Smoothing out the bolt

[alanwk]

Some youtube videos show using a bore paste to smooth out a rough bolt action. I am thinking of using an automobile rubbing compound to do the same. What do you think?

[baih777]

Clean it real good. Polish the friction points.
Which bolt action ?

[LynnJr]

Usually if you have clearence the bolt will slide smoothly.
I lap in my 700 replacement bolts to a thousandth or less clearance and they are as smooth as silk.
If you go less than half a thousandth putting the bolt into the action is harder but once it's in they tend to run smooth.
Make sure to clean out all the valve grinding compound when your done.
The video shows a replacement bolt with 0.001 clearance before the handle got Tig welded on and it's very slippery.
A Norton Deburring wheel works very well at smoothing one up.

https://youtu.be/EiVv_vO9MI8

Edit: I forgot to mention if your using a Norton Deburring wheel you don't need to polish up the locking lug pathway. The lugs stick outwards from the bolts diameter so all your doing is wearing out your wheel.

https://youtu.be/wtrxieSCbWk

If you compare the slop these are two Stiller Tac 408 actions and they have four times the clearance of my 700's after fitting the bolt.

[CWL]

We used to use toothpaste to work-in new actions.

[ar15barrels]

Some youtube videos show using a bore paste to smooth out a rough bolt action.
I am thinking of using an automobile rubbing compound to do the same.
What do you think?

What EXACTLY are you trying to smooth out?
Unlocking the bolt?
Pulling the bolt back?
Pushing the bolt forward?
Locking the bolt?

Some bumps are from parts mismatch.
Other bumps are from sharp corners.
Other bumps are from lack of polishing or lubrication.

Bore paste might polish something but it won't fix sharp corners or mismatched parts.
Those need to actually be tuned/fitted before you do the polishing at the end.