Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Winchester Collectors Featherweight bolt knob

I don't understand much of the post above. If the "hundreds" comment is a jab at me, I have a "Bound Book" to back it up. I will stand by my assessment: If there is no number, someone scrubbed it off, and we all know why.

Sir, you are flat wrong. The type II bolt is transitional, it looks like the Type III but does not have a relief for the leg of the Type III Safety. Type III were originally solid, the hollow came later, but both are Type III.

I follow what y


I follow what you are saying but there are actually MORE that just three types of pre' 64 m70 bolts handles..

Type 1- Pre war 1936 to 1944 high stepped bolt root solid knob.

Type 2- 1947 to 1949- Transition period bolts with lowered bolt root to clear scopes but not cut for late paddle safety clearance.

Type 3- 1949 to 1954 -Post transition. Low bolt root,Solid bolt knob and clearance for late style safety.

Type 4- 1955 to 1963 - Sames shape as type 3 with hollow knob.

sbmike, no disrespect intended. My remark merely playing off your presumed factual statement. Such affirming whatever expertise garnered by examining “hundreds” of Model 70 rifles, my experience within that category to be less.
As to your remark concluding in “… and we all know why.” My turn not to clearly understand your words. While I might speculate, could you please amplify to explain clearly ‘why’.
Thanks!
iskra

Missing bolt replaced with another.

I haven't read through all the posts, but I will answer the question and say yes!!!!!! It is entirely possible to have a 1953 (especially an early '53) fwt with a solid "ovoid" bolt knob....I actually used to own an early 1953 308 fwt with a solid bolt knob. Bought it from the original owner and it was entirely 100% original... Rule states, this "did not occur on many early featherweights". Like I'm assuming Jason pointed out, this feature was referred to as the "type III-3". Rule also further states that only about half of the rifles made between 1952 and the mid part of 1953 had the bolt handles drilled: In his own words, "The drilled bolt knob improvement started type III-3 at approximately 225,000 (1952), but was slow to capture the full production line. Less than 50% of rifles manufactured between 225,000 and 268,000 were drilled with the bolt "hole", INCLUDING the featherweights, for which it was intended".....

battue, I've seen some that were very well used and you had to pull out a magnifying glass, just to get a hint of the serial #. I don't think Winchester put a lot of thought or time into scribbling the serial # on to these rifles. They were not put there for collectors to squabble over after 70 years had passed, they put them there for the initial assembly of the rifle. Nothing more, nothing less at that time....

Communicated with an individual who is very knowledgeable about most things M70 re. issues raised in this thread. fwiw....

- it is VERY unusual for a bolt to be unmarked, there should be at least traces of a serial # (unless, of course, the number was intentionally removed).
-the number on the bolt was not used to track parts during assembly as the bolt was serialized AFTER the fully assembled rifle was proofed. the serialization occurred at the same time that the Winchester definitive proof (W over P) was applied to the receiver and barrel.
- a '52 or '53 Fwt., 308 Win with the hollow bolt knob is a type 111-3 action.

Personally, would not own a M70 without a bolt serialized to the receiver....

Ok, serial # placement on bolt; hoping you guys can shed some light on this.....

1955 featherweight, serial # placed below flat on anti-bind bump, so clearly visible with bolt closed. Additionally, dots seemed spaced further apart than typical, enough to appear quite digitized; and last digit 5 had extra dot closing it's tail to where it resembled 6; receiver was stamped 5. Poor attempt at refurbished bolt, or apprentice engraver at the factory ?. I passed on the rifle, but often wondered.

Thanks in advance for your input.

FWIW I have two original 308 70 FWTS with solid bolt handles. One is in the 245000 range the other 266000.

And the 300 H&H I just got has a hollow bolt knob.

Jkob,

Any chance of a new thread and pictures about the "new to you" 300 H&H? For some reason, the H&H chambered Pre '64 rifles really intrigue me even more than the more common calibers.