Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Rifles winchester extreme weather - safety is LOUD.

Any way to fix this short of using two fingers to turn safety off?

Oil?

It must have a spring and ball detent setup. If I simply push it forward it really snaps forward and makes a loud click. It will probably get quieter over time but as it is I definitely need to use my thumb and index finger to slowly slide it forward. Not a deal breaker but on my Remington 700 I can slide my safety off silently with just my thumb.

I've played around with a Kimber Montana which uses the same/similar safety as my Win and it is way quieter.

I use two fingers on M70s when trying to be quiet. Many love these safeties. I have gotten used to them, but consider them a little "clunky."

It probably will get a little smoother over time if it's a new rifle.

Some are stiffer and make more noise to operate than others. I always just use two fingers to take them off safe. If the game is close enough you already have the rifle shouldered and can only use your thumb the noise isn't really going to matter IMO

I suggest ear plugs.

All Winchesters, and to a lesser extent Rugers with the wing type safety are harder to ease off quietly. Neither good nor bad, just a quirk with the design. I can make it work with either. If that is a design feature you just can't live with then a Winchester probably just isn't for you.

Yeah, "loud" is relative... there's not a wing safety out there that is as quiet as a 2-pos Remington-type safety.

OTOH, there's no game situation where it would make a difference. The fussyism's of this site don't generally translate into any kind of real-world difference.

I'll stick with 3-pos wing safeties...

Thank you! Voice of reason.

My beef with the Winny safety is when there's little "feel" between each position.

I actually find the noise kind of handy. Several times I've had deer inside 20 yards and the click of the safety has stopped them for the shot.

Funny how things work out in reality

Bob, you could have written that as easily as me!

Brad you did wonderfully! I'm tired of getting yelled at for hunting with a noisy safety.


What I LOVE about the SC rifles is you just punch that safety and it FLIES off! Like it's spring loaded. I love it!

It could be worse, you could get yelled at for hunting with a cold chamber too.

I've had the noise of the safety get noticed by deer numerous times, hunting blacktail in western Oregon. I'd rather they didn't, so I practiced, and on my Remington's I can kinda ride it forward more or less silently. I can't really do that on the 3-pos wing on my Kimber, but I don't hunt blacktails in the jungle with it anyway.

It pains me to do so but I gotta disagree with Brad and Bob. There are hunting situations where a noisy safety can be a liability. Who wants to make a loud metallic CLICK when trying to get a shot on a very close deer? A few BT's I've killed, I killed them because I sat completely still and silent for an eternity... you know you are doing it right when a chipmunk runs across your boot, or a bird lands on you, both of which have happened to me.... the deer are CLOSE, everything is quiet.... Artificial noises are a tangible liability in that situation. Any kind of nylon clothing rustle, creak, or of course click will get noticed. I once missed out on a shot when the Velcro on the cuff of my jacket grabbed onto the fleecy stuff my pants were made of, and made that Velcro sound when I started to raise my arm... I killed the buck anyway but it was much harder as he was now on the alert and moving away.

Now it's very true that in my elk hunting, mule deer hunting, and even blacktail hunting where you aren't right there "in it" with them, a loud safety wouldn't matter. And that probably encompasses most hunting. But not all hunting.

(The reason you have to get in so tight with them is that in some areas, that's all there IS, and/or the deer are so nocturnal that you have to ambush them between bed and food, because you'll never catch them out in the open when it's light. You might get one as he drifts slowly from his bedding area to wherever it is he's going to feed that night. So you find active trails and sit 'em, but it is so THICK, you might only be 15, 20 yards off the trail or even less. I've had multiple deer (does, non-shooters) well under 10 feet away.)

Oh jeez.....

Sorry for wasting your time with such a question.

I'll let everyone get back to whether a spiral or straight fluted bolt is better for a hunting rifle. We should probably close the custom rifle threads too because custom rifles have no material benefit over a quality factory rifle on hunting success.

Where I hunt in NY has very thick cover so shots are usually close and a deer has a real world chance of bolting at the sound of that safety.

LOL, lighten up there Francis. We're just talking here. No reason to run off mad.

I'm also not a fan of fluted bolts

BTW, if the EW's safety was such a problem for you, why'd you buy it?

