How to make your Ruger American Ranch BUTTER SMOOTH!

[@thomaspike1475]

I know this video is 7 years old, but after watching this I realized I have two Ruger American Ranch rifles and a jar of JB Bore Paste. So while watching TV last night I did 600 action strokes. No more zipper sound and both are smooth as butter. Thanks for making the video.

[@jackw7148]

To do 600 strokes is about the stupidest thing I ever heard.

[@DouglasThompson]

@jackw7148 I do more than that in one nightly session...

[@thomaspike1475]

@jackw7148 I had 2 rifles, 300 strokes each as recommended in the video is 600 strokes total while watching TV.

[@DouglasThompson]

BTW the "strokes" was an easy school-ground joke I made. Lol but seriously, it sounds like more than it is.

[@JamesClark-lw6sw]

I simply lubricated the bolt on my zippy sounding 2014 vintage RA 308 and SHOT THE DAMN THING a few hundred times. VOILA!!! SMOOTH BOLT! I bet the bolt on mine is as smooth as yours snd I did not get abrasives in the trigger machanism or bolt lugs recess like you cretins did .😂

[@johnowen7105]

I'm going to need you to demonstrate the sound it makes again.

[@davep1808]

That was my favorite part of the video..

[@DouglasThompson]

Vvvvvvvvvttt vvvvvvtt

[@Dale37]

🤣

[@glennllewellyn7369]

Heh heh heh...

[@christopherpeterraby]

@@DouglasThompson lol

[@michaelrandell4021]

As a machinist, we call that lapping. Diamond Rouge in a grit compound we use to put a mirror micro finish on parts in a lathe. On outside or inside diameters. The process breaks the peaks of the surface finish down to a smoother finish. If you had lines you could see that finish was probly a 125 finish because you could rub you finger nail on it and feel the lines. With that compound you wore the lines down to or under a 32 or 16 microfinish or better. You can use a drill press and jewel the bolt with a wooded Dowell. MiwayUSA gunsmithing video shows Larry Potterfield do this video is free to watch. Hoped this helped and explained this process.

[@wyateerp1]

But White Litheum is not good on a Firearm

[@mikemagnum7987]

I wouldn't have thought of using a bore cleaning compound for lapping an action in, but you certainly showed us how well it works for that purpose! Sweet video my friend! Thank you.

[@DouglasThompson]

Mike Magnum thank you for watching! It is a very consistent compound, very repeatable. :) glad you got some use out of the video!

[@randyrainbow6692]

I picked up my Ruger Ranch yesterday and when I put the bolt in during assembly my son looked up and said" That ain't good!" Glad I found this video because I have never had a new rifle sound like that. Easy fix. Thanks

[@Freezermeat]

This video is funnier than it was meant to be haha

[@lsmitty1992]

Based on the editing this guy is naturally hilarious.

[@randalla7106]

Good video Doug, The Ruger American's bolt sounds like finger nails scratching ballistic nylon. I have been using JB bore polish combined with Kroil to lap barrels and restore so called "shot out" barrels for decades. It would take a whole lot more than 300 or 400 hundred strokes to erode enough of the lug surface to affect the head spacing, but as you mentioned, if it concerns you don't do it. Pretty simple. In today's world of the mass production of firearms much of the hands on procedure's such as hand lapping barrels and bolt lugs and has been omitted. I just acquired an American Predator in 22-250, the first steps in my break in process for any firearm, new or used is to clean the bore completely with sweets 762, followed by running a appropriate sized swab with JB and kroil for around a hundred strokes. Flush the bore with hoppes and then off to the range, quick clean the barrel after each shot for the first 20 rounds the after three rounds for the next 20. The JB bore polish has been around for decades and is still a preferred choice of veteran shooters for polishing and occasional deep cleanings.

[@jimdickey6492]

I used 400 grit sandpaper to smooth the main bolt body first, this probably eliminates 300 of the bolt strokes necessary to do this job, I finished by coating the bolt with a thin layer of Turtle wax Rubbing Compound and probably 50 strokes. I did the bolt lugs too. Being a former 07FFL/SOT for 6 years and having experience matching bolts to barrels with savages and remingtons, I agree with the other users comments that this will not mess up your headspace. We're talking about ten thousands of an inch, SAAMI dimensions are far bigger in terms of tolerance. The first generation of these rifles were built with a long headspace, which is the reason that people have the light strike issue. This "mod" is in my opinion a mandatory break-in procedure. Between whacking a full turn off the trigger spring and doing this job, this gun feels like a worked over Tikka or CZ. Lots of Sub-MOA loads tested, cast and jacketed, subsonic to 2100 FPS for the 125 grain handloads. If your on the fence about buying one of these, don't be. You'll spend about 2 hours doing the trigger, smoothing the bolt, and clearancing the barrel to stock for a reliable free float no matter the shooting situation. After that, you have a rifle that a major manufacturer would charge you $1100+ to buy off the shelf. It doesn't like to feed the last round from the 5 (actually 6) round magazine if the bullets have a large flat meplat nose, but a little jiggle and that last round drops right in. BUY ONE OF THESE AND A SMALL ASSORTMENT OF SANDPAPER, YOU WILL LOVE IT WITH A 2-7X SCOPE!!!!!

