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This has probaly been asked before,but has anybody come up with a way to repair a Savage MK4 bolthead track,when the bolt keeps keeps jumping out of its track.Is it scrap,or can you do somthing to save it.The rotateing bolthead will disengage itself when cocking and opening the action.The track itself,not the bolthead is worn.
I have an RCMP No 4 Mk1* that is similarly damaged, but mine not near so bad as yours (I can cycle the bolt ad nauseum and the bolthead stays in place, but very little is required to disengage the bolthead with finger pressure).
The receiver can be repaired by a very good gunsmith with judicious welding and filing, but only the functioning is restored, not the collectibility.
I've heard of the bolthead being modified so the the front of the groove is opened up so that it funnels the receiver rail into it more effectively.
I thought about welding,then milling,filing,but you would need to have it heat treated,to the orginial surface hardness.Did you hear anything about that? I think I recall reading that the miltary would just scrap them out,because of the cost,and the safety of a reheat treated firearm,so they don't go boom on you.It has the Isaphore screw in it,and I paid about $200 at AIM for it,several years ago.It is U.S Property marked,lend lease gun.Thanks
Hang it on the wall and buy a No.4 Mk1 to shoot. I've seen so many Savage No.4's with this problem that I no longer trust them. It isn't uncommon to find a half inch chipped out of the track. You don't see it as often on Longbranch rifles, but as Andy can tell you, it does happen. That * bolt release slot was a really crappy idea, I often wonder why the North American factories adopted it.
That rifle is hanging on a wall.I have several dozen Enfields,I just wanted to try to save it.The reason they did it that way,was to cut production time.War time savings on production time was a big thing,I ran machine tools from WW11 with a little plate attached,that said "WAR TIME PRODUCTION FINISH",the machine surfaces were not finished to a smooth finish.They even made C-47 aircraft out of magneseium,RICKY NELSON died in such a aircraft,once they started on fire,that was it,it burned it self out.Steel pennies too,in the US coins.
I.M.H.O. Hang it up and don't take any risks like that. I've lost two friends in five years as a result of pushing the envelope of shooting, one fella shot and the other had a Lee Navy blow up in his face using hand loads. Both of these guys were truly arms experts that forgot the rules. A faulty receiver is very similar to a pipe bomb. The repair could indeed be made but must be heat treated, anealed then refinished if it is to be a safe shooter, the costs out weight the benafits, no chances, just fun-SDH
We had some Mk1*s at school and it was relatively common for this to occur. It was usually caused by wear at or pieces coming out of the 'slot' where the bolt head is inserted. The rifles were annually inspected by REME and any with wear or chips out of the slot were scrapped.
I knew the guy that was killed by the Lee Navy gun,he was the Sarco miltary rifle expert,a hell of a nice guy,I remember he only got one shot off with a handloaded round,the bolt came back and hit him in the head.