Savage 93R17TR headspace issue

[vmwerks]

We recently purchased a Savage 93R17TR for my father's birthday. It was used but was sold a s a low round count gun. After taking it out we noticed that there was alot of powder burning down the sides of the spent cartridges. The backs of them were bowed out and the primer strikes looked light. The accuracy is way off compared to my .22 MarkII TR. Is the headspace adjustable on this gun as in the centerfire model 93's? It actually looks like teh bolt handle to receiver interface is what determined headspace - I hope I am wrong though. The face of the receiver that contacts the base of the bolt handle is worn a little.

When you close the bolt and put pressure forward and let go it snaps back a bit.

Video here:

https://picasaweb.google.com/108121752957374175290/August152011#5641218858359734658

[BSlacker]

You are correct about the bolt handle root and the receiver being the lockup. The movement is not good. Headspace is factory set by the barrel being pushed back against the bolt face and then pinned. Headspace could be bad due to the bolt rim recess being to deep spec is, .051" +.000/-006, or the bolt not going far enough forward and pressing against the barrel. You can measure the depth with a mic.
Bottle necked cartridges tend to shoot with a clean case body due to the neck seal. A little bulge and a lot of soot would indicate head space or chamber issues.
A little while back Savage had a batch of bolts on the .17s where the recess in the bolt face, where the rim goes, was not square or flat bottomed, the bottom surface was tilted so that one could see it by eye. They quickly develop headspace problems after only a couple of hundred rounds. Check yours.
Otherwise send it back to Savage.

[vmwerks]

BSlacker thanks for the info - it was much more than I had expected. Savage is getting the rifle back for service...