[@karachikungfu7371]

Jim Dickey Hi I just bought one of these. Could you explain the trigger and free float mods you speak of. Can’t wait to get it ready. Thanks

[@pyrofful]

NW Green- He is talking about taking a dremel (or generic tool) and using it to grind away parts of the stock that touch the barrel preventing a true free float. The rifle is well known to be flexible and hit the barrel. Look up KZbin videos. Usually people use some type of hardener from epoxy to bondo to high $$ stuff to stiffen the forend. If you want (I did) add weight before you apply resin....and only apply resin to the top of the support bracing (new version has a supportive X pattern) then once it dries reassemble and use a dollar bill or price of proper to slide between the barrel and stock. If you get any hangups take the stock back up and grind that area down a bit. LOTS of good info and videos online look it up for more detail. The magazine is a piece of cap on the ruger American and might need to be filed down to properly feed. Real simple again look at KZbin. Best of luck a few hours of time and you have a quality rifle

[@chrisruiz3269]

Subscibe to me please

[@pamelaforth7820]

I just bought a Scout and was somewhat concerned about the difficulty of operating the bolt. (I'm a weak old lady of 68). I appreciate your idea and your video. I'm ordering the compound tomorrow.

[@DouglasThompson]

Let me know how it goes! :)

[@ArchAngel77758]

Uh oh. No update??

[@jmt8706official]

@@ArchAngel77758 It probably worked so well, she is still at the range ringing steel. 👍

[@crackerjack9120]

Hi Doug, the comments is the reason I do not put videos on the tube. Too many people are ready to argue instead of just watching for ideas. We or they do not have to use ideas. Thanks for the idea and video.

[@DouglasThompson]

Danny Mc thats a nice thing you said, man! Thank you for watching! :)

[@diesel_delph9764]

You can disable the comments

[@vincef5832]

WOW Isn't it great we have someone show how to get our bolt smooth? LMAO. Get outta here.

[@mrhellotherehowareu1384]

No you don’t put any videos on KZbin because they suck. No need to make up a false story about how you don’t want people to argue.

[@AvocaSingleTrack]

And every one of them NEVER has any content. They will criticize if you clear your throat twice in a video ...lol and none of them has ever made a video.

[@gunfreak9mm]

Update, I did this to both my 30-06 and 243 with a $6 tub of Mothers car compound. They are now butter smooth and quiet. Thanks again for the awesome video.

[@DouglasThompson]

Nice! Glad you were able to get it smooth as butter! 1 more success story with this method. ;)

[@Jcasta8]

How long did it take?

[@bluesfanman1]

JB is for removing copper fouling in your bore. It definitely works. Never considered it for this purpose but I’ll try it. 👍🏻

[@DouglasThompson]

It seem to do the trick and smoothed the action quite a bit for me.

[@electropentatonic]

Hogs are like "did you just hear someone unzip their pants?"

[@DouglasThompson]

Lol

[@jamesgriffin7626]

Did this for my Savage .17HMR. Action was sticky and needed a firm hand to cycle. Tried this method with a couple hundred actions and can already feel a big difference. Thanks for the recommendation.

[@DouglasThompson]

You're welcome!!!

[@ericc.7000]

l use jeweler's rouge for the same thing. Superfine grit, and is red so it's easy to see where its applied, and where it needs to be cleaned.

[@louiscatoire3269]

My new Ruger5 American Ranch was not as bad as this guy described but there was a vibration. I followed his instructions and after about 100 strokes, the vibration was gone. Great video!

[@DouglasThompson]

Cool man! I wish I would have got video of my action before I did the smoothing but Im haply it worked out for you too!

[@eirizarry2568]

Purchased a Ruger American Today and watched your video. Yes my bolt was not as smooth as I expected it to be so I did just what you showed here on your video. I ran the action through several hundred cycles. I cleaned it again and sure enough...there was a significant improvement. Thanks. Now my action is moving as expected. . Great Idea, I am glad that I watched this.

[@eirizarry2568]

Another thing that I noticed when working the action was a small "Pin" protruding from the tip of the bolt knob that was sharp. After about a hundred cycles...It was irritating my palm. Closer inspection revealed the Pin. A little bit of filing with a finger nail emory board smoothed it off without scratching the bolt knob.

