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Rem 700 bolt

Dnk9444

Well-Known Member
Joined
Jan 8, 2019
Messages
85
Location
Arkansas
I have a factory rem700 from about 2014. It has a pretty hard and gritty bolt lift. What can I do or have done to it to make it smooth and lighter on the bolt lift.
 
Have you had it apart?
Is it hard to lift the entire travel, or just at the start or at the end?
I have my suspicions, but you will need to disassemble the firing pin assembly from the bolt body.
To do this easily, do this, using your shoelaces loop, place it in the rear notch of the cocking piece, pull rearward and turn the bolt body counter clockwise and screw the bolt off the firing pin assembly.
I'm suspecting the pin that attaches the cocking piece to the firing pin is either protruding, bent or a combination of both.
Also check the firing pin spring for debris lodged between coils, machining swarf or a broken spring. If you've had pierced primers, look for the blanked disc inside the bolt body.

Let me know how you get on.
I will give you more instruction if you need to disassemble the firing pin assembly.

Cheers.
 
Have you had it apart?
Is it hard to lift the entire travel, or just at the start or at the end?
I have my suspicions, but you will need to disassemble the firing pin assembly from the bolt body.
To do this easily, do this, using your shoelaces loop, place it in the rear notch of the cocking piece, pull rearward and turn the bolt body counter clockwise and screw the bolt off the firing pin assembly.
I'm suspecting the pin that attaches the cocking piece to the firing pin is either protruding, bent or a combination of both.
Also check the firing pin spring for debris lodged between coils, machining swarf or a broken spring. If you've had pierced primers, look for the blanked disc inside the bolt body.

Let me know how you get on.
I will give you more instruction if you need to disassemble the firing pin assembly.

Cheers.
Ok. I have not had it apart. Primer and everything are fine. I was just wanting it to feel smoother and easy. I'll look in to breaking it dow and checking it. Thanks.
 
This will make the job much easier.


I've disassembled a couple of mine and polished the cocking pieces and the ramp with 400-1000 grit paper.
For lube I use a mix of white lithium and moly powder. In one of cortinas podcasts talking to Jim Borden he said that's what he used in his actions.

Watch some of cortinas shows with Borden and speedy. They get into some discussion on fire control tricks that really help the accuracy in 700's. I've worked over all of mine and all benefitted quite well from it.
 
If your Rem 700 has scope mounts attached possibly one of the mounting screws connecting the scope base to the action might be a hair too long and is sticking through the action and binding the bolt. Try loosening each mounting screw and then operate the bolt to see if it gets any smoother. Might not be your problem but it's common and an easy fix to shorten the offending screw a few thousands of an inch. Here is a link to this thread on this forum. Good luck, let us know what you find out.

 
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Check your front action screw and make certain its not too long or protruding into the bolt.
 
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