Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Rifles Odd issue with Win 70 Featherweight

I have a Winchester 70 Featherweight (push feed) in 6.5x55, and have been having a random issue. Occasionally, it feels as though the bolt is locking up, but it is not consistent. Basically, you can cam the bolt handle all the way up/open, and it doesn't want to pull the bolt out of the receiver. It isn't all the time, and will do it whether its loaded or not. You can pull on it a couple of times, and suddenly the bolt will release and slide back. Once again, the bolt handle will open/cam all the way up, it just occasionally wants to stick/not release when pulling to the rear. Its not binding part of the way when pulling back, its almost like its hanging up on the locking lugs in the receiver. There is no binding with the bolt camming up, but it doesn't do it every time.

Any suggestions? Can't be the action screws or scope base screws, as it doesn't do it all the time.

Check the breech bolt sleeve lock pin, if it's backing out this will occur. That's the pin that holds in the tiny flag shaped piece that prevents the bolt from unscrewing.

I pulled the bolt, didn't see anything obvious. Oddly enough, I cycled the bolt around 50 times (empty), and couldn't get it to lock up again.

There is a possibility that the brazed joint is loose. GD

My first thought also. On the post-64 model 70 the bolt handle is not one-piece with the bolt body. The bolt handle is pressed onto splines on the bolt body and brazed to the bolt handle. I have read of failures at this joint although I have personally never seen one.

drover

Loosen the rear stock screw out, an see how the bolt runs.
Is so, tighten as far as it does not bend the action, the front screw can handle it,

PM coming.

Keep us updated. I've never seen issues like this with a model 70. But I keep the locking lugs slightly lubed, glass bed my rifles and shorten the action screws if I need to. That also goes for the scope base screws. I'm wondering if the anti bind device may be hanging up on the raceway somewhere? I'd pull the bolt, inspect it in great detail, then disassemble the bolt and thoroughly clean the bolt and lube it and see if the problem persists. Again, keep us posted. I'm sure redneck has the logical solution here, but would like to hear what the cause is, when you find it. Thank!

Guy I worked with had his bolt break like stated above. Read about it but only one I knew of personally.

For several years, I did Winchester warranty work. I saw at least a half dozen. In every case, it was a poor fit and insufficient brazing material. GD

Well, y'all done larned me sumpin'. It's amazing the knowledge base on this site. I used to work some with a local 'smith that did Browning and Remington warranty work and over the years I never ceased being amazed by the ways that firearms could be screwed up from the factory. Saw several 700's that the bolt handles had come off of. But, when Mr. Jim got through with them, they certainly were not gonna come off again.