Can you buy a spare bolt for a gun

[MeccaOz]

A mate of mine looking at getting into shooting, asked me if you could buy a spare bolt for a gun.

Not something I've even thought of really.

I'm assuming yeah you should be able too, but Im not 100% so it's nagging at me.

Can anyone give me a yes or no ??

[mausermate]

Do you mean are they procurable? is it legal? or is it possible? I have 2 bolts for an old 22. Got the 2nd bolt second hand with no questions asked from a dealer, popped it in and it works a beauty. Snapped the handle off the old one and lost it.

[MeccaOz]

Do you mean are they procurable? is it legal? or is it possible? I have 2 bolts for an old 22. Got the 2nd bolt second hand with no questions asked from a dealer, popped it in and it works a beauty. Snapped the handle off the old one and lost it.

Yeah that pretty much answers everything mate

[riggee]

You must be able to.

People will lose them, break them etc.

[Bark]

If I remember rightly the VIC safety book talks about losing your bolt.

Not saying you've done anything wrong, just acknowledging that it can happen.

[AusC]

I can't remember how we got talking about this but I did with my LGS ages ago and they can order in new bolts.

Not something anyone stocks probably because obviously it's not an every day item, but he said they can get them in.

[nords]

That's gotta be a wait getting a bolt special ordered.

Don't imagine anyone but the manufacturer would have any in stock.

[MeccaOz]

Thanks guys. Mucho helpo

[mausermate]

Someone else with a little more technical expertise may be able answer things a little better. You do need to worry about headspace. Barrel needs to match the bolt. I didn't have any problems with my old .22 but you may with larger calibers. All guns are not the same.

[Chronos]

Bit late on this one but there was a guy a few years back who dropped his Sako bolt out in the field.

Beretta Australia gave him one option, send the action back to Finland to have a new bolt fitted and returned to him.

From memory the cost of a new sako bolt was going to be about the same price as a Tikka.

In the end he bought a new rifle and his home and contents insurance returned some if the cost.

[MeccaOz]

Bit late on this one but there was a guy a few years back who dropped his Sako bolt out in the field. Beretta Australia gave him one option, send the action back to Finland to have a new bolt fitted and returned to him. From memory the cost of a new sako bolt was going to be about the same price as a Tikka. In the end he bought a new rifle and his home and contend insurance returned some if the cost.

Chronos

Well thats handy to know mate

[AusC]

You do need to worry about headspace. Barrel needs to match the bolt. I didn't have any problems with my old .22 but you may with larger calibers. All guns are not the same.

I forgot to mention that for my post above.

My LGS said they could order them in but you'd want to give the whole thing to there smith to fit and check.

Not just pick up the bolt and off you go. I never pressed for more details and haven't had to do it myself but that's the brief story I got.

[Apollo]

Okay, for a Sako that is the story... You want a new / spare factory bolt it goes back to the manufacturer.

Local Gun Shop other than Beretta products may be able to get you a replacement / spare bolt be it the same case head or other but it's up to them to advise you that your Firearm needs to be checked... Headspace....!!!!

A dangerous situation for the unskilled and not advisable to the general firearms owner..

However, there are a few people here on the Forum that I know and I know they are quite capable of checking Headspace. I just did nearly the same story with a Barrel pulled of another Tikka and I put that on my firearm. First thing I did with the correct measuring equipment was measure the "Headspace" and it happily enough was exactly the same as I currently had with my modified Tikka Action... "Tight Headspace" where I make my own cases fit....!!!!

So, take a different bolt, yes ... You must have the Headspace checked. Yes, you can buy a new one or even a second hand one. You will have to produce a firearms licence.

A custom rifle like for example ..Stolle ... If I want to change from my typical .308W Bolt Face I can order a new Bolt, no worries and not needing a Gunsmith or any checks because their specifications are so tight anything made is extremely tight in measurements .... the killer ..... The Bolt will cost about $1,200.00 last time I asked....

Was thinking of a PPC Bolt Face .... I quickly forgot that idea.

