New Super Grade m70 issues

Hunter270Win

Lil-Rokslider
Joined
Feb 15, 2024
Messages
107
Hello all, I recently purchased a new model 70 super grade in .270 win. I believe I am having issues with the controlled round feed and would like to see y’all’s opinions.

Rounds on the right side of the mag are controlled the entire time and knock up out of the magazine and immediately into the claw extractor. However, rounds on the left side do not knock up into the claw extractor immediately and are a push feed until I push the bolt forward enough for the round to go under the claw extractor. The entire time the round on the left side is free and not controlled until I push it all the way in.

Is this normal? Does anyone else have this problem?

I have contacted Winchester and sent my firearm back but they said since it fed well it is not a problem and sent it back to me without any changes. But I wonder if there is an issue at play here with dimensions or something…
 

greenomics

Lil-Rokslider
Joined
Aug 24, 2020
Messages
255
Location
Kansas
Maybe ask the members at 24 hour campfire if you dont get an answer here. A few Winchester experts over there.
 

Wapiti1

WKR
Joined
Sep 18, 2017
Messages
3,620
Location
Indiana
That issue is not uncommon on any CRF action. It's impossible to diagnose without seeing what is happening. I'll assume this is a right hand rifle. For left hand, reverse my comments below.

A few possibilities:

The cartridge is coming up late and the rim is at too much angle to slip under the extractor. This is a tough one because if it comes up too early, it can not get captured at all. Tweaking the magazine box feed lip is how this is addressed.

Polishing the extractor. It could just be hanging up on a sharp edge. Remove the extractor, and lightly, very lightly break the edges on the extractor with either a really fine stone, or 600 or 800 grit paper backed by a flat object. You just want to remove sharp edges that catch the brass, not change the shape of anything.

The bolt face needs a little tweaking. When feeding, the left side of the face has a wall that guides the cartridge and holds it against the extractor. This may just need to be polished a little, or the bottom edge of the wall may be a little low and not allow the cartridge to pop up. This is a tougher one to correct, but polishing with 600-800 grit paper usually works. If the bolt face needs work, someone knowledgeable should do it. It's easy to make it worse or not hold the cartridge correctly.

Weak magazine spring. The left side needs a bit more oomph because the cartridge hits the bolt face before it contacts the extractor. The right side hits the extractor directly and it's easier to get it to pop into place. Sometimes, just removing the spring, and stretching it out a bit does the trick. Polishing and stretching the spring fixes 90% of the CRF feeding issues that I encounter.

Those are possibilities off the top of my head. Again, without seeing it feed, it's not possible to diagnose.

Jeremy
 

Mojave

WKR
Joined
Jun 13, 2019
Messages
2,047
Could also be an issue of an incorrect magazine design dimensions. This is a huge problem with all CRF rifles. Most companies only make a few sizes of magazines.

D'Arcy Echols type question, but will be a D'Arcy Echols kind of expense.
 

AK4570

FNG
Joined
Dec 31, 2012
Messages
62
Location
MT
While I would never discourage anyone from seeking out Mr. Echols' assistance, CRF timing issues are well within the purview of a competent gunsmith. In fact, a careful reading of the post from Mr. Wapiti1 along with a bit of additional research could guide a reasonably skilled individual through the issue themselves.

Best of luck and best regards,
John
 

Choupique

WKR
Joined
Oct 2, 2022
Messages
436
Grab a picture of it right before the round comes out of the box. I can get some of mine and we can compare. They all have to push forward a bit before popping up. Mine push a little farther coming out the right side of the box vs the left. As long as it is cleanly snapping into the bolt face every time I wouldn't worry about it. If I remember right it should push the cartridge about halfway across the box before popping it out.

It's not a super big concern as long as it is feeding well. I grew up hunting with surplus military rifles so I might run the bolt more aggressively than most do but I've never had a feed issue with my model 70. It'll even cleanly feed empty cases with the gun laying across my lap. One thing I notice at the range is people operating their rifles very gingerly. My grandpa, an old Navy man, instilled in us early on that with all firearms, rack that thing like you mean it! It's steel, you won't hurt it.
 
OP
H

Hunter270Win

Lil-Rokslider
Joined
Feb 15, 2024
Messages
107
Grab a picture of it right before the round comes out of the box. I can get some of mine and we can compare. They all have to push forward a bit before popping up. Mine push a little farther coming out the right side of the box vs the left. As long as it is cleanly snapping into the bolt face every time I wouldn't worry about it. If I remember right it should push the cartridge about halfway across the box before popping it out.

