Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Gunsmithing Bolt handle not going all the way down

My bolt handle doesnt rest completely flush on the bottom of the notch cut out for it. It hits the back side (wont go down all the way)and there is a mark developing on the stock and the handle from this continual contact. Do I need to dremel out a little more space so that it goes easily to fully closed position.

Back away from the Dremel tool!

What bolt handle is that? You can open the back of the notch to clear but then you are left with a huge gap to fill and paint. Did he attach the stock? I would recommend giving Mr. Coleman a chance to address the problem before going world wide with it.

edited, didnt mean to call anyone out, Was stating that I didnt build it. it is a stiller predator. if the color is molded in< will I have to paint it?

It needs to be rebedded a hair farther forward. There is a little slop intentionally built into the holes so the stock does not contact screw. The recoil lug is the main rearward motion stop, not the screws.

Sometimes folks use masking tape on the front of the lug when bedding which leaves a gap allowing the lug to move forward when assembling, so the collision with the cutout is missed. That is one of the reasons I do not like taping anything other then the bottom of the lug.

Once got a screaming deal on a 700 custom shop 300WM because someone had freefloated the lug... Taking it to extremes!

Sure looks like a 700-style bolt in a 721-722 stock.

Bruce

More like a Stiller bolt handle in a 700 bolt notch. Judging by the pic, the action is bedded slightly too far back. Or it could be the subtle differences between the Stiller action and Rem 700 inletting. The Stiller bolt handle definitely needs a different bolt notch.

I would send a pic to McMillan, and request assistance. Or if you're handy with a round file, epoxy and dyes you could do it yourself.

MtnHtr

I'm sorry, but as nasty as the stock looks, I would just grind it off. It is also touching on the glob of something under the bolt. I don't think you could tell the grinding from globs in the fiberglass and dirt in the paint. This wasn't done at McMillan.
Butch

THANKS.... not handy in stock work at all. I ordered a stiller inlet I do know that. It was sent to the smith though and I saw none of it till it was completely built and sent to me

butch, tell me what you really think!

I am thinking it should look like these stiller predator bolt handles do in the inlet



or this

Sako75,
As I said "sorry". I guess that after you do some body work on it and paint it, it will look great.
Butch

Paint? That is a gelcoat stock. One could easily remove some material with a round file and then touch up the area with some dyed epoxy. I've done this more times than I can remember on a variety of syn stocks. In this case, the only gelcoat touch up needed would be on the inner side of the bolt handle notch.

Done right, one would never know.

Sako,

You might have the Stiller inletting, but you certainly do not have the Stiller bolt handle notch cut-out. You have a Rem 700 bolt handle notch cut-out. (I've seen this before with Mod 7 and Rem 700 stocks - they require different bolt handle notches)

Contact McMillan, they will make it right.........

MtnHtr

well I spoke to the smith and he will resolve the issue when I send it to him which will be after hunting season.

I appreciate all of your information. THat is why I come to this forum, you guys are great.

That notch is not for a Remington swept back handle, which is what we fit. IF it had a standard Remington notch, it would fit. The notch is obviously cut for a straight handle, not the swept type like we have or Remington uses. Anyone putting a predator in a stock can use the STANDARD Remington inlet.

SHEESHHHHH, what a bunch of Bullshit! The only one who got it right was Butch Lambert and Stiller. Cut out the offending part of the stock and make sure it is relieved all of the way so the bolt handle don't touch anywhere on the stock itself. If you leave it the way it is and shoot it, you will experience some accuracy problems. Get it done before you go hunting. As for rebedding it to move it forward in the stock, I raise the BS flag on that one.

Geez! I agree that about 40 seconds with a small flat or triangular file on the stock will rectify the issue. Take a little off beneath the bolt and behind the bolt handle and go have a drink. If one really wants to be anal, put it all back together, apply some lamp or bedding black to the bolt handle and fire a few rounds. If black shows up on the stock, shave off a little more. 1Minute

I wouldn't shoot it the way it is. I don't think the bolt will lock up completely.

As others recommend, a few minutes with a file, along with a bit of paint should fix it. Also, make sure it is not touching the bottom of the notch when all the way closed.

I would use a round file, about 3/8" in diameter, what we used to call a rat tail file.

I just looked at my 700 notches and yes that one does look a little too square to be a Rem 700. One thing is for sure, its the wrong notch.

SO I STAND CORRECTED! (and man enough to admit it)

And JKob, you can't say you never made a bad call. At least I never butchered up and ruined a customer's perfectly good Win 70 action..........

MtnHtr

MtnHtr,
Do you have any photos of the customs that you have built?
Thanks Butch

I wouldn't fire that rifle without the bolt completely closing and the lugs fully engaged. The bolt notch appears to be wrong by the looks of the pics you have SAKO75. This can be easily fixed by us here at mcmillan or you could use a steel file and just sand out some room there for your bolt to close. Don't worry about chip'n or sanding marks, we can patch over that with ease with some of our forest green gelcoat. No problem.

I would not fire the rifle, it is not going into battery. file it out and get McMillian to fix it after the season. I have a rifle that would throw a filier. It drove me nuts. I had a little contact on the bottom of the bolt. releived it and the groups stayed in little clusters. That is the 1st thing checked once I pull one from the bedding for now on.