Bolt Action, hard to eject?

[Jack321]

Bought my 10yr old a Savage Axis 350 Legend compact rifle for deer season recently on a Black Friday deal.

Took it to the range to sight it in, and MAN does it require a lot of force to open the bolt face after firing a shot. Like HOLY COW I really have to use a lot of force to eject a shell.

Any suggestions on what could be causing it to be doing this?

For what its worth:
The gun is a left handed Axis.

I mounted the scope, put an M*Carbo spring in it for a lighter trigger pull and when its unloaded the bolt functions perfectly, slides nice and easy as it should. Trigger also functions as it should and the gun fires fine, just the bolt is tough to open after firing.

I'm also using factory Remington Core Loks for ammo becuse thats what grouped best.

I also know its an Axis and its not a $1k Tikka. Ive had a bunch of Axis' over the years as have a lot of my relatives, and none have ever been this tough to open to extract a shell.

I bought it for a low budget option for a youth/compact rifle for my kid to grow into and use until he can get a full size. In fact, I purposefully bought this one because I was able to take the butt pad off and take off the 1" stock spacer to make it a lefty, compact/youth gun and then when he gets bigger, add the 1" spacer to make it a full size stock. And because i live in a straight wall area its a 350L that wont kick my kid to hard (suppressors are also illegal in my state). So I was limited in my options for a youth, lefty, straight wall deer gun.

 

[207North]

Have you cleaned the rifle?

How many rounds fired since cleaning?

What ammunition is being used?

 

[wyosteve]

Most common would be overpressure loads or a chamber not cut/reamed correctly.

 

[LaHunter]

Bought my 10yr old a Savage Axis 350 Legend compact rifle for deer season recently on a Black Friday deal.

Took it to the range to sight it in, and MAN does it require a lot of force to open the bolt face after firing a shot. Like HOLY COW I really have to use a lot of force to eject a shell.

Any suggestions on what could be causing it to be doing this?

For what its worth:
The gun is a left handed Axis.

I mounted the scope, put an M*Carbo spring in it for a lighter trigger pull and when its unloaded the bolt functions perfectly, slides nice and easy as it should. Trigger also functions as it should and the gun fires fine, just the bolt is tough to open after firing.

I'm also using factory Remington Core Loks for ammo becuse thats what grouped best.

I also know its an Axis and its not a $1k Tikka. Ive had a bunch of Axis' over the years as have a lot of my relatives, and none have ever been this tough to open to extract a shell.

I bought it for a low budget option for a youth/compact rifle for my kid to grow into and use until he can get a full size. In fact, I purposefully bought this one because I was able to take the butt pad off and take off the 1" stock spacer to make it a lefty, compact/youth gun and then when he gets bigger, add the 1" spacer to make it a full size stock. And because i live in a straight wall area its a 350L that wont kick my kid to hard (suppressors are also illegal in my state). So I was limited in my options for a youth, lefty, straight wall deer gun.

“Open the bolt face”. Can you clarify? Hard to lift the bolt or hard to pull bolt back, or both?
When you chamber a round, does the bolt close easily or does it require force?
How does the bolt cycle when the gun is empty?

 

[207North]

Missed the remington ammunition part. Hornady had some that were way over pressure and caused a similar issue with my 350.

Note the velocity and loose primer in the action.

 

[Jack321]

Have you cleaned the rifle?

How many rounds fired since cleaning?

What ammunition is being used?

Remington Factory Core Lokts is what the gun liked when sighting it in.

But I was using Remington Core Lokts, Federal Blue Box, and Nosler Whitetail country

It was my first time sighting it in. Gun wasnt "cleaned" before using. Ive never had to clean em before sighting in, didnt notice anything off or wet or cosmoline when I pulled the stock to lighten the trigger pull so I left it as is.

 

[207North]

Remington Factory Core Lokts is what the gun liked when sighting it in.

But I was using Remington Core Lokts, Federal Blue Box, and Nosler Whitetail country

It was my first time sighting it in. Gun wasnt "cleaned" before using. Ive never had to clean em before sighting in, didnt notice anything off or wet or cosmoline when I pulled the stock to lighten the trigger pull so I left it as is.

One thing that I frequently see causing heavy bolt is oil or cleaning solution left in the chamber and bore. This is usually gone by 10 or so rounds and the rifle will act normal after.

Sounds like this is not the case for you either.

How does the fired brass look?

 

[Jack321]

“Open the bolt face”. Can you clarify? Hard to lift the bolt or hard to pull bolt back, or both?
When you chamber a round, does the bolt close easily or does it require force?
How does the bolt cycle when the gun is empty?

Hard to life the bolt after firing. Once lifted it comes back fine.

It loads fine, no excess pressure needed to load the gun, nor excess pressure needed unloading live rounds. Bolt cycles fine when empty.

