This post was compiled to address the incessant light primer strikes that plague the Savage Rascal .22 LR, an otherwise good firearm. This condition is caused by a combination of two firing pin design defects:
1. An excessively wide rim strike surface [below]
2. An excessively long breech strike surface [below]
Unfortunately, shipping the gun back to Savage for repair will not yield positive results, as they will simply replace the firing pin with another defectively-designed unit. The solution is to reduce the surface width of the rim strike surface and reduce the length of the breech strike surface. [below]
BEFORE YOU BEGIN
Tools Needed:
- Non-Marring Hammer
- 1/16″ Punch
- Flat Surfaced, Precision Metal File
- Needle-Nosed Pliers
WARNINGS:
- Make sure the firearm is unloaded!
- Do not use power tools for this job!
- Do not remove too much of the breech strike surface! It should remain a couple of thousandths of an inch longer than the rim strike surface to avoid damaging the breech.
- You alone are responsible for your actions. We assume no liability for your actions.
STEP 1: Remove the Firing Pin from the Bolt
Unload the rifle, point it in a safe direction and pull the trigger to remove the bolt from the rear of the receiver. Use the hammer and punch to remove the firing pin retaining roll pin. It can drift out in either direction. Be careful not to lose small parts. [below]
STEP 2: Bevel the Corners of the Rim Strike Surface
Use the small metal file to carefully bevel the corners at approx. 50 degrees. This will reduce the frontal surface area, lowering resistance and allowing for deeper penetration into the cartridge rim. Remove approx. 0.75 mm from each side of the rim strike surface.
STEP 3: Reduce the Breech Strike Surface
Using the small file, carefully reduce the protrusion of the breech strike surface by a few thousandths of an inch. Try to keep the frontal surface as flat as possible. Do not remove too much metal… it must remain at least a couple of thousandths of an inch longer than the rim strike surface. This will allow a slightly deeper impact without the risk of damaging the breech.
STEP 4: Reassemble the Firing Pin into the Bolt
Note the reduced breech and rim strike surfaces. This combination of minor alterations should greatly increase rimfire ignition reliability in the Savage Rascal .22 long rifle.
Thank you for this information, I was thinking about getting a Rascal, but worried about the miss fires, now that you have solved the problem I will be seeing if I can get one. I have 2 savages .22 lr the Mark II TR and the FVT love them bough but looking for a light little gun for when I have to get my chickens I just shoot them in the head instead of chasing them all over the place. I have never had a miss fire from my TR or FVT so can not understand why the Rascal has this problem, they should fix it, as it gives them a bad name and the kids will remember this when they go and get there next rifle. No one wants to miss squirrel or rabbit, because of a misfire .
Thanks so much for posting this! Simple fixes, but made a big difference.