Model 70 light strike issue

[thrower88]

Anyone have issues with random light strikes on certain ammo with model 70 30:06 post 64?

 

[thrower88]

And if you did, did changing the firing pin spring alleviate the issue?

 

[MikeDeltaFoxtrot]

Saw some light strike issues on a late model Win 70 that belongs to my brother. I tis chambered in 300 WM. It is one of the recent ones where they went back to the pre-64 CRF action. We had his new rifle out (this was 2020), and we were getting very sporadic ignition. It turned out to be the ammo. We has some Hornady American Whitetail that just sucked.

When I am trying to diagnose a problem like that, I usually prime some resized cases with a few different brands of primers and experiment in my basement until I figure it out. It may or may not be a gun problem in your case.

 

[TaperPin]

You can remove the spring and measure how long it is and compare that to a new spring. The distance the firing pin sticks out can change how hard primers get smacked if there are differences in headspace due to how the cartridges are made. It’s always a good idea to clean the inside of the bolt, inspect the spring and look for anything out of the ordinary.

With manufacturers cranking out ammo as fast as humanly possible, there might be some tolerances that have been allowed to be sloppier than normal - like primer cup thickness and/or hardness.

 

[cuttingedge]

My XPR was having light strikes and it also turned out to be the ammo. It was Winchester Copper Impact. Some rounds were so out of spec if you chambered them, they would go so far into the chamber the bolt wouldn't extract them. Winchester did refund my money on the ammo, so good on them for that.

There could also be fouling inside the bolt impeding the firing pins movement. It might just need to be cleaned.

 

[thrower88]

Okay thanks for the replies. I wasn’t having any issues until I switched away from Winchester brand. I’ll have to go back to that and give it a go.

 

[t_carlson]

If its an older gun, it may be a weak spring or worn firing pin.

I have a Rem. 700 that all of a sudden started light striking. Gunsmith diagnosed it as the pin getting worn down, and its worked ever since.

I would not have guessed that troubleshooting it myself.

 

[JFK]

I’d strip the bolt and shoot everything with brake cleaner. Give all internal bolt parts a very light wipe down with clp and see if that solves it.

 

[thrower88]

I’d strip the bolt and shoot everything with brake cleaner. Give all internal bolt parts a very light wipe down with clp and see if that solves it.

will do

 

[Choupique]

strip the bolt and shoot everything with brake cleaner

This. I took my model 70 bolt apart prior to the season this year and it was full of all kinds of crap.

I left all the internals degreased and dry. That's how my old mauser always was and it never had an issue.

I highly doubt the ammo is the problem.

 

[RobDP]

Anyone have issues with random light strikes on certain ammo with model 70 30:06 post 64?

I am having this same issue with a 2018 Supergrade in 30-06. I’ve shot about 90 rounds over the last 5 years of multiple brands of ammunition and had several instances of very shallow primer dents sometimes with ignition but several times no ignition. Yesterday was cold out here and I had three failed ignitions in a row. So I disassembled the bolt and found There was a cosmoline like grease from the factory inside the bolt and under the spring. It was waxy. I stripped it off with brake clean. I then carefully reassembled and checked the fitment of all the parts. It seemed like the spring was dragging along inside the bolt when I screwed it back together. The inside surface is rough. I then removed the firing pin spring and reassembled with just the retaining clip on the firing pin and found that it is actually the retaining clip dragging on the inside surface of the bolt. When installed on the firing pin it is not centered and protrudes out what seems to be a few thousands too far causing the pin to hang up a little as it moves through the hole in the bolt face. I’m considering a few swipes of a small round file to deepen the notch in the retaining clip so it doesn’t contact the inside of the bolt. I’m pretty sure the waxy grease was a contributing factor and I may test fire some primed brass before attempting to modify the retaining clip. I also need to swore a small enough file for this task first. Thoughts??

 

[thrower88]

I have not investigated that far to see if I have the same issue. My gun is a 2013

 

[RobDP]

I have not investigated that far to see if I have the same issue. My gun is a 2013

Hopefully for you it is just a matter of removing the factory grease and machining residue and then re-lubricating. I purchased a round file slightly smaller than the diameter of the retaining clip area of the firing pin and took two swipes at the fatter side of the clip’s notch and it now seats in a much more centered manner and doe not drag on the inner bolt surface. My next step is to attempt to fire those three rounds that didn’t ignite the other day. Good luck!

 

[thrower88]

Hopefully for you it is just a matter of removing the factory grease and machining residue and then re-lubricating. I purchased a round file slightly smaller than the diameter of the retaining clip area of the firing pin and took two swipes at the fatter side of the clip’s notch and it now seats in a much more centered manner and doe not drag on the inner bolt surface. My next step is to attempt to fire those three rounds that didn’t ignite the other day. Good luck!

Thanks! Agreed, plan to try to get it cleaned up this weekend to see if that helps.

 

[RobDP]

Thanks! Agreed, plan to try to get it cleaned up this weekend to see if that helps.

After stripping all the grease off, re-fitting the spring retainer I oiled and wiped everything down, put a tiny dab of grease on the safety camming surface of the firing pin, and another tiny dab of grease on the cocking piece surfaces it seems to have cured my problem. The three rounds that failed to fire the other day fired today and several more rounds without any problems.