[@DouglasThompson]

Thank you so much for sharing! Im glad I could help!

[@kupel00]

Doesn’t matter, how many critics you got, but you got really great result, the way you done it! Thank you for great ideas!

[@KingKiavash]

The only thing I would suggest is that if you're going to do this, make sure to NOT get any paste on bolt face and back of the lug so as not to affect the headspace at all. Everything else seems gravy.

[@takinisurvivalchannel3812]

^ this

[@jizzmonkey9679]

Hou won't take off enough material with bore cleaning compound to affect the headspace ,even the harsh lapping compounds would take a few thousand cycles to have a significant effect.

[@marsiloficino5060]

Ultrasonic clean if that happens

[@ottokittel709]

yes king is correct! 50 years of gunsmith experience, never mess with locking lugs, and bolt face!

[@JamesClark-lw6sw]

​@@jizzmonkey9679WRONG..WHY DO YOU THINK THE BOLT GOT SMOOTHER? THE DUDE IS AN IDIOT.

[@ChristopherLorine]

I just did something similar to this yesterday using, 400, 600, 1500 grit sand paper then moving on to polishing compound (Flitz) and ultimately a buffing wheel on my dremel. The result was a highly polished and slick bolt with a mirror finish. There is no sound and the smooth movement is like a fine jeweled watch.

[@DouglasThompson]

Nice! Makes you feel more proud to own something when you have put work into it!

[@SuAmigoElilegal]

Why would u sand it. Don't be stupid just leave it as it is and put some oil or some bit of grease

[@denverwynn4]

@@SuAmigoElilegal if you owned one of these rifles you would know that no amount of oil or grease makes the zipper sound go away

[@AndrewJohnson-gx5cl]

I did this myself, bore lapping compound works amazing. So much smoother and quiter...

[@DouglasThompson]

Nice!!! ;)

[@thecamocanoe]

Picked up a used Ruger American .270 from a pawnshop the other day. I did notice those vertical lines, and was questioning that, and It didn’t have that Ruger zipper sound everyone talked about. Previous owner must’ve lapped it as you did here. Makes sense now. Great sound effects….lol

[@DouglasThompson]

@thecamocanoe lol thank you! :)

[@zachaliles]

I think the term you're looking for is lapping. You're basically lapping the bolt to the receiver.

[@DouglasThompson]

zachariah liles Yes, basically.

[@eirizarry2568]

lapping is a similar process...but it applies to the bolt "lugs" rather than the bolt body. Lapping the lug or lugs helps ensure the pressure on each of the lugs is even (uniform) when locked.

[@robertortega8524]

7 years louder and I tried this and it worked like a charm. Thanks a lot!

[@DouglasThompson]

@@robertortega8524 ;)

[@lakesidebc]

Dude behind the counter at my LGS called the corduroy pants noise, "the Ruger signature sound". Great video, thanks for sharing the tips!

[@DouglasThompson]

Lol...Sorry for the 2 years late response! Mine now sounds like a pair of yoga pants. ;)

[@michaelbowman7558]

I agree with comments about keeping the abrasive off of the bolt lugs. However, using it on the bolt sleeve should certainly be no worse than machining in the "jewel" patterns onto the bolt. Here's an idea to remove residue of the abrasive. Try Birchwood Casey Gun Scrubber spray to clean it

[@jasonpadgett2288]

Awesome. I just got my Ruger American 30-06. Doing a new Boyds stock to make it more accurate and was thinking "now how can I make the bolt quite without deer and elk hearing the slide"? Question answered! Thanks!

[@michaelfleming9618]

I achieved this by sanding the bolt with 1500 2000 and 2500 grit sand paper and polished with mothers mag polish and I was a lot smoother. Great video btw. Any little info to make ur gun smoother in any way is appreciated!

[@Phamyunx]

I also use sand paper to smooth my Remington 700 bolts

[@twistedmunchkin7598]

Hi Doug Im from New Zealand and own a Ruger American myself. To create a smoother bolt function I had my bolt fluted. Adds some nice design to the bolt as well as save a few grams (not that it matters) Hope you can consider this an option

[@DouglasThompson]

Twisted Munchkin thats a pretty cool solution! Im sure it wasnt cheap. I dont think I will spend any more money on the rifle but it is a great suggestion for others, I think! :) Thank you for sharing!

[@twistedmunchkin7598]

Douglas Thompson Hi doug, it is a relatively cheap option as any machine/engineering workshop should be able to do it with a drilling and milling machine.

[@samuelneil2691]

@@twistedmunchkin7598 that would not really be an option in America. Most engineering workshops would not touch critical firearm components. You'd need to go to a gunsmith and if they were to flute your bolt it would cost near half price of the rifle. That is money you would not get back if you were to resell in the future. I'd think most folks would put that money into a better scope and just lap the bolt like the video.

