M70 bolt handle

[GMC403]

I'm having a hard time finding a straight answer on this.
Should the M70 have a single piece bolt/handle?

I've read the older pre 64's were single piece, then the post's were soldered on.

The last (FN 2010) M70 EW I had in 30-06, the handle was soldered on (bought NIB). I remember that specifically because I thought it was odd. Looking at my (FN 2010) M70 EW in 270, the bolt/handle are a single casting.

Anyone have any info on this?

 

[Yail Bloor]

It was my understanding that it's supposed to be one piece, but I'm sure there are folks here who would know better then I would.

 

[Dogleg]

Double post.

 

[Dogleg]

Unless something has changed, the bolt handles were first one piece, then pressed into splines and silver soldered, then pressed into knurling and silver soldered.

 

[GMC403]

Unless something has changed, the bolt handles were first one piece, then pressed into splines and silver soldered, then pressed into knurling and silver soldered.

That makes sense,

I see what you mean by splines.


From the outside it looks seamless.


My 06' looked more like a M700 (soldered under the handle) from what I recall.

 

[Dogleg]

None of them should be soldered on like a Remington, the handle ends in a collar which slips over the end of the bolt.if you look closely you can see the parting line.

 

[NL-Hunter]

Splined on the inside by the looks of it, interesting.

 

[chuck nelson]

http://echolsrifles.########.ca/2012/05/pinning-model-70-bolt.html?m=1

 

[Beaver Skin]

http://echolsrifles.########.ca/2012/05/pinning-model-70-bolt.html?m=1

Yup. M70s Ive had were taken to G.E.FLACH on this site to have the bolt pinned like that.

 

[Leeper]

There were a lot of changes made to the new Model 70's when manufacturing left New Haven and I think the elimination of the separate, brazed on, bolt handle would have been a good change to make (along with the elimination of the coned breech). I'm not a real fan of the pin as a modification although I used to do a similar thing on Remingtons. The real problem with the system as used by the factory is that the collar is often a poor fit and there is not enough brazing material in the joint. Of the rifles which use separate bolt handles, I have seen failures with Remington (700's, 600's, and 788's), Winchester and Savage. This leads me to believe that it is not a great design feature.

 

[GMC403]

There were a lot of changes made to the new Model 70's when manufacturing left New Haven and I think the elimination of the separate, brazed on, bolt handle would have been a good change to make (along with the elimination of the coned breech). I'm not a real fan of the pin as a modification although I used to do a similar thing on Remingtons. The real problem with the system as used by the factory is that the collar is often a poor fit and there is not enough brazing material in the joint. Of the rifles which use separate bolt handles, I have seen failures with Remington (700's, 600's, and 788's), Winchester and Savage. This leads me to believe that it is not a great design feature.

I've never looked into the pros/cons of a coned breech. What would be the benefit of eliminating it?

 

[Leeper]

Better gas handling in the event of a cartridge failure or severe overload. The coned breech does a great job of sending gas directly into the left locking lug raceway and it serves no useful purpose.