I have one, there are plenty ways around a noisy safety in the presence of game... just saying.

Yep. And in the thick stuff, you might only have "a" shooting lane... if the deer takes a step forward at the noise or starts to drift off you might never get another chance.

One time a band camp.....

I'm still worried that 270 CorLokts won't kill stuff dead. Or if anything without a .625 BC can be shot past 100 yards. Or if Tikka's will break with all the plastic. Or if I won't get me a deer because I don't have a turret on my scope. Or that the extra pound of rifle I may be carrying will break my back. Or if a 260 can really kill me a deer. But what if I want a new rifle and I might kill me an elk one day? Or am I missing the boat because my gun doesn't have an Ackley Improved chamber? If my boolits aren't kissing the lands will I miss? Should I trade my 7RM for a 28 Nosler? I heard they were more deadly. And Leupold's fail all the time. And factory ammo is horrible. Can I still use Hoppe's #9? I like the smell. If I was looking at a deer at 300 yards and only had a 30-06, should I go home and get a 300WM instead?

Phuqq it, I quit.

Jeff, good grief... it's not a hard thing to take a safety off quietly...

Like I said, its not a deal breaker but was wondering if anyone ever did any work on it to quiet it down.

I'd guess a Dremel and a polishing bit would help.

A little grease/oil in the detents and a few hours in front of the TV... a few thousand flicks should quiet it down nicely.

Brad, agree with my Rem's. Piece of cake and hardly any movement required.

If my Kimber safety snapped forwards as aggressively as the OP's EW it would be a bummer... If I hunted thick stuff with it I mean. It's where that wing is located. It has to do with taking the hand out of firing position, and a bunch of excess movement, if you have to ride it forward. Neither is a good thing. Insurmountable? Of course not. But in the interest of wanting to get a rifle "right"- and I know you are as guilty of that anyone here, lol- for a guy to want to quiet a really loud safety is totally legit. IMHO of course. And we're just talkin'.

Hey is Dober doing ok? He still hang out here from time to time?

Try putting some JB bore cleaner in the detent and working it a hundred times or so. Then just wash it out with a solvent...

So I need to get this straight. Wind is perfect and a fella is locked in, didn't have to move a muscle to align the scope. Been holding the rifle steady like that all morning, aiming at a magic spot where a deer will absolutely cross in front of him at some magical distance. Then suddenly has to move the safety lever and the whole scenario turns to crap because of the safety.

I never considered this and now won't be able to sleep. And now I've just found out that Leupold scopes suck and my sling is too heavy.

Now I'm really going to quit. For real. If the company that made the cough silencer could somehow make a safety silencer, I might try hunting again.

Dunno, it seems so complicated.

Oh come on...put your stinking thumb on top of the safety rather than behind the wing, and ride it forward the same as you do on a Remington.

Now THAT'S an idea.....

If I could just get the owners of Power Bars to make a cold weather wrapper that didn't make noise, I could see getting back into the game.

or just 'Walt Garrison' it. "Just a pinch".......

This is why they have to make guns "lawyer proof" these days. Guys running around the woods that can't even work a friggin safety

If the game runs off because of your safety, you weren't going to get it anyway. I shot a 9pt buck at 15 feet, and all he did was look at me when I "clicked" the safety off. Which was too late for him at that point.

Some funny sh1t here! Say it ain't so that the goofy sumbeetch that can't open a bullet box can't quietly disengage a safety... Sweet Laird Jumpin' Jaysus!!!

Indeed..

Due to the position of the Rem safety it's a bit easier to slide to OFF since one can merely keep the thumb on it while moving it. But just give it a little flick from the back and it makes some noise just like any other.. The position of the M70 safety makes a one-finger-letoff a bit more problematic - which is why many use thumb and forefinger to ease it off..

However, I've hunted with M70s for over 40 years and have yet to have some animal spook merely due to the safety operation.. FWIW

I'll take that noisy 3 position safety over a remmy safety anyday. It is just like any thing else hunting related. Practice, practice, practice. And if it is still to noisy disassemble it and work it over. My pre-64 makes noise and I have no idea how many times I have released the safety on it. My ruger 77 tangs make noise also. I have yet to have it bother a shot I was going to take. The only person who has ever mentioned that it was noisy was my son and law this thanksgiving when we were hunting mulies in montana and he was getting ready to shoot a good sized mulie and he was taking longer than I thought he should be. So I slipped the safety off and he later said he knew he had better shoot or I was going to.

