Fat bolt rifles - I like 'em

[Jessesky]

Two lug will have a longer throw but will be both smoother and easier to cock (all else being equal).

Again all else being equal, you should have more leverage for extraction with two lugs than any higher number of lugs.

 

[MCMXI]

Two lug will have a longer throw but will be both smoother and easier to cock (all else being equal).

Again all else being equal, you should have more leverage for extraction with two lugs than any higher number of lugs.

"all else being equal" is the problem, and I guess you've never handled a Savage!

 

[Varminterror]

"all else being equal" is the problem, and I guess you've never handled a Savage!

Love the precision, love the price, but I’ve felt chain booms which ran smoother than Savage bolts.

 

[LoonWulf]

"all else being equal" is the problem, and I guess you've never handled a Savage!

Love the precision, love the price, but I’ve felt chain booms which ran smoother than Savage bolts.

 

[earlthegoat2]

Back in my bolt gun days the nine lug Wby Mk 5s (3 in a row arranged in a three lug pattern) were way smoother than any 2 lug.

That is probably the rifle I would go back to if I become interested in bolt actions again.

 

[Pat Riot]

“Fat” bolts? Is that some lame new slang?

Sorry, but I think the description of the number of lugs is quite sufficient. No offense meant if you picked the term up from someone and thought it was a common descriptor.

If they were called “voluptuous bolts” or “smokin’ hot easy bolts” perhaps I could get on board with those.

 

[LoonWulf]

“Fat” bolts? Is that some lame new slang?

Sorry, but I think the description of the number of lugs is quite sufficient. No offense meant if you picked the term up from someone and thought it was a common descriptor.

If they were called “voluptuous bolts” or “smokin’ hot easy bolts” perhaps I could get on board with those.

chubby bolts maybe?

so 3 lug bolts and fat bolts arnt necessarily the same.
The term fat bolt is used for bolts that have a body the same outer diameter of the lugs. I don't believe I've ever seen a 2 lug turn bolt with the larger body dia, but there maybe.

There are a number of multi lug bolts that do not have lug dia bolt bodies.

 

[MCMXI]

love the precision, love the price, but I’ve felt chain booms which ran smoother than Savage bolts.

.... and the heaviest bolt lift of any current production rifle I've ever owned, used or handled.

 

[LoonWulf]

.... and the heaviest bolt lift of any current production rifle I've ever owned, used or handled.

I've managed to adjust my firing pin tension well enough that my Savage is only like...twice as bad as my Abolt......
course 1/4 turn out more an I risk missfires....

 

[Walkalong]

I've not heard the term "fat bolt" before but do use the common term "full diameter bolt".

Same here, my Hall actioned Benchrest gun had a full diameter bolt, very smooth action.

I would not say one has an advantage over the other as far as being reliable, you still have to operate them properly. And of course the action has to be designed and made well. Lot's of two lug designs out there and the differences in them are substantial.

We tended to baby actions in Benchrest, but you still had to pull the bolt all the way up and all the way back before pulling the case out and putting in another round before pushing it all the way forward and all the way down.

I see folks jam up actions at the range when it isn't the actions fault, operate them, don't baby them, they can take it.

 

[taliv]

(But for sure some actions are better than others)

 

[someguy2800]

.... and the heaviest bolt lift of any current production rifle I've ever owned, used or handled.

Man you can say that again. There are some tricks to lighten it up but still I can lift my bvss off the bags by the bolt handle.

 

[Walkalong]

(But for sure some actions are better than others)

Absolutely!