[@SavageHmr]

I used valve compound on my savage action now it’s smooth.

[@tlbfarm4473]

Did this same operation for both of my Ruger Americans. Much Mo Bettah!!!

[@DouglasThompson]

Glad I was able to inspire you! :) Thank you for sharing your experience with my method.

[@NoodlesIsstrong-ii2df]

I do this with flitz. Back in the day when all firearms needed a "break in period". I ran flitz on the rails of my pistols and I swear it worked out all micro burs and gun ran better. Maybe not, but this is definitely old man gun science.

[@luxordeathbed]

Used flitz on a ruger 77 357 to make the rounds feed better on the ramp. About 2 hours of watching videos while using a q tip and now no problems. Makes sense it would work this way too.

[@pmdoit]

Flitz is great stuff.

[@juriscivilis8248]

Kindly mention the flitz product’s complete name so I can buy that.

[@Kamon67]

Glad I found this video. Just got a ruger ranch and I was wondering how I can make the bolt travel more silence. Will give a try with JB bore compound. thanks !

[@DouglasThompson]

Thank you for commenting, let me know if it works out for you.

[@fastpat1]

I'd recommend using spray brake cleaner to degrease before polishing, and to remove the compound after the complete job. Then add lube of your choice.

[@takinisurvivalchannel3812]

With...the stock removed. Brake cleaner, depending, can melt plastic.

[@takinisurvivalchannel3812]

Cool flag.

[@fastpat1]

Yes, absolutely. Do not use abrasives with the action still in the stock.

[@JASmith-oy8db]

Thanks for the video. Awesome tip. Ordering some of that compound for my American now, since I hate the corduroy pant effect!

[@PileofBrass]

The micro grooves actually give oil a place to pool on the metal surfaces. An absolute smooth metal surface will shed oil as it abrades against another smooth surface. So there is a small benefit to the micro grooves in that they carry a micro thin coat of oil on the affected surfaces.

[@DouglasThompson]

True but my smoothing technique doesnt fully remove the lines, just reduces the peaks. :)

[@greatcornholio5541]

@@DouglasThompson plus the white lithium grease doesn’t need those micro groves to work…you’re all set mate

[@wyateerp1]

Ok Scientist, Its not engine. Its a Bolt. DA

[@PileofBrass]

@@wyateerp1 It's your story, mensa man.

[@johninphx9360]

Just ordered one...thanks for the heads up. .....Update. I finally got my Ruger American ranch. They must have made changes. My bolt is silky smooth right out of the box.

[@DouglasThompson]

Thanks for the update, maybe my video made them see the error of their ways! Lol

[@nandayane]

It’s hit and miss QC, is abominable. Action is the worst I have seen.

[@calebdoner]

I took sandpaper to my bolt and smoothed it out before I even took it out to shoot it for the first time. Just some fine grain sandpaper perpendicular to the ridges and rubbed those peaks off. Not sure I would really want to run the JB in the action and wear the reciever too. I just wanted to knock the ridges off the bolt.

[@DouglasThompson]

Fair enough, my goal was to mate it to the receiver as well as knock the edges off so they would know eachother better. :)

[@steelyemry9612]

awesome video! soon as I heard your demonstration of the sound I couldn't help but laugh hysterically! for that I liked and subscribed. my sounds just like that and thanks to you, i can smooth it up!

[@DouglasThompson]

Thank you! Ya this worked wonders, many on here recommend you not get any compound on the lugs but other than that, you're GTG! ;)

[@mikewheeler1939]

Hahahah same here

[@glizzybobbler9483]

It sound like a zipper

[@RemanentSphere]

​@@DouglasThompson any change on this or any word 6 years later? How're the components? Need to replace anything?

[@DouglasThompson]

No need to change anything. I don't use the rifle much.

[@gordoncouger9648]

Before you start sanding or polishing smoke the bolt with soot from a candle and run it throuh the action and see what is actually rubbing. You can also use Dykum or a Sharpie like they do here kzbin.info/www/bejne/q5a0gpekgqh3gtk, If you can find the spot that caueing the prolem aquick swipe with a India stone fixes it. You don't want to polish gun parts glass smooth or they won't hold lubrication very well. If you look at surface cut by a single point lathe tool it looked as if the steel was torn from the part. Depending on the steel, tool, speed, depth of cut and coolant used those tears will be 0.00075 to 0.0015 inches from valley to peak. I studied that rather well on 25 helicopter rotor blade mounts I had to bore a 2 and half inch hole with a +2 -0 ten thousandths of an inch tolerance and get a ground finish in lathe by using brake hones. The hone would cut a thousandth fast and then take then next 0.0005 really slow and I had better end up in tolerance because a hone won;t cut steel it just grind of high spots. If you can feel tool marks with your fingernail they are at least 0.0005 deep. I used to be able to hear them at about 0.0003 inches deep if it was quite enough. I can still feel them but can't hear them at all.

