Winchester model 70 feeding issue

If you could find someone who has a 70 like yours you could maybe compare and see,but I don't think it's the right one.

this might help: https://www.midwestgunworks.com/page/mgwi/prod/U353600800

luck,

murf

It might seem a little weird but try scratching up a couple of cases of loaded ammo with course wet/dry sandpaper to create more friction between the case and the bottom of the feed rails.

This keeps the cartridge captive under the feed rails for longer during the loading cycle, and retains the cartridge in the magazine when the bolt is withdrawn. If this works increase the coefficient of friction by making the underside of the feed rails rougher, similar to what was done to the cases.

More magazine spring tension might also help, but I am guessing the short cartridge in the long action is also not helping things.

I think your box magazine (A) long action blocked for short action cartridge is correct for your rifle.

I think you might be milking the bolt. Try working it as if your life depended on it. I had a 700 in .243 when I was a young man and I had to "work" the bolt for it to feed.

351 WINCHESTER said:

I think you might be milking the bolt. Try working it as if your life depended on it. I had a 700 in .243 when I was a young man and I had to "work" the bolt for it to feed.

Click to expand...

I've had a couple of rifles like that, but it doesn't make me happy. Some times the trick is timing the bolt speed and amount of force as you work the action.

I would try blocking the magazine box the equivalant height of 2-3 cartridges under the follower spring to create more spring tension, and see if the last round in the mag popping out on its own problem goes away... Indicating insufficient magazine follower spring tension, and a new spring is needed.

I might also make sure the extractor and ejector race ways and springs are clean and travel freely... just because. I would also check the feed ramp for gouges or sharp lips and put a light polish on the ramp itself.

Different bullet profiles might also help (Hollow point verses soft point verses round nose verses ballistic tip, ect...)

My guess is insufficient follower spring tension coupled with magazine feed rail geometry problems. ( if the feed rails were contoured for a long action cartridge, and the only thing they did to chamber it for a short cartridge was to block the magazine to the correct length it might explain feeding problems) The rifle IS from the time that Winchester was trying out major cost cutting methods.

handsonaudio said:

351, I had a similar thought, but when I vary the speed at which I'm working the bolt, my results are still inconsistent. Usually I just end up denting the brass on cartridge that pops halfway out as I pinch it between the bolt and the action.

John, I realize my initial description might've been confusing. In actuality, the last round in the magazine is the only one that always feeds correctly, when spring tension is at its lowest.

Click to expand...

Ah so. So the cartridge case base is not being released from the feed rails early enough for the push feed bolt to push the cartridge strait into the chamber ( which is the opposite problem from what I was envisioning) Don't do it until you are absolutely sure what the problem is but widening the feed rail distance right where you want the case base released from the magazine might be a fix, or polishing the underside of that point might help ( decreasing the friction holding the base of the cartridge captive in the magazine at that point, instead of increasing the friction as I first suggested)

I still think the long action rifle converted to a short action cartridge without changing feed rail geometry is the underlying problem. I saw the same problems you are experiencing in a 80's era M70 push feed short action rifle that just used a magazine block to chamber the rifle for the super short .223. That rifle really had bullets it liked to feed smoothly, and bullets it didnt.

Disclaimer!
Altering, tuning, and timing of feed rail geometry is considered an advanced WECSOG course, where only the roadrunner is allowed the use of rotary dremil tools, and the coyote is limited to 1200 grit sandpaper and 000 steel wool. (WECSOG= Wile E. Coyote School of Gunsmithing)

The next things I would look at are;
Does it feed better from one side or the other?
Are there longitudinal scratches on the case after feeding?(ink up the case first to highlight)
If you run your finger along the underside of the feed rails are they sharp or do you feel a burr?
If you polish and lightly lube a case and lightly lube the underside of the feed rails does it work better?
Will it feed a .308 cartridge better? (NOT CHAMBER, just feed up out of the magazine)
Will it feed an empty case?

One of the cost cutting ideas with the post-64 M-70 was that push feed rail geometry is easier to tune than CRF.

"Usually" the feed rail geometry for a .338 federal, 308 win, 7mm08, 260 rem, and , 243 win are the same... BUT,
strait cartridges are easier to make feed correctly than sharply bottle necked cartridges. .243 has a pretty defined bottleneck.

Because the last round works well I would say there is nothing wrong with your magazine box, follower, or follower spring.

Go slow, don't remove any metal before sleeping on it a couple of days and considering all possible ramifications, the ledge you remove might just be the one you are standing on. Beep-Beep!

I have actually had pretty good luck with push feed M70s, they are inexpensive, strong, safe, and have been accurate for me, but their extractor is weak. I also think their esthetics are superior to many of today's rifles.

Does anybody remember Ghiiiliiieee's FN-FAL feed rail geometry fix? A classic case of "put down and slowly step away from the dremil tool and nobody gets hurt!"