Model 70 tool marks - need advice!

Big · May 14, 2018, 10:32 AM

Hi everyone-

New to the forum, it’s great to meet you all!

Recently purchased a model 70 and took it to the range last week. The gun functioned flawlessly. When cleaning the rifle I noticed what I believe is tooling marks on the inside of the receiver.

In your opinion is this something to be concerned with or is just cosmetic?

T. O'Heir · May 14, 2018, 12:20 PM

Hi. Hard to tell from a picture. Does it come off with a finger nail(assuming your's will fit). It feel rough? Either way it's primarily cosmetic. The "functioned flawlessly" part is what's important.

Big · May 14, 2018, 01:50 PM

Thanks for the reply!

It’s pretty shallow a nail wouldn’t fit and no finish or metal comes off. So I should be good right?

Thanks again

JeepHammer · May 14, 2018, 04:48 PM

The longer, darker marks are tooling marks.
The shorter, cross ways marks are metal galling.
Someone probably got a round under the bolt and jammed it up, tried jamming the bolt closed.
Sometimes mag lips dig into rounds & jam things up, your first reaction is to hammer the bolt handle with your hand, which will result in galling.

If the floor plate got past the stops at some point in it's life, the bolt can do that very thing to the floor plate.

Someone that FULLY strokes the bolt probably won't run I to these issues.

If you brought it to me, I would probably see how deep the marks are, if they can be removed that's the route I'd go. If not, I'd smooth the feeder plate and install a cosmetic cap on the feeder.

It's ZERO functional issue unless rounds jam and don't feed smoothly.

When EVERYONE trained on a bolt rifle, they were taught to FULLY pull the bolt back.
Many were trained to WACK the bolt rearwards, often the ejectors were fully reward and a WACK ensured positive ejection. (Old surplus military rifles in particular).

Now that so few train on a bolt rifle, a lot of short stroking happens causing issues just like this one.
I see the dents/galling in many rifles from the round ramming into it. This is short stroking dragging/wedging the round into the floor plate instead of pushing it correctly into the chamber.

If you are having no issues, you are fully cycling the bolt, Model 70s are pretty reliable, even the import versions, and with a full stroke they are reliable.

HiBC · May 14, 2018, 05:23 PM

The last time I checked,"floor plate" would be the lower door of the mag box,ahead of the trigger guard.Often hinged to facilitate unloading,cleaning,etc.

It does not experience any "stroking",short or otherwise.

Pehaps you meant "follower"

That could be a follower.I'm not sure.Its blown up too big to see.

A good question would be "Is it a manufacturing issue,or a wear issue?"

It almost looks like it was done with a broach that galled a bit.

Its critical to understand there are high spots,and low spots.When you have issues with high spots,itsOK,even good sometimes,to knock the high spots off with a fine stone.

But low spots are another matter.Don't worry about them. let them hold lube and trap sand. Polishing out low spots is a waste of steel. It throws away precision for cosmetics.

If its wear...look at the mating part. If that is a follower,look at the lower edge of the bolt face. Is it sharp? Do not get carried away,but a.003 to .005 nice smooth corner break will take the "cutting edge" away.

I could give better advice if I could see the part. That pic is over zoomed.I can't tell what I amlooking at.

Scorch · May 15, 2018, 02:03 AM

Two different kinds of tooling marks there, both caused during the broaching process for the lug ways. The length-wise ones are gouges caused by uneven cutting, the cross-ways ones are caused by shearing and pulling metal. Neither is what I would call out of the ordinary.

May 14, 2018, 12:20 PM	#2
T. O'Heir Senior Member Join Date: February 13, 2002 Location: Canada Posts: 12,453	Hi. Hard to tell from a picture. Does it come off with a finger nail(assuming your's will fit). It feel rough? Either way it's primarily cosmetic. The "functioned flawlessly" part is what's important. __________________ Spelling and grammar count!

May 15, 2018, 02:03 AM	#6
Scorch Senior Member Join Date: February 13, 2006 Location: Washington state Posts: 15,248	Two different kinds of tooling marks there, both caused during the broaching process for the lug ways. The length-wise ones are gouges caused by uneven cutting, the cross-ways ones are caused by shearing and pulling metal. Neither is what I would call out of the ordinary. __________________ Never try to educate someone who resists knowledge at all costs. But what do I know? Summit Arms Services

May 14, 2018, 01:50 PM	#3
Big Junior Member Join Date: May 13, 2018 Posts: 2	Thanks for the reply! It’s pretty shallow a nail wouldn’t fit and no finish or metal comes off. So I should be good right? Thanks again

May 14, 2018, 04:48 PM	#4
JeepHammer Junior member Join Date: February 27, 2015 Posts: 1,768	The longer, darker marks are tooling marks. The shorter, cross ways marks are metal galling. Someone probably got a round under the bolt and jammed it up, tried jamming the bolt closed. Sometimes mag lips dig into rounds & jam things up, your first reaction is to hammer the bolt handle with your hand, which will result in galling. If the floor plate got past the stops at some point in it's life, the bolt can do that very thing to the floor plate. Someone that FULLY strokes the bolt probably won't run I to these issues. If you brought it to me, I would probably see how deep the marks are, if they can be removed that's the route I'd go. If not, I'd smooth the feeder plate and install a cosmetic cap on the feeder. It's ZERO functional issue unless rounds jam and don't feed smoothly. When EVERYONE trained on a bolt rifle, they were taught to FULLY pull the bolt back. Many were trained to WACK the bolt rearwards, often the ejectors were fully reward and a WACK ensured positive ejection. (Old surplus military rifles in particular). Now that so few train on a bolt rifle, a lot of short stroking happens causing issues just like this one. I see the dents/galling in many rifles from the round ramming into it. This is short stroking dragging/wedging the round into the floor plate instead of pushing it correctly into the chamber. If you are having no issues, you are fully cycling the bolt, Model 70s are pretty reliable, even the import versions, and with a full stroke they are reliable.

May 14, 2018, 05:23 PM	#5
HiBC Senior Member Join Date: November 13, 2006 Posts: 8,283	The last time I checked,"floor plate" would be the lower door of the mag box,ahead of the trigger guard.Often hinged to facilitate unloading,cleaning,etc. It does not experience any "stroking",short or otherwise. Pehaps you meant "follower" That could be a follower.I'm not sure.Its blown up too big to see. A good question would be "Is it a manufacturing issue,or a wear issue?" It almost looks like it was done with a broach that galled a bit. Its critical to understand there are high spots,and low spots.When you have issues with high spots,itsOK,even good sometimes,to knock the high spots off with a fine stone. But low spots are another matter.Don't worry about them. let them hold lube and trap sand. Polishing out low spots is a waste of steel. It throws away precision for cosmetics. If its wear...look at the mating part. If that is a follower,look at the lower edge of the bolt face. Is it sharp? Do not get carried away,but a.003 to .005 nice smooth corner break will take the "cutting edge" away. I could give better advice if I could see the part. That pic is over zoomed.I can't tell what I amlooking at.