Quieting-down the noise of cycling a bolt action rifle?

I just got my first bolt-action rifle a couple of weeks ago - have a couple of .30 cal semi-autos, a slide-pump.22 and a Rossi .45 lever rifle. The new, noisy rifle is a synthetic stock Marlin 917 (.17 HMR). Besides being more than a little sticky to rotate the bolt to lock-position and jerk it back up out of lock to rack rotation, it is JUST PLAIN NOISY. Lots of hard clunks against bolt-rotation stops, but also several clicks and clacks as you withdraw the bolt and several more clacks and pops as you slam it forward again.

I guess I am spoiled. The .308 Win semi-autos are probably just as noisy, but the bolt-cycling/feeding noise is all over before the muzzle report has subsided. The slide pump and lever action rifles are well-worn-in and just make a pleasant, continuous clatter as you cycle them.

I know that the Marly 917 is a low-end rifle, so I shouldn't expect much. But I cannot imagine getting off a second shot at squirrels, rabbits or other skittish game after cycling this little beast.

Can anyone give me a recipe for deburr, lap-and-polish, honing or other simple "fluff & buff" steps to loosen this bolt action and make it quieter? Or maybe some after-market springs of lighter weight could be sub'd in, if I keep the action clean so I don't need idiot-proof gorilla-stomp spring tension? I mean, for crying out loud! - we're talking the smallest-bore rimfire available, 0.17". How many bank-vault-gauge bars and bolts and springs and latches are really needed?

Or am I just up S__t Creek in a chicken-wire canoe with a paper paddle? All bolt actions are this clunky? Here is a video of a $10,000 rifle, Remington's newest Modular Sniper Rifle (MSR), wherein the sniper could be heard racking his bolt a mile away at a train-crossing (while the train is passing by!!) Is this normal?

Krochus,

I s'pect you're right on all counts.

I really do want the action to cycle more smoothly. It is sticky. The way I was raised around machines, quieter means it's workin' better. But maybe it is just an asthetic thing.

I still do want good amateur gunsmithing advice, though.

The rest of the stuff I threw in was to stir up a good, heated thread. I get a check each month from Art Eatman according to how many provocative threads I start or fan the flames of. (What? You didn't know about the THR "rebate" program )

Uncle Mike,

I think you are right. The spring that determines cocking force IS very stout. On the rear end of the bolt assembly there is a protruding cap or indicator that is in the rearward position when the gun is cocked and snaps forward when you pull the trigger. You CAN cock the gun by manipulating this protruding cap alone, if you are Gozilla and have a pair of vice-grip pliers to grip the cap with. Actually, it was when I was trying to de-cock the gun that I played with this protruding cap. I hear it is bad to dry-fire a rimfire action, because the hammer (or firing pin) might dent the "anvil" if there is no cartridge in the chamber. Is that true of this Marly 917 rifle? Anyway, it would be nice to be able to gently de-cock the gun. This strong spring appears to be the main reason you cannot do this operation.

Why is there such a stout spring on this motion? Surely it does not take that kind of force to detonate a wimpy, thin-walled rim-primed cartridge? I guess the stout springs overcomes a multitude of sins if you let the action get really gummed up and sticky...

Too bad to hear that there are not readily-available after-market springs for the 917 to lighten this aspect of the action. Could I just snip off a couple of loops of the stock spring? It would be better to have a full factory-length spring, just formed out of lighter wire, I think.

cpileri,

Thanks for the tip. I'll look and see if the bolt handle strikes there...

Uncle Mike said: Keep it wet with a THIN oil like Kroil and while your doing nothing in front of the TV for the next month, cycle the bolt over and over, often wiping the oil out of the action and off the bolt when it turns dark, re-oil and repeat.

In essence, you're breaking the action in....accelerated style!

Click to expand...

What about using Hoppe's No. 9 Solvent for this breaking in? It is really light and would "float away" rubbings fairly well. And it is a little bit oily, to keep rust from forming.