Inherited this Savage Axis II .308. I fear it is loaded. Butt of bolt is protruding which indicates to me it is ready to fire. Bolt handle moves easily up but will not retract. I have tapped gently on the handle to make it move back but no luck. Tried that with safety on and off. I am thinking of Number 9 oil in the chamber from the mag slot. I am guessing it has been three plus years since the rifle was used/cleaned. Any suggestions? Not that familiar with the Axis II. Thanks.
Bolt on Axis II will not retract
- Thread starter bulldawg
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ONE-TEN
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It’s likely a spent cartridge that has swelled & is now stuck in the chamber. However, not knowing if it’s spent or a live round means approaching with caution. Unfortunately, you just need to force the bolt back. For instance, if I was dealing with this, I would try holding the rifle upside down over my wood bench, while resting the bolt handle against the edge. Then using a malot or block of wood on the buttstock. Another old, tried and true method was resting the buttstock on the ground and stepping down on the bolt to force it open.
In any case. It ain’t pretty. Can’t hurt to spray some slick stuff like WD-40 or #9, like you said. However, I have a feeling it will still need forced open.
In any case. It ain’t pretty. Can’t hurt to spray some slick stuff like WD-40 or #9, like you said. However, I have a feeling it will still need forced open.
Prairiedogger
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You might send a camera down the barrel. If it is a spent cartridge, you might be able to drive it out with a dowel or brass rod. Seeing inside should help.
Thank you both! I demounted the scope, squirted WD-40 top and bottom, and gave the rotated bolt a hard smack rearward with pine block and ball pein hammer. Worked like a jewel. Spent casing ejected. Looks like "corrosion" where the shell sat for the last three years or more. Now I don't feel bad about cleaning it thoroughly. The camera idea is good but the Dewalt battery was dead for my wall camera (of course).
ONE-TEN
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Awesome!
Make sure to clean the chamber & bore thoroughly! There is GOING to be some corrosion in there. At least in the chamber. Connecting bare Steel & Brass is the makings for Electrolysis! Specifically known as Galvanic Corrosion. Got the Steel as the Anode & Brass as the Cathode. Then, after sitting for 3 years (and especially in any humid condition), and the Steel corroding. THANK YOU Bill Nye the Science Guy!
Make sure to clean the chamber & bore thoroughly! There is GOING to be some corrosion in there. At least in the chamber. Connecting bare Steel & Brass is the makings for Electrolysis! Specifically known as Galvanic Corrosion. Got the Steel as the Anode & Brass as the Cathode. Then, after sitting for 3 years (and especially in any humid condition), and the Steel corroding. THANK YOU Bill Nye the Science Guy!
Plug the chamber with a rubber plug if you have one. And set the rifle upright muzzle down. And let some Hoppe's 9 soak for a day in it. You can push the plug out then with a cleaning rod.
Felchmiester
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I agree with coal crackers post and I'd like to add using a bore mop the same size as the chamber on a section of cleaning rod chucked in a drill, and some j b bore paste to polish up the chamber.
Wouldn't hurt to run a brush an some cleaner through the barrel after that use a mop the same as the bore and run it through with the bore paste about 25-35 strokes then run a few patches through an look at it. It should be a shiny smooth bore with crisp lands an grooves and less machining marks to collect lead or copper, powder fouling.
Wouldn't hurt to run a brush an some cleaner through the barrel after that use a mop the same as the bore and run it through with the bore paste about 25-35 strokes then run a few patches through an look at it. It should be a shiny smooth bore with crisp lands an grooves and less machining marks to collect lead or copper, powder fouling.
