Question about cooking and bolt lift on elite precision 338LM

[Robinhood]

When there is a loaded cartridge in the chamber and the firing pin is released, the pin only sticks out .020" to 025" at the most to ignite the primer and bottom out on the primers anvil. Reducing protrusion allows the firing pin to move further by reducing the over all length. Unless you put a shim between the pin stop and the bolt head, then you would realize no extra travel.

[Dave Hoback]

Exactly. This is a benefit of an adjustable firing pin setup for protrusion. If my firing pin protrusion is at at .050” and I adjust it to .035”, I’ve taken back that lost .015” of travel.

And Andrew, forgive me, I never said your plan would wouldn’t work. I said there is more going on. There must be some play for all the goings on in a simple turn of the bolt handle. That one turn of the handle serves to facilitate both the Cocking & Primary Extraction. Not to mention the Lugs engaging, as Robin pointed out. That said, I’m not trying to discourage you from trying something new. Heaven knows I certainly do, LOL! If you have access to other Sears I say have at it.

I’m looking at making my own at some point from some 4130 sheet steel I have. So who knows.. maybe you find the perfect shape/height etc., for maximum pin fall travel. If you do, let me know so I can incorporate that spec into a new Sear.

[Andrew863]

I'll for sure post the results once I get the time to give this a try, and I see what you were saying now Dave. I don't love the Savage trigger at all. But I am surprised they are as good as they are with what it's made out of. Also so basically with the non adjustable pin there is nothing I can do to limit protrusion? Can I go to the adjustable pin?

[Dave Hoback]

Yes, you can either file/sand the FP tip or, as Robin pointed out, use a custom shim(s).This would be my preferred option as well. I use various thickness Titanium sheet to make custom shims. Having .035” pin protrusion is the agreed preferred specification. You can also use the adjustable pin, however, many feel the 1-piece pin is the better option. It does provide for less Bolt Lift from jump street.

[Andrew863]

With some further research my firing pin is a adjustable pin, I had assumed it would be a single peice since this is a new rifle but looked up some pic and to my suprise it's a adjustable. Have you all ever seen this before.

[Dave Hoback]

With some further research my firing pin is a adjustable pin, I had assumed it would be a single peice since this is a new rifle but looked up some pic and to my suprise it's a adjustable. Have you all ever seen this before.

Ahhh, do you happen to have the assembly in the picture below? That’s the 3rd design. It’s like a hybrid of the two. Adjustable, but has the cocking indicator. Personally, I’d get rid of the cocking indicator portion & use a Lumley Titanium BAS with Lift Kit. Could simply cut off the leg portion and file the Cocking Piece smooth(what I’d do). Or just get a new Cocking Piece. Good news though as you can adjust the pin protrusion & help fix Bolt Lift some.

Lumley Titanium BAS & Bolt Lift Kit.(I use these and love ‘em!) https://lumleyarms.us/savage-bolt-lift-kit-old

Hybrid style firing pin assembly.
https://i.ibb.co/YtX7Vq3/14926-C48-2-ED8-4705-A95-E-E9-D79-EA77-B32.jpg (https://imgbb.com/)

[Andrew863]

Yes sir, that what I have. I'll toss it in that lathe and cut it down. I'll go ahead and order that kit also. What bolt handle do you prefer? I would like something threaded preferably. Also have a question on the adjustable pin. So if I spin the adjustable sleeve out on the fp .015, does that not just hit .015 sooner on the back of the bolt head or does it not make it to the bolt head when it's hitting a live round?

[Dave Hoback]

To adjust the FP Protrusion, you need to adjust the FRONT firing pin stop nut. This article explains it. https://www.savageshooters.com/content.php?143-Firing-Pin-Protrusion-Data

I prefer the Bolt Handle from the same place, the Lumley Titanium handle. But I also used the Glades Armory & they well also. Go with whichever you like the most. As for the bolt knob, I actually machine those myself.