 

[beerbucksducks]

If you can, post a pic of the head/primer of a couple fired cases. Sounds like a pressure issue and if it is you will probably see an ejector mark on the head of the case. If it happens with all of the different ammo you tried, it’s probably an issue with your chamber.


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[mtnbound]

Hard to life the bolt after firing. Once lifted it comes back fine.

It loads fine, no excess pressure needed to load the gun, nor excess pressure needed unloading live rounds. Bolt cycles fine when empty.

Sounds like you have some “hot” loads. I would try a different batch of ammo and see how they work.

 

[wind gypsy]

How heavy is the bolt lift when you dry fire it? Compare that to a fired round.

Did the other ammo you tried exhibit similarly stiff bolt lift?

 

[hereinaz]

Likely cause is that cases are gripping the wall so tight “primary extraction” is difficult.

• Could be over pressure rounds. If all ammo does it, then this is less likely.
• Could be oil in the chamber/on ammo causing over pressure. It does it after shooting many/cleaning, less likely.
• Could be a rough chamber making it hard to pull it out. Does brass walls have scratches on it? Will persist until fixed.
• Could be missized chamber. Will persist until fixed.

I would likely call Savage and send it back, they should pay for shipping.

I want to see clear pics of the brass to look for pressure signs and the walls for scratches.

If you can get a clear pic inside the chamber that would help too.

 

[RifleJunkie]

Any signs of pressure on the spent case? Flattened or cratered primer? Extractor mark on head?

 

[Jack321]

Any signs of pressure on the spent case? Flattened or cratered primer? Extractor mark on head?

Didnt notice any when firing.

Im heading back to the range on Thurs. I'll try and report back.

 

[Jack321]

Likely cause is that cases are gripping the wall so tight “primary extraction” is difficult.

• Could be over pressure rounds. If all ammo does it, then this is less likely.
• Could be oil in the chamber/on ammo causing over pressure. It does it after shooting many/cleaning, less likely.
• Could be a rough chamber making it hard to pull it out. Does brass walls have scratches on it? Will persist until fixed.
• Could be missized chamber. Will persist until fixed.

I would likely call Savage and send it back, they should pay for shipping.

I want to see clear pics of the brass to look for pressure signs and the walls for scratches.

If you can get a clear pic inside the chamber that would help too.

Thanks. Im clean it. And Im heading back to the range on Thurs PM, ill try some of your suggestions.

Ill also have two other Savage Axis' with me and compare.

 

[Jack321]

Any signs of pressure on the spent case? Flattened or cratered primer? Extractor mark on head?

Not that I noticed, but I also didn't specifically look. I'm heading back to the range on Thurs.

 

[Jack321]

How heavy is the bolt lift when you dry fire it? Compare that to a fired round.

Did the other ammo you tried exhibit similarly stiff bolt lift?

So I just took it and cleaned it as best as I could.

I also compared it to the Tikkas, Ruger Gen 2, Ruger M77, and Rem 700 hunting rifles I have and they are are ALL much easier to open to chamber and the bolt doesnt take near the effort.

I also notice that the most effort is needed when the black cocking piece pin is disengaged. As we all know on a bolt as were pushing it up, the last 20° the cocking pin is disengaged, it takes a little extra effort.

That 15-20° is the "tough part."

On my Tikkas, Rems, Rugers theyre all obviously "better guns" with better fit and finish, but that seems to be were the most effort needs to be exerted.

Unfortunately, I dont have any of my brothers/Dad's Axis' to compare too (sold them all and upgraded) so I just dont know if its the fit/finish of this Axis....?

I did clean it really good, and Rem Oil the crap out of that cocking pin and it "felt" smoother. I also aggressively racked it a good 50-75 times to try and wear it in.

It still requires more force than all my other rifles, for sure. Which makes me leary becuase its my kids gun. And he certainly doesnt have the same force I do as an adult.

I guess I'll just have to wait and see on Thursday.

 

[wind gypsy]

I've always used grease rather than oil on the cocking ramps. Not sure how big of a difference that makes.

Any cock on open 90 degree bolt that takes more effort to cock than a 70 degree tikka is suspect to me. Seems like there's something wrong with the ignition system if it takes a lot of effort to cock without a fired case gripping the chamber.

 

[hereinaz]

What does the back of the bolt head lugs look like?
Is the cocking ramp rough?
Is the slot the cocking pin rides in rough/too narrow?
Does the bolt, firing pin, etc. look normal.

It could be a combination of things. Savage Axis are not the best to begin with, and it could be a stacking of problems. But, if extracting a fired case is very hard, then I would start there.

 

[hereinaz]

I've always used grease rather than oil on the cocking ramps. Not sure how big of a difference that makes.

Any cock on open 90 degree bolt that takes more effort to cock than a 70 degree tikka is suspect to me. Seems like there's something wrong with the ignition system if it takes a lot of effort to cock without a fired case gripping the chamber.

Agree 100% ^^^^