[@tonybrannen1740]

Very good advice

[@buckstarchaser2376]

That corduroy sound comes from the lathe and milling machine operations that cut the chunk of metal down into parts. A respectable manufacturer will perform finishing passes as they come up to the final dimensions. Recalculating your cuts so that it ships more or less functional with rough cuts means that it can't be made to function correctly by further material removal steps. This is the ultimate kick in the nuts, because they seem like we just need to do the final finishing ourselves, but the material that needs to be removed to make that happen represents its service life.

[@jizzmonkey9679]

On cheap rifle like this you can't expect finishing passes to be carried out,you won't get a tikka or AI feel bolt on a £400 rifle,.

[@buckstarchaser2376]

@@jizzmonkey9679 While I agree with that observation, I want to point out that $400 (or pounds, if your keyboard does that) "back in the day" would get you a safe full of well-made, hand-fitted guns, and the cheapening of the guns is strongly related to the cheapening of the currency(ies), even when guns are used as a currency.

[@jizzmonkey9679]

@@buckstarchaser2376 but it isn't "back in the day"

[@jordanhicks5131]

@@buckstarchaser2376 and "back in the day" that $400 represents a LOT more money due to inflation.

[@Hamish_Whitehaven]

this guns are 800 to 900€ in Europe..

[@bws7037]

This actually worked surprisingly well. I'm well into about 450 cycles and I reckon I'm about 2/3 to 3/4's away from being done. That being said, I can't stress anymore what Hogman mike said: Keep it off of the lugs! That's just asking for trouble and failures.

[@ScoutSniper3124]

Lapping Compound, for engine valves does the same thing, and you can get it in various grits of abrasiveness at your local auto parts store.

[@p47rr]

Actually 1911 builders use too use valve grinding compound. Not now. Because it leaves partials. In the metal. And you will. Wear out parts faster. Especially stainless.

[@LarryeWhite61]

I've used 3M 2000 grit wet/dry polishing paper. Mirror finish now and silky smooth and quite

[@suz400uki]

How did that work out a year later? Is it something that needs done every year or more? Thanks for the idea!

[@niclavalliedrums8537]

I was going to say wouldn’t it be faster to use high grit sand paper?

[@LarryeWhite61]

@@suz400uki Still working great. Now i'm polishing with Simichrome metal polish and wool wheel on a dremel tool.

[@LarryeWhite61]

@@niclavalliedrums8537 that would be but, Your goal is to reduce friction. I'm also using Simichrome metal polish

[@TheValiant2289]

A machinist that used to do precision shooting said that polishing the bolt and leaving the slight machining marks in the receiver makes them buttery smooth while giving less contact points for friction. That's another reason why people flute bolts for that and to help it function if dirt or sand gets into the action. I was also told to use a graphite based lube for bolt guns but never use grease. It holds dirt debris more than an oil based lube and harder to clean off.

[@DouglasThompson]

True and I knew that to begin with but I couldnt stand that zipper noise...lol

[@Chuck_Carolina]

Douglas, by marring the parts as you did is actually a good thing, and I do this with all fire arms before I take and put them into service - I will clean and function fire them first just in case there is an issue and one needs to go back to the manufacture. Polishing, even to the extreme, will only remove about .0001 (one ten thousands of an inch) - and you would be hell bent to get that off of it. Even on parts I can put a micrometer to, it is usually more like .00002 to .00004 which in reality is unreadable. I have a 70 year old rifle here that would probably have benefited by the same treatment you did to your rifle, but still the wear is unmeasurable. It is just not as sightly as could be.

[@DimaProk]

Once I got my 2nd rifle, I've noticed this problem exactly like you described, I didn't really notice on my first rifle. Those fine parallel lines running perpendicular and if you run your nail across you can It basically acts like a violin string, creating "music" in your rifle LOL.

[@dennisbarrett6148]

Movie suggestions for sitting and cycling the bolt. Lonesome Dove, Quigley Down Under, Sniper, Sgt. York.

[@DouglasThompson]

@@dennisbarrett6148 lol nice! Or maybe the titanic!

[@mmakright]

Great idea!! I’ll be doing this for sure… gotta have smooth bolt operation!! Great, informative video!

[@DouglasThompson]

:)

[@ChrisDavis-jl5qc]

Followed your advice, made a pretty noticeable difference. Great tip

[@DouglasThompson]

Chris Davis Thank you for letting me know! :) glad you are happy with the results!