Lumley- https://lumleyarms.us/savage-titanium-bolt-handle-right-hand

Glades- https://gladesarmory.com/product-category/savage-arms/savage-10-110-right-hand-savage-arms/

[Andrew863]

I was setting firing pin protrusion last night and noticed the pin was dragging a lot in the bolt head. Took it apart to the bare firing pin, I then noticed it was bent. I put it in the lathe today, and its .042 bent. I got it down to .0025, so I think this is going to help my light strike issue I have had a few times and it has to help ignition by not dragging on the bolt head. I have to tell you for a (factory blueprinted) action they did a pretty piss pore job if they did anything at all.

[Dave Hoback]

You may have just opened the door to needing the Bolt head Bushed. If the FP is loose within the bolt hole, it can result in cratering primers. So look for that condition after. If you see cratering, that’s why.

[Andrew863]

I do have a small amount of primer flow but nothing bad at all. I may bush it one day when I have some extra time but for now anyway its not even close to what I would consider bad.

[Dave Hoback]

I mean since turning down the pin today. Not beforehand.

[Andrew863]

No, I staightend the pin, I didn't do any cutting on it. If I had cut all of the bend out I wouldn't have a firing pin left lol. I only have .002 to .003 clearance on the FP to bolt head bore. That's the one thing they did a decent job on but then they gave me a bent pin lol.

[Andrew863]

I mean since turning down the pin today. Not beforehand.

Just re read my post, I can see why u thought I turned it down. I just put it in the lath so I could put a indicator on it to check the fp. Then used a small brass hammer and tapped the pin on the high spot till I got it as good as I could. Which is now only .0025 of runout.

[Dave Hoback]

Ahh, I apologize. Yeah, I get what you did. You just bet it back the other way.. smart. ;)

[Robinhood]

I was setting firing pin protrusion last night and noticed the pin was dragging a lot in the bolt head. Took it apart to the bare firing pin, I then noticed it was bent. I put it in the lathe today, and its .042 bent. I got it down to .0025, so I think this is going to help my light strike issue I have had a few times and it has to help ignition by not dragging on the bolt head. I have to tell you for a (factory blueprinted) action they did a pretty piss pore job if they did anything at all.
That is what makes them fun....you get to fix them.

[Andrew863]

Lol, I don't know about fun but I am seeing a drastic improvement. I have a good friend that stopped by a couple days ago. He picked up my savage and he said man what have you done to this, my savage don't feel like that. He has the same gun. He wants me to do his now. I do wish Savage and Remington would both take a a little more pride bc they both have something good, it's just the fit and finish both need work.

[Dave Hoback]

Lol, I don't know about fun but I am seeing a drastic improvement. I have a good friend that stopped by a couple days ago. He picked up my savage and he said man what have you done to this, my savage don't feel like that. He has the same gun. He wants me to do his now. I do wish Savage and Remington would both take a a little more pride bc they both have something good, it's just the fit and finish both need work.

Fit & finish costs dollars & cents; neither of which either company wants to part with.

[Andrew863]

I would think on the higher end versions they would atleast get to a Bergara or Tikka level. I work in manufacturing and it would up cost but a extra 100 for a 2k rifle would be well worth it in my eyes. I just think there are small things they could do the make a huge difference.

[Andrew863]

So I ended up finding a good deal on a Jard trigger, so I grabbed it to give a try. I can for sure say it's much better then the accutrigger stock and still better then a worked over accutrigger mainly bc the feel of the blade is horrible to me. One thing I just found that the Jard sear takes advantage of the distance the cocking cam cocks the firing pin. For me with the the accutrigger when the bolt would hand off the cocking pin to the sear I lost .045 of travel. With the Jard I'm only losing .015. So I gained .030 of usable firing pin travel that I also seen in my results today. I was getting 5 shot group sd's as low as 3.8. I still have a few more things to try but this action is getting good.