I've unzipped a jacket, opened up candy wrappers, stepped on a stick, walked thru the jaggers with them ripping on my coat, dropped the binos, scrapped leaves and snow away for a place to stand a spell, taken the safety off a Model 70 and who knows what else. All to look up and see a Deer realatively close; either feeding or walking along. Sometimes looking at me also. Perhaps mounting to the shoulder would have sent them quickly away, but getting the safety off wouldn't have saved them.

Said it before, the wood isn't a closed library.

The "wing" safety on the M70, Kimber, etc... Is by far my favorite safety of all time. It's easy, time tested and idiot proof.

Same here, battue, and by the way, hello! Hope life is good in your camp.

But though I have also seen deer be remarkably oblivious, I've had it go the other way as well.

My private land honey hole, now sadly defunct, was a great testing ground for hunting deer really close. Deer densities were high and the terrain and vegetation were ideal (for that, haha). The .358 M7 was built and scoped for that specific property and put many a deer in the freezer. Now it's dusty in the safe. I haven't hunted that way in years and might not get to again unless I seek it out. Frankly, in areas where deer densities are LOW, which would be most blacktail range, you could waste your life away sitting a trail and waiting. Or damn near. And, you'd gather little meaningful data on being close to deer because, well, you wouldn't be close to very many!

But for a decade or so there I was right there in 'em. While I can't/won't argue against your experiences, I do know what mine were, and a very loud wing safety that had an aggressive spring action would have sucked. It would be something I'd have to sort out on a rifle before I'd take it hunting- as is the desire of the OP. Why that's in the slightest bit controversial is beyond my ken. Seems like to fret over OTHER rifle details (some of them things I'd never lose sleep over) is de riguer here....?

I just sampled a brand new Win 70 in 270 at my local gun shop because of this thread. Holy cow that Safety is loud! It makes more noise between the detents than my pre 64's do when you flick it off to Fire. The spring loaded click during let off is LOUD! The trigger was nice though, very nice! There was a used Classic in 270 WSM that had the typical M70 Safety and a lawyer influenced trigger of at least 8 pounds, probably much more so!

Jeff,

Welcome back Koter. Hope the head is doing ok.

Yes experience differs. I've mentioned it before, but I shot a bedded Buck at 3-4 big steps. Looked down and there he was a little below me. Don't remember how the safety went off. Good chance I slammed it forward, placed the x on his neck junction and hit the trigger. He never had a clue. Admittedly an exception of probably one.

However I would have no idea, other than it is a lot, on how many Deer I've pushed a Model 70/Kimber style safety off on. None yet have spooked. From close to where they may have a chance to hear, and out there where it obviously makes no difference. I've slipped off easy and pushed it quick. In fact most times I have little memory of how I did it. It just happens if it is an obvious shooting opportunity.

Did flip it off once on a Red Fox and that perked it up more than a little.

This year I left a pop-up blind to take a leak. Went back in; looked out and there were two Doe staring at me around 50. They finally let it go and went to feeding. Move thru the wood more than a little and you will make much more noise than pushing off a wing safety. Yet often you catch them before thay catch you. If they are out a way-and not all that far in my experience-the sound of the safety is just another wood noise.



Addition: Others can not agree with me, but if I have Bob and Brad thinking the same, I'm not going to worry all that much.

Thanks man. Head is what it is. Got 90-something percent back; have adapted from there. Forward!

There's probably more cases that happened as you describe, than as I did, in my own experience as well. But the others stick with me. And, just the simple process of getting a rifle sorted fully would dictate- for ME- dealing with a truly loud safety in some fashion, whether in software (practicing a way to release it quietly) or in hardware.

On that note- it would appear from comments that the FN M70 safety is one loud mutha, which may be particularly true in a glass stock like the EW. I've only handled a couple (and I liked them a lot) but dredging back into my busted up memory I'm thinking I noted that as well. In FACT.... we may have done this exact rodeo a few years back!

Well, I hope the OP finds a solution that works for him. We may disagree on the validity of the worry, but I think we all can relate to having something about a rifle just bug the [bleep] out of you. It's like a chipped tooth. Can't leave it alone.