[@jacquelynberry2789]

Cool video man, im sanding down a rusted Mossberg patriot and one thing I've learned is any coating the company puts on the rifle is probably just to hide crazy tooling marks haha

[@bisakov]

LOL! Nailed it with the sound of the bolt on 0:54

[@Darnell822]

Hey Doug, I know this video is pretty old at this point. but when talking about the inside of the receiver where you have worn down all the contact points to where they are basically bare metal you could try a bluing touch up kit to help keep those areas keep from corroding.

[@DouglasThompson]

Not a bad suggestion but i will say no rust or any noticeable corrosion is present to this day, I will say it has been kept lubricated though.

[@CesareRazzi]

We call it ZIP noise , it would have faded away by itself , but I can understand it can be annoying for some Great tip 👍

[@DouglasThompson]

:) thank you!

[@buletpoint]

The problem is Ruger did not place the gun parts in a vibrator with hone stones like all the rest do to get the rough edges off. I took a fine diamond file and fixed my sharp edges in my American ranch rifle

[@dodgersfnshepard8673]

Jb was designed for when you've got HEAVY build up that won't come clean with brush, solvent & patches. Once in a blue moon type of applications. Helps with heavy use suppressed guns. I wouldn't use it as a polish system, maybe on a stiff rim fire and definitely only on cheap guns (less tight tolerance vs high end qc)

[@cosmiccwonder300]

The lines are there from the machining process. Think of them as high spots. That zipper sound you fell is produced from having a high feed when boring the hole. There trying to machine these receives fast to keep costs down

[@DouglasThompson]

They definitely seemed like tool marks and it's not an issue with its operation just an annoyance more than anything. :)

[@mrhellotherehowareu1384]

I do this same method with a piston but I put it on a patch. Makes cleaning it easier.

[@machiningcoolstuff9124]

So you hand lapped and polished it. Nice work!

[@DouglasThompson]

:)

[@chriskell8479]

I simply de horned the bolt. I found that the bolt release (left side) was the riding on the outer sharp edges of its bolt channel. [ the channel in the bolt for the bolt release.] I also used Flitz metal glow on the back side of the bolt lugs, by cycling the bolt in and out of lock. This reduced the noise considerably, and allowed bolt lock up to become easier. I have used the compound you mentioned for lug equalization. For accurising a previous rifle.

[@sweatmachine69]

I realize this comment is 3 years old, but I just got a Ruger American today and noticed the same issue, that the bolt release riding the channel in the bolt. What was your solution for this? Did you rework the bolt, or the bolt release, or both? Thanks!

[@chriskell8479]

@@sweatmachine69 i have a few honing stones broken with odd angles. One allowed access to the small channel. that's how i removed the burs in the channel. Then i used Flitz medal glow, and just work the action. i did the same to a new 700 SPS, i just purchased.

[@NelsonZAPTM]

Lapping the trigger sear (don't over do it), saves you from over spending on a Timny.

[@samuelneil2691]

That's an awesome idea. I'm really eyeing up a Ruger American in 7.62x39. I have a bunch of ammo for my sks but it would be great to shoot a scoped rifle. Sadly they are nowhere to be found now.

[@NinjaBros219]

Not sure why but I laughed out loud when you just kinda dropped the rifle down in the beginning hahaha

[@DouglasThompson]

lol, I don't think I noticed that I did that...

[@gregcaptain6015]

Lol yeah threw it down like it's a piece junk 😂

[@CreachterZ]

Nice! How many times did you add more of the compound over the 300 to 400 cycles?

[@DouglasThompson]

Id say maybe 10

[@Rickugg]

Hello:: I think the sound effects are amazing !!! I am planing on using Simichrome Polish. Good enough for my Harley !!! Those groves may retain or hold Lubricant. I do not guess the white lube is going anywhere. I put motor oil on some guns and put them away for over 10 years, no Rust !!!

[@DouglasThompson]

Motor oil is great as general purpose lubrication! Thank you for watching the vid and I'm glad you enjoyed the words and noises that came out my mouth! :) lol

[@lukaszimmermann2215]

After i polished the bolt the Transformer noises stopt.

[@nicolassmith4182]

Good vid , did the same to my savage sv 22lr / they use molded cheap bolt not even machined outer edges so after polishing is done you can see mim crap part individual flakes if up close

[@DouglasThompson]

:)

[@rickpickle]

inspiring, i just got a rotary tool for some other things and i think i'll try smoothening up my other things ;-)

[@DouglasThompson]

Glad to be able to inspire! Make your bolt a smooth criminal!!! ;)

[@eaznutts5714]

I have the "commie" ranch rifle, it suffered from Corduroy Bolt Syndrome too. All I did to get rid of its CBS was keep it greased and and go full send on a case of Red Army Standard. It's smooth as cool whip and shoots .75" groups with handloads, absolutely love it.

