I've never had much time with a bolt action rifle, so I have some questions.
When locking and unlocking the bolt, there seem to be two parts- one, where the bolt seems loose, then it seems to get really tight before it completely locks up. So what causes the two stages? Is it just the locking lugs engaging? Or is there some other mechanism at work?
Pic related is a Howa action, which is what I've played around with. Maybe it doesn't really happen with other actions?
>Is it just the locking lugs engaging?
Yes
I believe there is a lead in angle to tighten it, as opposed to an ar15 where the bolt goes straight in and then rotates; the two motions being separated (on the ar15)
Tighten may not be the correct term, but it pulls the bolt to the correct (predefined) headspacing
>>30448727
Yes.
It's kinda like a Mauser or Mosin action.
You ram it home and then lower the bolt, and it travels forward a little bit more when you lower it.
This it the locking lugs engaging/tightening.
Also the force of cocking the striker, depending on when that happens in the cycle.
>>30448691
Thats just the locking lugs engaging and the firing pin being cocked back.
When the bolt is "loose" it's just sliding on the rails, it's not actually loose.
>>30448691
Cams
Can anyone draw me/find me a diagram to demonstrate?
So when I'm rotating the bolt and it starts to tighten up, the lugs are engaging and they get tightened due to cams? so locking lugs on a bolt action rifle I'm guessing have .001" of overlap, causing them to tighten as they engage?
>>30449494
there are little angles on your bolt lugs
They engage with other angles, it pushes your bolt forward, cocking the striker
When it gets past that angle, it's easy and is in lockup against the flat faces
>>30449569
Pic related
The lugs are easy to turn in full engagement up until it hits the cam surfaces and the striker spring pulls the bolt out
If you fire the gun, then you're using opposing cams to push the bolt back and force the casing out of the gun
>>30449592
pic related is the extraction cam
it forces the bolt open to pull the casing out