. Wear on the rear baffle or bolt handle could cause this unless the baffle is missing or has been swapped out with one from a different bolt. I remember an article where I fellow lost one at the range and was looking to replace it. A simple twist of it when the bolt is out of the action can cause it to dislodge and fall off. The photo of the bolt above does not show it or its location. A good closeup photo could show the two related wear points.

Speaking from personal experience, that's not always the case. I have a Ruger M77 MKII that I re-barreled myself. I used a brand new, never used, finishing reamer to get the headspace right. It left the chamber rough enough, that I had to hit the bolt handle pretty hard to get the case to break loose from the chamber. The extraction cam on it works perfectly fine. After a little polishing of the chamber, it got a lot easier. He very well could have an extraction cam problem, no doubt. But a rough chamber can cause difficult extraction, I've seen it first hand.

[wbm]

Well Phooey! Just when things were getting more interesting the OP went away.