[MeccaOz]

Thanks Apollo, Honestly that may have been what was nagging at me. I didnt even think of headspace. I think bloke wants a spare to be honest. me I very rarely take the bolt out of any gun I own so i doubt I'll be loosing it in a hurry lol

[Apollo]

The crux of the story for a "Factory" rifle is they check the "Headspace" because they aren't custom firearms makers and they check it conforms to a tollerance, but it's rather slack. BUT, mix either end of the spectrum and you could end up with a very dangerous situation..hence why in general you will get a denial of a manufacturer selling you a spare bolt.

Buy one secondhand and please have it checked out... You only have one life...!!!!

[joojoobeans]

The crux of the story for a "Factory" rifle is they check the "Headspace" because they aren't custom firearms makers and they check it conforms to a tollerance, but it's rather slack. BUT, mix either end of the spectrum and you could end up with a very dangerous situation..

Geez that's poor.

I would have assumed buy a Ruger .308, lose the bolt, buy another Ruger .308 bolt, problem solved. Or borrow the bolt of your mate with the same rifle. You get it.

I bet the majority of shooters probably think the same.

[Apollo]

A lot of people don't understand what Headspace actually is, yet alone what is required to correct it from insufficient amount to excessive amount of headspace and the dangers involved.

You can create either buy using a different bolt that is not the exact same dimension as the original. Same thing changing a barrel that doesn't match the original chambering.

[joojoobeans]

So how off perfect can it actually be?

.0001 inch? .0010? .0100 of an inch?

[jordy]

Got this off a Savage forum from another member, (take it with a grain of salt) apparently .006 is industry max margin of error for headspace?

That sound right to you, Apollo?

[1290]

Moral of the story; DON'T lose your bolt and don't consider a 'spare' unless you size the spare exactly to the original bolt - bearing face of lugs TO bolt face dimension, assuming of course the original bolt is head-spaced within tolerance.

Replacing the bolt will involve re-fitting the barrel to the bolt, unless the rifle uses the barrel nut system of Savage (now used by Mossberg, Remington Ruger Marlin) in which case the basic chamber is reamed in the barrel then you simply screw the barrel in toward the closed bolt until headspaced (contacting the Go gauge)....

[Apollo]

Got this off a Savage forum from another member, (take it with a grain of salt) apparently .006 is industry max margin of error for headspace?

That sound right to you, Apollo?

That would be an absolute maximum but could still cause ploblems, I'd be more inclined to think half that dimension.

An example....

I had a Tikka T3 Action trued by my Gunsmith. He shaved about 0.0035" off the face to square it true then fitted a custom chambered barrel. My original factory barrel is now shy that much headspace. Two choices I have, one is to have the barrel fitted with a washer like a seperate recoil lug in front of the action but pinned to the barrel, now I have an extra factory barrel so both would have to be done then that is set up so it regains the proper headspace OR as I am doing I custom size all my cartridge cases and knock the shoulders back and additional 0.0035" to get back to normal headspace which in my case is about 0.002".

One hickup I now face. This is a .243W and I just received 200 new Lapua Cases, they are all about 0.004" too long. They will chamber but it is a very tight crush fit closing the bolt. I don't accept a crush fit chamber as it puts extra stress on the locking lugs and risk gawling them so I have to full length resize all these 200 cases before proceeding further. A better way is to use a Body Die to bump all the shoulders back without working case necks so I'm waiting for that to arrive from the USA.

Funny thing, I grabbed a couple of factory rounds a mate has and they are so short they will chamber easily. From a proper headspaced chamber the factory cartridges are about 0.006" shorter.

[jordy]

Interesting, cheers Apollo.

[morerams]

Headspace tolerance varies with different cartridges, old ones often having nearly double the difference between the go & no go gauges, typically modern cartridges have .003" between go & no go and there is another .003" to the larger 'field' gauge.

The go & no go being manufacturing tolerance and the field for in service use in that if the bolt closed on the field gauge then the rifle should be withdrawn from service and repaired.

Generally you can buy replacement bolts, but they are not cheap, for a centrefire rifle most will be over $500.

[kurl]

$500

Talk about gouging people because they don't have another option.