Model 70 two piece bolt issues?

[elktrout]

I just read an article in Rifle magazine by writer Brian Pearce. He alleges that the Model 70 bolt (ever since 1964) has been a two piece affair. The back piece is swaged onto the bolt body, just ahead of the bolt handle. He also alleges that the two pieces can separate, usually from pulling the bolt back against the stop pretty hard, such as in rapid shooting.

Anyone experienced this? I have never heard of this from anyone other than twice from this particular writer.

If so, how do you fix it?

 

[limpingbear]

I just looked at my model 70 which was made sometime in 1977, and the bolt is one piece. There is no two pieces on the bolt body. I have no idea where the writer got his information.
I would think that if you were slinging the bolt hard enough to separate a swaged two piece, that you would have bigger issues and I don't think your bolt stop would survive.

 

[Boxhead]

The bolts are two piece with the handle slipped on a spline-like shaped bolt body. I have seen pictures of those separated and D'Arcy Echols has experience with the same. He now pins the handle to the body when he builds a rifle. I sent my 416 Rem to Accu-Tig and had him weld the two together. Cheap easy fix.

 

[jmr40]

Theoretically possible. Never heard of one doing it Remington bolt handles are brazed on and do fall off fairly often.

 

[Robert]

Unless you are working your action with a sledge hammer or, your rifle is rather old and seen very hard use, I'd not worry about it.

 

[elktrout]

Neither have I ever heard of this issue with the Model 70s, but the article's author said he has seen several fail in this manner. I wonder if the issue was only extant during the truly problematic production years in New Haven. I would think that the new production by FN, which has been under intense sportsman's scrutiny since 2008, has not had the problem, or WE ALL WOULD HAVE HEARD THE CRIES HOW ONLY NEW HAVEN KNEW HOW TO BUILD RIFLES.

Thanks for your replies. If anyone else knows of this problem and can add to the discussion, please chime in.

 

[Ridgerunner665]

Extremely unlikely to happen with an FN produced model 70...they may even be one piece....


I've looked at mine (I have 2)...and cannot tell if they are 2 piece or not...it looks to be one piece.