Edit for your edit: I like Brad & Bob more than they'd probably prefer <g> and can respect their experiences and opinions. But OCD rifle loons should have just a little EMPATHY for the other guy..... grin....

My only M70 is uber quite. It's an old ass one with the goofy "backwards" safety.

More like voice of inexperience, as is your own. And don't give me any of your shyt that I don't know what I'm talking about. My walls aren't covered with whitetail antlers because I don't know WTF I'm talking about you overeducated ,pompous twat.

LMAO.

And "yes" you don't have a clue what you're talking about.

You bet your azz.

Yeah lotsa geniuses like you here that know more about firearms than I do too, despite the fact that I make my living building, customizing and repairing the goddam things 40-50 hours a week, 50 weeks of the year and have for quite some time. You're just fuggin' amazing I tell ya. Maybe I aughta start tutoring you on case law. After all, this is the internet and everybody;s a goddam expert on everything here.

Absofugginlutely ! And I know an estate game manager in the UK who is required by contract to kill several hundred deer [roe, red, sika, and muntjac] per year who absolutely, 100% agrees with you and I on this. Perhaps he knows almost as much as Bob ?

He's an angry elf..

I wasn't gonna say anything.........grin

Leave the gun off safety and bolt open. Close the bolt when your ready to send it

Not speaking to/about the newer Winchesters.

But just for something to think about... spend some time hunting with a single action revolver or a pre safety lever action. You need to learn how to cock that hammer and not spook game. Manipulating a Winchester/Ruger or Kimber safety is relatively easy in comparison.

On a new to me bolt action I do oil the the safety mechanism during my initial shakedown and work them in as needed.

During a hunt I normally can ease the safety off unless I'm caught off guard.

Blackheart let me ask you a question. How many deer have you shot with a M70?

Or did you try and scare them all away?

Spare me the insults....I've been called worse by lots better than you. Your idea of "overeducated" would be anyone who made it past third grade. At that, I'd have serious doubts about you.

Interesting discussion
Not a fan of a winged safety but not a hater either. I've had a few still have one m77 mk11. The way I hunt often requires being silent and remaining silent when its time to shoot. I can make the safety on a 77 pretty much silent by grabbing it with finger and thumb and rocking it forward instead of just flicking it forward and letting it land on its own.

Having said that I like the safety on a rifle on the tang where God intended it. This probably has to do with my first gun being a single shot Winchester 20 ga. 2nd nature, no noise as fast as it gets. My preference but not a deal breaker if its not so set up.

I don't believe a word of it...those estate deer must be as hard to kill as those dopey NY dinks you hunt.

Figures you'd run to the sanctuary of someone else's experiences rather than your own. Regal me with how many NY fork horns you waste per season.


Wonder how I killed two mature bucks this year inside 100 yards? One looking at me in timber at 50-60 yards. How'd he end up dead so fast? Either he was deaf, or I'm a really fast shot!

But of course those are the first ones....I never killed any deer at all at close range...scared them all away with M70's...Blackheart you'd be hilarious if you were not so pathetic and foul mouthed.

OK so the answer is ....NEVER....and NONE! If I am herring you correctly you have NEVER killed a deer with a M70. Would that be correct!

OTOH, I have....lots of them.

SO tell me HTH do you KNOW that M70's safeties spook deer at close range?

Answer ( let me help you here!!!)....you DON'T KNOW. Because you have never used them. You "assume",but don't "know". You extrapolate from your vast "experience" on all those NY deer....but again you really don't "know".

And don't call me "Bob"...that's my name. It's reserved for civil people whom I happen to like. You don't fit.

You can continue to refer to me as a Twat or Pompous. Thanks.

Gawd I've had more intelligent conversations with my grandkids. The oldest is three.....

Actually I did kill one with my model 70 Bob. Don't need to kill a shytload with it to know the safety is loud enough to spook close range deer if you just flip it off with your thumb. How ? Because it's every bit as loud as my 870 or mini 30 safety and those will definitely spook close range deer. BTDT. Oh yeah, and there have been alot of those NY deer that have met their demise at the muzzle of my guns. From now on I'll just call you pompous dickhead cause that's what you are.