[@2legit89]

What kind of grease did you use? I’m new to reloading what’s your recipe If you don’t mind

[@eaznutts5714]

@@2legit89 jagman brass or win brass, cci large primer, H4198, 125 Sierra pro hunter. You'll have to find a charge for for specific chamber, I maxed out at 23gr for 2380 fps I used lucas gun grease on the bolt

[@2legit89]

@@eaznutts5714 appreciate it

[@thewiseman6866]

Great info, love the sound effects

[@thegoose1324]

Jaw dropped when ya first showed us the smoothness.

[@DouglasThompson]

@@thegoose1324 like butter

[@luminox1]

dang i might just try this, i found the surface finish a bit rough on my bolt almost like chatter marks, had to debur it also.

[@johngrijalva1425]

Steel wool and mothers polish works pretty good also

[@macgyver5108]

Did something similar on my Ruger predator model. sneaking through the woods with an action THAT LOUD was not an option! I completely disassembled my bolt and wet sanded the heck out of it with 1000 grit sandpaper and then hosed it with brake cleaner before putting it back together. I used moly-grease to lube the bolt and wiped off the excess.

[@DouglasThompson]

Sounds like the ticket!

[@DouglasThompson]

What is the predator chambered for?

[@macgyver5108]

6.5 Creedmoor... Shoots .5 MOA groups at 100m and .6 at 200 with a swirling 10 mph breeze! Well worth the 6 month wait and $450! :D

[@DouglasThompson]

Cool deal!

[@macgyver5108]

I filled the fore grip with fiberglass and added a tanker style muzzle brake. there's a video on yt that shows how to disassemble the Ruger American bolt. Makes for a cleaner end result!

[@freedomiseverything2767]

From being a precision shooter I can tell you the people that say that about that compound are both right there is a break-in period which you can shorten with that but you also shorten your lifespan of your barrel

[@DouglasThompson]

There you go!

[@bluecollargunsandgear2361]

My new American in .30/06 was doing this and it was annoying. With my fingertip I very lightly applied a thin layer of high temp grease to the main body of the bolt and the sound went away almost completely. I can now live with it, at least. The noise is still there, but just barely audible. It's a major improvement over the exaggerated noise it was making at first. I may get around to lightly polishing the bolt for good measure, but with the thin layer of grease it is acceptable. Thanks for the vid!

[@DouglasThompson]

Blue collar guns and gear I put grease on my bolt as well but throughout the day it would work itself off and eventually be near the original noise. As you said, its tolerable but I just wanted it to be smooth and greasy! lol

[@bluecollargunsandgear2361]

It sounds like you shoot yours a good bit more than I will shoot mine. I may decide to pull it out on occasion, but it will mostly be used for deer hunting and that's all. And I agree man, there's no way I will not polish that bolt a little bit. It still bothers me. LOL! Later

[@DouglasThompson]

Blue collar guns and gear sounds good! itwill definjtely make you feel better about the setup!

[@zoeyshoots]

I have two Ruger americans, both of them have problems ejecting and extracting. Action is kind of wobbly, but after a few rounds it seemed to smooth out.

[@DouglasThompson]

Its always nice when a ptoblem fixes itself! :)

[@lckgilmo43]

Dremel tool, polishing wheel and polishing wax. Polish the bolt until it has a mirror finish.

[@bravotwozero535]

Toothpaste works as well and can also be used to smooth trigger groups on older military rifles. White grease is an excellent lubricant for extreme cold environments.

[@DouglasThompson]

Good tip! Thank you for sharing with us!

[@longranger5226]

That sound you made with your mouth sounded way cooler than the sound my RARanch makes. 😂 Great vid. Thanks.

[@DouglasThompson]

RayRay's World Awesome! lol Im glad you liked it! ;)

[@chrisruiz3269]

Lol

[@tactesticality3673]

He had me thinking of old skewl star trek doors opening and closing lol

[@Andrew-McCormick]

personally wouldn't put any on the bolt lugs, since i don't want to concern myself with a possible shift in headspace. but overall nice technique!

[@DouglasThompson]

It worked out great. Noticeable improvement. My whole idea was to just accelerate the smoothing in a more natural way so it wouldn't cause any tolerance inconsistencies.

[@kylevanwinkle2081]

if people are worried about the lugs you don't have to lock and unlock the bolt to do this. You would just be sliding the bolt forward and back not twisting it. therefore the lugs are never touched

[@DouglasThompson]

I didnt shoot paper before i did the mods...sorry.

[@IHateYoutubeHandles615]

Not strictly true as that would be wearing only horizontal grooves in the machining marks rather than at least some vertical marks where the lockup is. But if the beef is primarily with the sound during the loading stroke, you're of course correct.

