For some time now I have seen an occasional odd duck as far as savage bolts go. It is a new single piece firing pin and it is here to stay. According to Savage all savages from 2019 and on will be using this type of uni firing pin with a cocking indicator.
The cocking indicator is how most people have separated them however there are older savages that do in fact have a cocking indicator with the older style multi piece firing pin. So I prefer to call the new one a single piece firing pin with cocking indicator.
Now I believe that it is in an improvement. A BIG improvement. Sure, it is not as adjustable as the old one but a competent gunsmith or machinist can modify these new ones too. It just requires some time on the lathe cutting things instead of turning the wacky washers that they used to have. The crown washers that retain the spring will not be missed by me. They often brake and that would sometimes cause shooters issues with heavy bolt lift and they would never know it unless they fully disassembled the bolt. Something very few shooters ever do.
Another reason why I like the new firing pin is that they are actually straight. The older ones were terminally crooked. Probably 97% of the old ones I have come across are crooked.
Lastly the new bolt has a lighter bolt lift even from the factory. BUT I have been able to improve the bolt lift even more. Installing the new bolt lift kit is quite simple. I put together a quick video on how to install it bellow.
My bolt lift kit is simple. Savage puts a wire washer inside the bolt to provide a slipping point. However this sometimes hangs up and it is still a lot of friction. The kit I designed replaces the wire washer inside the bolt with a thrust bearing that fits over the shaft of the cocking indicator. Making a thrust bearing that would fit over the cocking indicator and also still fit inside the bolt body was a tuff one but special tooling makes it a reality. To compensate for the extra space taken up by the bearing, a washer is put on the BAS screw to move it further back and thus keep the spring tension the same. The washer is key to making the entire kit work as the thrust bearing will not permit the bolt to cock without the added internal clearance.
I have both black and stainless steel washers to match your rifle. I write this article during some rather troubling times. Keep calm and keep reloading.
“I ordered one of your lift kits a few days ago. I received it today and installed it in about 5 minutes. A VERY worthwhile improvement! Thank you for a terrific product.
All the best to you and yours,
Jose” JLT on Accurateshooter.com
Where can I purchase the new lift kit in Canada?
Because of the anti gun laws in the USA we cannot export parts out of the country.
How long does shipping normally take? I ordered a lift kit a few weeks ago and haven’t received it or confirmation yet.
Hi Thomas. Tracking from the system says that it was delivered. We just made some changes to our system so you will receive emails automatically with updates on tracking and order status in the future. Thanks.