I killed a nice 8 point at 8:15 am on opening day this year Dickhead. Killed two does the following weekend and was tagged out. Hunted a total of 3.5 hours for the 3 deer. None were as far as 100 yards. That's long range to me and I rarely need to shoot that far. Kill a few more at spitting distance and get back to me on loud safeties.. Talk about pathetic. You're the very definition.

Someone should just close this thread. No idea how this turned into all the name calling and juvenile posts. 56 responses and the vast majority had absolutely nothing to do with my question of how to quiet down the safety. I realize it is not that big a deal but if someone has worked on the safety and smoothed it out I would've like to try it out.

Interesting that one of the most outspoken on this thread mills out the bottom of Talley lightweights, which has absolutely ZERO benefit from a functionality standpoint yet he posts 7 times to this thread and nearly all include some dim-whitted sarcasm or insult. That said, they do look cool and I'd probably buy a set if I had a Tikka but I guess I'd be called an idiot again because they would not have any real world impact on my hunting success.

Holy chit mikestaken, look what you caused... Should have just greased it up and not tell anyone.. That's what most guys do here anyway...

Perhaps 15 yards away looking at me. (Correction: facing away.)




Another around 15-20 feeding facing.



Neither one had a chance. Nor would they with an 870.

Of course you can improve your chances when it all happens at once.

Winchester M 70 7x57,he did not hear the safety. Though he was about 110 yds away.



Winchester M 70 .243 win,these two coyotes never heard the safety either. They were about 83-84 yds away. Even though both of them were shot looking at me.

It's crazy. I thought my initial question was fairly benign. Some people have way too much time on their hands.

battue, that's cheating. Your rifle is 62 years old and well broken in... I'll bet you that safety works like greased owl chit on a slick rock...

Nope, this question gets chewed on a couple times each year.

Yea, but the second one is a re-barreled classic.

Addition: Actually the older one started sticking and this summer a Smith went over it. Now it is slicker than frog lips.

The LW's are very quiet, and no they don't do anything but look a little cleaner.

I'm full of dim-whittled sarcasm. Ease up fella, its just guys talking schit. But a word of warning since you might be new:

If you rub Big Sticks belly, he'll love you til the day you die. He's got a little Mississippi leg hound in him. If the mood hits him, the best thing to do is just let him finish.

Around 20-25 with a Kimber. He was walking up hill. I was too at the time.



Just can't happen.

I thought Stick rubbed his own belly then loved himself til the day he dies....

I don't run around with round in the chamber so I wouldn't know how loud my safety is on my EW.... Or any of my model 70's

Mini 30? Now that's a quality item Clark.

Hell, I like my m1917 safety the best but somehow managed to learn how to use a wing safety...

Uh.... isn't an EW one of the new, FN M70's? Different machine than all these old M70's and Kimbers and whatnot.

Plus, it's in a glass stock. Tap a glass stock with a pencil. Now tap a wood stock. Yeah....

I think the OP's rifle has a REALLY LOUD SAFETY!!

Can't we all give his question just a little respect and, y'know...... get along?










No? Ok, cool. Carry on!

Must be from the South Pole...

battue, nice bucks there!!! Hunting out west, I mostly never chamber a round until I see my game... Hunting in the east, often on a stand, I do.. But I always eased the safety off. Never just flicked and let it go.. Little noise that way..

This has been a great read. Never knew safeties were so troublesome to a few folks. Or that some could get so worked up over them. Just WOW!

I killed a buck a few years back with my M70 (in 270 Win no less) at a whopping distance of 6 paces. He never heard me flick the safety off or if he did, he didn't care. Maybe he was hard of hearing?

Now, if you want to talk about LOUD safeties, lets talk about Ruger 77s. Oh wait, I don't have any trouble with them either.

Go figure.

The deer in your pics don't prove the next one won't hear it and bolt. Alot depends on conditions {wind, rain, background noise eg cars, planes etc or dead still silent) and the demeanor of the particular deer. Please don't try to tell me it doesn't happen because I've seen it personally. I like all of my equipment to be quiet at spitting distance.

No shyt ? 80 - 100 yards ain't even close to "close range". You could just about dance a jig while whistling zippidy doo dah and they wouldn't hear you.

