Floating Bolt Head | Performance Innovation

There are many factors when it comes to building an accurate rifle. Each component must be optimized for everything to work together perfectly for accuracy down range. Consistency is the recipe for accuracy in a rifle. The Floating Bolt Head is a Savage performance innovation designed to enhance accuracy on all centerfire rifles. 

The bolt plays a critical role and must do two things that contribute to accuracy. 

1. The locking lugs need to bear evenly in the recess of the receiver.
2. The bolt face must have full contact with the entire head of the cartridge.

For ultimate accuracy, a rifle relies on everything to be aligned with the bore. The chamber is cut in line with the bore to ensure proper positioning and pressure on the chambered cartridge. As the bullet starts into the bore, there needs to be equal pressure on all sides. The rear of the cartridge needs equal pressures on it when it is fired to help the bullet stay square in the bore. 

The cartridge head needs to have full, even contact with the bolt face and the bolt lugs need to have full, even contact with the receiver. If anything is out of alignment in this system, the bullet could be started down the bore with a different force each time. Consistency is key. 

With conventional solid bolts on factory rifles, the bolt does not usually fulfill these two functions flawlessly. Gunsmiths usually square a bolt with its action to create a perfect union. Material needs to be removed from either the bolt head, the receiver or both to square the bolt with the action. Generally, the barrel will need to be removed for this work to be completed. This can take a fair amount of time and expertise, which can be costly. 

Savage's Floating Bolt Head

Savage takes this extra work that may be needed and eliminates it up front with the floating bolt head design. Because the bolt head is a separate piece from the rest of the bolt, this allows for a minute amount of float and full engagement with both locking lugs and the rear face of the cartridge. The floating bolt head ensures that the bolt head perfectly aligns with the axis of the barrel each time a round is chambered, this eliminates the need for custom gunsmithing and gives shooters a more consistent action with the accuracy of a custom-built gun, straight from the factory. 

Learn more about Savage Performance Innovations.