Changing out Savage bolt heads

Rustydust

Rustydust

Active member
Hey Guys

I am planning on installing a different barrel on my Savage Model 12. Right now it has the .223 (.378") bolt head on it and I am planning on pulling that one off and putting one on for the .308 (.473") rim size. I do like the fact that all one needs to do to jump from one size rim to another is just change out the bolt head rather than the entire bolt.
As simple as it looks to do I thought that it might be best to check with some of you guys to see if you have ever done it and if there were any problems or things to watch out for. The reason I ask is that I know Murphy very very well.

Also, any of you know (or have one for sale) where I can get me a complete ready to go .473 bolt head? Midway has them but they do not have the ejector or extractor with them.

OK, thanks to all that read this and reply.
 
Being a bit of a Savage nut, your post got me interested in
doing a search. None of my sources sells the complete bolt head
with all parts installed. Midway does sell the extractor and
ejector parts:
https://www.midwayusa.com/find?userSearchQuery=Savage+extractor
https://www.midwayusa.com/find?userSearchQuery=Savage+ejector
and they are cheaper than Brownells or Sinclair Int'l.

I haven't changed bolt heads in any of my Savage CF's, but have
in the 10MLII. The process is identical. Just unscrew the allen
head bolt from the rear, flip the indicator to "fire" position,
remove the firing pin, then the unthreaded cross bolt, and
remove the head. Then reverse when reassembling. Using the
indicator, I recocked it by pulling on a piece of metal in
a vice and flipped it over to the cock position.

Gee, I hope Murphy didn't make me forget something!

Assembling the extractor parts MAY be a little more
interesting!
 
Voice of experience,assemble the bolt head inside a large Baggie makes it a lot easier to find that little ball when it goes flying out.Trust me on this!
 
Thanks for the replies so far guys!

It might be better to have a spare bolt rather than just changing out the bolt head. Even more so if I am going to add other barrels in the future. Midway does sell this one http://www.midwayusa.com/product/1778397...=ProductFinding but dont know if it is drop-in or what. I'll tell ya, I get so dang confused anymore it aint even funny.

Hey! Somebody come over here and put this dang rifle together for me, OK?
 
I keep a few bolt heads extra. Two in .473 and one in .532. If you get the bolt head(30bucks) and the install kit(20) it's just as simple as removing the pin that holds the bolt head in the bolt body. Swap them out in 5 mins. I'll be putting one together for my new 300wm this week soon as I get my stuff. Maybe I'll make a video...
 
Originally Posted By: RustydustThanks for the replies so far guys!

It might be better to have a spare bolt rather than just changing out the bolt head. Even more so if I am going to add other barrels in the future. Midway does sell this one http://www.midwayusa.com/product/1778397...=ProductFinding but dont know if it is drop-in or what. I'll tell ya, I get so dang confused anymore it aint even funny.

Hey! Somebody come over here and put this dang rifle together for me, OK?

It is,a drop in. Of course you would have to adjust the head space on your barrel.

It's so easy even I am comfortable doing a barrel swap in under ten minutes. Heck I bought a 25-06 and as soon as Bushy did the paperwork for me I took it home and made it into a 6.8 SPC. I bought a bolt from PTG and that took about five minutes to assemble. Very easy with the directions on the Internet.

Greg
 
Don't forget to check the firing pin protrusion. If you are changing bolt heads you will most likely have to adjust the firing pin. I like to set mine at .036 to .040
 
Like others have said. Easy peasy. I have done several and for the most part, it is, break the bolt loose with an allen wrench. Then unscrew it and lay the pieces out in the order you removed them. Push the pin holding the bolt head out and you are ready to put it back together. If you buy a bolt head and the spring/ball/extractor, be careful, that ball wants to fly away if given the chance. I would just use the one from the .308 bolt you are taking out.
 
Hey All

Made up my mind go ahead and just get the entire bolt. $100 on sale from Midway. That way when I go from .221 Fireball to .243 AI and back I only have to swap the barrels and bolts and go to town. Hopefully it will work this way anyway! If not, any of you want to hold Murphy down while I beat that s#it out of him?
smile.gif


Thanks for help and ideas. You a good bunch of guys you are.
 
YouTube is your friend. I changed mine out I went from 204 to 6.5x47 Lapua. Kevin Rayhill has everything you'll need but beware he is kind of a blow hard
 
Originally Posted By: devildoggYouTube is your friend. I changed mine out I went from 204 to 6.5x47 Lapua. Kevin Rayhill has everything you'll need but beware he is kind of a blow hard


Kind of harsh.
 
Originally Posted By: Rustydust
I am planning on installing a different barrel on my Savage Model 12. Right now it has the .223 (.378") bolt head on it and I am planning on pulling that one off and putting one on for the .308 (.473") rim size. I do like the fact that all one needs to do to jump from one size rim to another is just change out the bolt head rather than the entire bolt.
As simple as it looks to do I thought that it might be best to check with some of you guys to see if you have ever done it and if there were any problems or things to watch out for. The reason I ask is that I know Murphy very very well.

Also, any of you know (or have one for sale) where I can get me a complete ready to go .473 bolt head? Midway has them but they do not have the ejector or extractor with them.

Rusty,

No one mentioned this, and you didn't give an exact model type of your Model 12(DBM, BBM, etc), so I will add one more detail to your Savage transformation. I switched a Model 16, from 204 Ruger, to 260 Rem., and learned there was more to it than a bolt head and barrel swap. My Model 16 has a blind box magazine, and the blind box, and mag follower, needs to be changed to go from a 223/204 cartridge to a 308 sized cartridge. Switching barrels and bolt heads is a breeze compared to swapping out the blind box magazine. I invented new combinations of profanity, trying to get the front of the box magazine wall to flex enough to get the tab out of the slot in the action, to change blind boxes. If you are just going to single shot the conversion, then you probably don't have to invent new profanity, but if you do want a repeater, and you have a blind box magazine, then get ready for a wrestling match!

Squeeze
 
Originally Posted By: Squeeze
Rusty,

No one mentioned this, and you didn't give an exact model type of your Model 12(DBM, BBM, etc), so I will add one more detail to your Savage transformation. I switched a Model 16, from 204 Ruger, to 260 Rem., and learned there was more to it than a bolt head and barrel swap. My Model 16 has a blind box magazine, and the blind box, and mag follower, needs to be changed to go from a 223/204 cartridge to a 308 sized cartridge. Switching barrels and bolt heads is a breeze compared to swapping out the blind box magazine. I invented new combinations of profanity, trying to get the front of the box magazine wall to flex enough to get the tab out of the slot in the action, to change blind boxes. If you are just going to single shot the conversion, then you probably don't have to invent new profanity, but if you do want a repeater, and you have a blind box magazine, then get ready for a wrestling match!

Squeeze

Thanks for the tip but no, this will be a single shot. I have a single shot follower in it now as I do all my Savages. Not much need for a repeater for the kind of shooting that I do. And I like just dropping in a cartridge and closing the bolt. Don't know why, I just do.

And I am pretty good at swear words. I just dont remember what any of them mean anymore.
smile.gif
 
Originally Posted By: Lefty SRHThe front bolt baffle also has to be changed when going from .223 family to the .308 family.

It does? Even if I am changing out the entire bolt?
 
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