I didn't read the entire thread; but, short of a little lubrication and working it repeatedly, probably not. It seems you have already discovered the most preferred and functional method with two fingers.

Well then,the Winchester safety is not that LOUD after all.

At "spitting distance" the odds will always be in my favor when they don't have time to react to the sound. Even if they can hear it. With all the Deer you have shot, you should have figured it out by now.

Is there going to be a group buy for safety silencing work?

When I was young I had deer snap to attention when I thumbed back the hammer on a .30-30. A smart buck wouldve bolted.

And then you either were taught or figured out that by putting slight pressure on the trigger (while pointing the muzzle in a safe direction) that hammer could be pulled back with nary a sound I'd bet.

You would be correct.

With all the deer I've shot I may just have seen a few things you haven't. If you think deer can't react quick enough to take things out of your favor, you sure haven't seen everything. Sometimes they're only one jump from cover that will obliterate any chance for a shot opportunity. I've seen them have time to react to the sound of bowstring "twang" quick enough to duck a 300 fps arrow from 50 ft.. That's fast.

Yes it can happen and you obviously haven't seen it all.

For the hand can be quicker than the eye or ear. Problem I see, is many think the safety take off is a separate event. It can be, but it also can be the same as shooting a shot gun. The Bird get up and the safety goes off with the mount.

It more like a quick draw contest with one obvious exception. The mind says yes, the mount is quick and the safety goes off on the way up. If the rifle fits and you have practiced not having to find the Deer in the scope; concern yourself with hitting the good stuff-which is the basketball Alaska Lanche referred to, and not a specific hair-it happens before the sound of the safety going off reaches the Deer. It's over in a second, maybe less.

In a stare done situation, you either move first or let the Deer have the advantage. In which case your odds go down. If they don't know you are there, they're pretty much screwed if you know how to play the game.

You obviously haven't seen or done it all. Don't fret most haven't.

Forgot: Thank me later.

Addition: You are partially correct in that sometimes they will win. However, that often will be because they recognized you as a threat and made their move before you recognized what you are seeing. In which case again the sound of a Model 70 safety is irrelevant.

A few hundred rounds without ear protection seems to quite a new Winchester safety immensely. Like pre-64s, I think they must break in over time.

I've shot hundreds of grouse and pheasants with a shotgun. Thousands of running rabbits, both from in front of my hounds and jumped without the dogs. I've shot running deer with rifle, shotgun and muzzleloader. I promise you don't know anything or have any skills with rifle or shotgun that I don't know or posess myself. That includes how to cock a hammer or disengage a safety on the mount. I promise you can't mount and fire on a deer that has you pegged before they can react. If they bolt on a path that allows you time for a shot no doubt you can kill them on the dead run but if they're only one jump from a dense pine thicket you are screwed. What you are essentially saying is that if I am at full draw with my compound bow 50 feet from you and I trip the trigger on my release, you can mount and fire and hit me before my arrow reaches you. Quit fantasizing and get real.

I agree with all that. I have killed a number of deer like that, and it's why getting rifle fit and scope mounting (don't start! grin) is so important.

But I can think of a few instances where things just weren't like that. That happens too. When movement and sound were at an absolute premium.

And I guess I'm still a little puzzled why, in a forum where so much other rifle loonery gets a pass, this is so damn volatile a topic? Dude wants his rifle right! His reason for wanting that is perfectly reasonable.

I'll say it again: I suspect the OP has a rifle with A REALLY LOUD SAFETY!! I think that much of this sturm und drang would be moot if we were in a room together and passing that rifle around. I suspect we'd be saying, dayum! That's loud. And I have just a hunch that most of the posters here would want to rectify same.

I tried a quick search and didn't find it but I swear to GOD about 5 years ago we had this exact freaking conversation going. I remember handling an EW in a gunshop and being really surprised how loud the safety was, mentioning it here, and getting my [bleep] jumped. It's all coming back to me now.

Now where do you get I said anything about your bow and me reacting to your trigger release. Read it again. Quit making stuff up. You do that a lot?

Now I will say, I can have a balloon in one hand and a needle in the other. The balloon will go bang before you can make any type of defensive move. Isn't much different than a quick move, mount, shoot.

I'm old, but I ain't slow on the reaction. You need to work on it.