[@roncrotzer1025]

The lines are from a lathe turning process for the bolt, and the reaming process for the receiver. They sound like crap because it is like rubbing two washboards together. There is no reason for the lines except to make the gun less expensive...

[@DouglasThompson]

Ron Crotzer yes indeed. Glad its cheaper though, magazines bother me so much...

[@TShawn64]

i can live with a little noise so long as its accurate and is cheaper.

[@NoooBama]

Thanks for the video. I just applied one drop of gun oil, spread it out with my finger throughout the bolt, cycled it 30-ish times wiped the bolt down with a paper towel, repeated like 20 times and now the action super manageable without any abrasives.

[@DouglasThompson]

You must have had a pretty decent bolt to begin with. Mine had pretty deep ridges like a ruffles chip.

[@NoooBama]

@@DouglasThompson yeah def sounds worse than mine was, it sucks that they sell it that way

[@DouglasThompson]

@@NoooBama I mean, it's just a pinker for me but I could see it really bothering a serious hunter that's trying to be as quiet as possible.

[@drainis]

Wouldn't the rifling be unaffected? Your bolt doesn't really go inside the barrel. If anything you're just wearing down the bolt sides and perhaps the lugs. Thanks for the idea

[@DouglasThompson]

Rifling would be untouched.

[@Crowbar-bc1hi]

Saw your conversation with Amagansett Press on Utube at the Post Office, thought I would check you out and have subscribed, so you can thank AP for this one.

[@DouglasThompson]

I am very grateful for their contributions and happy to have you as a new subscriber!

[@ronaldnishimura8357]

Good tips. Have an American in 308 and shall try this soon.

[@christerhauknes6840]

Top notch. Im gonna try this on my Schultz and Larsen rifle. It have some of the same problem with rough surface from the manufacturing process.

[@fppro1679]

About every 10th round fails to chamber and jams up. The natural tendency is to pull the bolt back which engages another round and now you have two rounds trying to get into the chamber. Is this something I'm going to have to live with? I hear all kinds of guys talk about different magazines and went out and bought some fancy ones but it still happening. Will this bolt polishing help?

[@DouglasThompson]

I don't think this will help, no.

[@christinaschaefer5253]

The lines are probably just fast machining. Hurry up and make as many parts as you can so you can get to the next project. Max profits and who cares about quality. That being said the reviews on this gun is awesome

[@brianbertram4198]

Grooves so deep in mine you gotta take some like 5 grit sandpaper lol Ima pick up some compound and do mine up soon

[@DouglasThompson]

Lol

[@k5wxp22]

I had to LOL at :53. Yep, that's exactly how mine sounds! Thanks for the video, I may just have to try this.

[@bosco358]

Where did you get that job bore compound , I can’t find it anywhere ?

[@DouglasThompson]

Cabela's

[@UhhhWinski1]

those lines are just from machining. ruger doesn't have the time to polish them out on a mass produced cheap rifle. if they did the rifle price would go up too much. and to those saying this is a bad idea and detrimental to the rifle, well, i hope you're good at sports.

[@dula4552]

Nice, i started using lithium based high temp grease some time ago after seeing guys shooting AR's using and swearing by it. Its the best lubricant I've used, butter smooth, doesn't run or burn off, stays on in all weather conditions. It also significantly reduces the noise of the bolt cycling. Then the biggest trump card, it costs next to nothing and lasts for ever as you only need to use a little bit.

[@davec.3198]

Try "Hornady One Shot". It's insane how well it works. Dry lube.

[@DouglasThompson]

Thank you for sharing your experience!

[@jamesschneider3828]

Use Mothers brand Aluminum wheel polish, same principle but way cheaper price wise.

[@DouglasThompson]

Thanks for the tip!

[@yahusrevus]

Now that my bolt is quiet... any advice on how to quiet down my actual corduroy pants? 😆

[@DouglasThompson]

Grease.

[@keatoncyre9926]

Don't get any on your lugs. And pro tip for anyone here, remove the firing pin. Eliminates the resistance cocking the mainspring over and over.

[@CircleBrewery]

Yeah hate that sound on the ruger bolt ... u got it smooth now

[@DouglasThompson]

Butter smoothie

[@SpookyGhost61]

So I tried this… I ran the bolt 600-800+ times while applying more compound every 60 cycles. This did slowly reduce the zipper sound, but the cycle is not “butter” smooth. It is more smooth than factory but not great. Also, this stuff is a pain in the ass to clean. Took about 90min to clean it all off. I would recommend more traditional bolt polishing methods, but this isn’t a horrible alternative.

[@DouglasThompson]

I didn't have the same experience cleaning it off. What did you use to clean?

[@be2223]

Great video. This definitely worked for me.

[@DouglasThompson]

It takes a bit of effort but its a lot less time than it would take naturally. Glad you got some use out of this info!!!