Winchester m70 post 64 bolt question

[Sako Safari]

Hello
I'm looking at a Winchester model 70 .300 Win Mag made in 1976.
It's in as new condition, both metal and wood. I've read that these rifles aren't as well made as the pre 64's and are less desirable to the model 70 aficionados. Regardless, I like it except for the bolt lugs.
I've included some pictures and I'd like to know if someone has filed and polished the bolt lugs or was this work done at the factory.
Thank you.

 

[Mekaniks]

Welcome to AH

Have you fired it, and does the bolt work correctly?

For comparison here is some pics of my 1965 production bolt. Mine was cerakoted flat black at one time.

 

[Sako Safari]

Thanks for the reply!
No I haven't fired it but the bolt works fine..
I'll cycle a go, no go in it.
Should have done this before I bought it...
It's in the 10 day wait.

 

[Ontario Hunter]

Nothing looks terribly wrong to me. Ordinary wear. You can't expect that fancy mirror finish or jeweling to last forever. Or even very long in my experience.

Most of the Winchester aficionados poo-poo post 1965 Model 70s simply because they were push feed and had cheap checkering. I think they were functional guns. Certainly better than Remington push feed rifles of that era.

 

[BlueFlyer]

The only surface that really matters is highlighted in red.

This is the surface that engages the locking lugs in the receiver. The other surfaces are more cosmetic than functional. Looks perfectly normal.

 

[Sako Safari]

@Ontario Hunter
Ordinary wear? The rifle is as new, unused.
Original owner never hunted it, it just sat.
Why the deep file marks on the bolt on each side of the extractor?
Lousy workmanship at Winchester..

@BlueFlyer
thank you

 

[Ontario Hunter]

I presume you mean the machining marks on the bolt lugs. Those were not made with a file. The whole idea behind changing the design of the rifle in 1964 was to make the rifles more economical to manufacture without appearing to sacrifice too much "integrity." The mistake was calling the new rifle a Model 70. Trying to be marketing clever but it backfired in the end. So they eliminated a lot of expensive to machine parts and added a bit of window dressing (jeweling the bolt, black fore end tip, etc) to make it appear the gun was high quality. As far as I know, most of them shot okay. My brother and my best friend both bought Model 70 300 Win at the same time at the same shop in 1975. No complaints that I know of. They both killed elk with them. They got their money's worth.

The spots where high polish disappeared on that bolt tells me the action must have worked some after the rifle was manufactured, whether it went hunting or not.

 

[Robmill70]

does the ser# start with a G ?

 

[Sako Safari]

Yes Rob it's starts with a G
I dated the rifle to 1976

 

[Sako Safari]

Look at the lugs on each side of the extractor. Does it appear that the bolt was dropped on the ground and then a feeble attempt of polishing the lugs to a mirror finish..? And not finishing the job?

From my research Winchester didn't polish the lugs..

Although the rifle is unused and in absolutely mint condition it's possible the owner may have decided to 'improve'
the bolt with the polishing of the lugs and dropped it while doing so...

 

[Robmill70]

Shouldn't have issues with it. Winchester did have several QC issues from 1964 to early 70's. Supposedly they fixed the issues and started the G series when they did.

 

[fourfive8]

That actually looks normal. Close up photos always exaggerate such blems. Could simply be final fit filing at factory. The lugs’ outside surfaces often look like that and usually don’t affect smoothness of bolt travel through the action raceways. That slot in the right side lug is one of the keys for smooth, anti-bind bolt cycling. The front surfaces are the critical contact areas as they determine bolt alignment during recoil and headspace.