It's not a super big concern as long as it is feeding well. I grew up hunting with surplus military rifles so I might run the bolt more aggressively than most do but I've never had a feed issue with my model 70. It'll even cleanly feed empty cases with the gun laying across my lap. One thing I notice at the range is people operating their rifles very gingerly. My grandpa, an old Navy man, instilled in us early on that with all firearms, rack that thing like you mean it! It's steel, you won't hurt it.
While I would never discourage anyone from seeking out Mr. Echols' assistance, CRF timing issues are well within the purview of a competent gunsmith. In fact, a careful reading of the post from Mr. Wapiti1 along with a bit of additional research could guide a reasonably skilled individual through the issue themselves.

Best of luck and best regards,
John
Could also be an issue of an incorrect magazine design dimensions. This is a huge problem with all CRF rifles. Most companies only make a few sizes of magazines.

D'Arcy Echols type question, but will be a D'Arcy Echols kind of expense.
That issue is not uncommon on any CRF action. It's impossible to diagnose without seeing what is happening. I'll assume this is a right hand rifle. For left hand, reverse my comments below.

A few possibilities:

The cartridge is coming up late and the rim is at too much angle to slip under the extractor. This is a tough one because if it comes up too early, it can not get captured at all. Tweaking the magazine box feed lip is how this is addressed.

Polishing the extractor. It could just be hanging up on a sharp edge. Remove the extractor, and lightly, very lightly break the edges on the extractor with either a really fine stone, or 600 or 800 grit paper backed by a flat object. You just want to remove sharp edges that catch the brass, not change the shape of anything.

The bolt face needs a little tweaking. When feeding, the left side of the face has a wall that guides the cartridge and holds it against the extractor. This may just need to be polished a little, or the bottom edge of the wall may be a little low and not allow the cartridge to pop up. This is a tougher one to correct, but polishing with 600-800 grit paper usually works. If the bolt face needs work, someone knowledgeable should do it. It's easy to make it worse or not hold the cartridge correctly.

Weak magazine spring. The left side needs a bit more oomph because the cartridge hits the bolt face before it contacts the extractor. The right side hits the extractor directly and it's easier to get it to pop into place. Sometimes, just removing the spring, and stretching it out a bit does the trick. Polishing and stretching the spring fixes 90% of the CRF feeding issues that I encounter.

Those are possibilities off the top of my head. Again, without seeing it feed, it's not possible to diagnose.

Jeremy
 
OP
H

Hunter270Win

Lil-Rokslider
Joined
Feb 15, 2024
Messages
107
Ah, yea that aint right.
so I’m not crazy then? Winchester swore that it was fine because it can feed, but the left side round isn’t controlled until the bolt is all the way pushed forward. Also depending on the angle and how fast I push the bolt, the left rounds will not feed
 

Choupique

WKR
Joined
Oct 2, 2022
Messages
436
No, you are not crazy. I can make mine do that with an empty case coming off the left side but I have to do it on purpose and only with empties. It will typically feed off both sides the way yours does on the right, as do the other CRF bolt guns I have messed with. It looks like that one needs some feed rail work, which as was said earlier is a very common thing with modern CRF rifles.

It's not controlled round feed if the round is flopping around infront of the bolt. I'd send the video to them and send it back.
 
OP
H

Hunter270Win

Lil-Rokslider
Joined
Feb 15, 2024
Messages
107
No, you are not crazy. I can make mine do that with an empty case coming off the left side but I have to do it on purpose and only with empties. It will typically feed off both sides the way yours does on the right, as do the other CRF bolt guns I have messed with. It looks like that one needs some feed rail work, which as was said earlier is a very common thing with modern CRF rifles.

It's not controlled round feed if the round is flopping around infront of the bolt. I'd send the video to them and send it back.
That’s exactly what I was thinking! This can’t be controlled round feed! Problem is they got very upset with me last time I sent the gun back and they were claiming that it was perfectly fine and I didn’t need to send the gun back at all. I’m gonna call them today and arrange to get the gun sent back. Thanks man.
 
OP
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Hunter270Win

Lil-Rokslider
Joined
Feb 15, 2024
Messages
107
Just got off the phone with Winchester and wow the guy was an asshole. He told me that their gunsmiths are “experts” and they will watch NOT video because they have already seen it with their own two eyes and determined the gun is working perfectly fine.

He tried to say I must have been just tossing the round in the chamber like a push feed (I was not) and that it is user error. Even though I tried to explain to him how it wasn’t.

Told me it was a waste of time to send it back and it is working as it should be… He finally buckled at the end and gave me the return form though so that’s good at least.

I adored Winchester as a child and was a huge fan of theirs but to pay $1500 for a gun not only for it to have issues from the factory but for them not to fix them and then subsequently tell me that I’m the problem and the gun works perfectly fine… yeah not anymore.
 

Choupique

WKR
Joined
Oct 2, 2022
Messages
436
Yea, I'm kinda jaded with my EWSS as well, only because I figured out the trigger was not the old style after I bought it.

Fortunately I haven't had to deal with customer service. Mine shoots and works great.
 
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