M-70 Bolt

[TXJohn]

Hey guys I have a M-70 1974 model, 300 Win Mag. The Bolt is kinda dingy looking, have tried several different cleaners to shine up with no luck any suggestions?

[gaseousclay]

Maas?

[Unclenick]

Can you post a photo? Not sure if by dingy you mean it just means in need of thorough cleaning and maybe a bit of Flitz (of Maas or Gunbrite) to polish it, or if it is scuffed up and needs more rigorous attention?

Bolt appearance is often spruced up by jeweling it. You need an indexing fixture and a drill press for that. Brownells sells fixtures and the engine turning brushes and abrasive to create the surface texture, but that's a lot of investment for just one bolt. I'd have a gunsmith do it for just one.

You can strip it and buff it, then polish it if scratches need to be removed, but if they are longitudinal scuffs from the bolt way, then they will come back if you don't clean up the inside of the way.

[TXJohn]

Unclenick, glad you responded since I respect your opinion greatly, The bolt is in good shape no scratches or gouges just looks likes it has a dirty film have scrubed with different bore cleaners but not getting all of the filmy looking stuff off.

Just thought there may be something to submerge bolt in to remove greasy looking film off. It is not hampering anything and it may be stained due to neglect before I rec. the rifle but it is not rust looks like powder stain?

Thanks John

[Unclenick]

John,

It could be simple carbon build-up. There are several products that will soften and remove it. Probably the strongest of the bunch is Slip 2000's Carbon Killer. I've used it successfully to remove heavy ancient carbon cake from behind Garand op-rod pistons and from inside M1A gas pistons by soaking, and those are very tough jobs.

There are other carbon dissolving products I like, but they are mainly intended as bore cleaners and may take awhile to do what you want. If you decide to try one of those first for a non-toxic, low odor approach, try Gunzilla. It is a vegetable-based product. I've had it get old carbon out of bores and chambers, but it can take a spell. In one instance, after I thought I'd got an old Springfield bore clean, I left it sopping wet with Gunzilla and forgot it was there for several weeks. When I patched it out I had a good smear of carbon come with it. The borescope revealed pits that had been previously invisible because they'd been filled in with hard carbon. In that case it might have best been left alone, but live and learn.

Nick