This is about M70 Express rifles, either Super Express or Safari Express. Has anyone ever had any issues with the factory iron sights in the field? Specifically were they knocked loose or knocked off during rugged use? Could even be a vehicle mishap.

Do you feel as though the front bead & ramp and rear base can be properly strengthened and firmed up with soldering? So my question may really be; IF you had the sights soldered did anyone have them knocked off? (From the factory they are not soldered.)

The newest model 70 416 rem mag I had sites fell off.I think a bunch had bad sites.I took mine to Wild West guns and had the sites fixed.The last model 70s had lots of problems.My 338 stainless control round feed model 70 stainless jammed like crazy.I had to replace the whole magazine every piece and the scope mount screws were drilled crooked and I could not keep it from rusting.

My 416 rem mag also blew off a small piece of the bolt upon firing.You gotta be careful to check out your guns before you hunt.I usually shoot my guns a few hundred times to see if there will be problems.

I'll certainly put any/all guns thru the paces. The only issue I'm aware of concernig these models are the sights. Not so much what I've read or heard but for the simple fact that I knocked the rear base completely off my Safari Express 375HH. This occurred in the pursuit of that which is known to be harder on guns than that of all others. I was taking it out of the safe!! Smacked it clean off. Upon inspection I found that the lenght of the screws used fell short of the depth of the hole and of the threads tapped. I then removed all sights from the other Safari Express I owned, 416 & 458, and found it to be the same situation all round to include some easily stripping out due to lousy engagement. I know a good option would be to just replace all sights. Unless loctite, solder and JB Weld along with all longer screws works.

They are held on with 2 little screws. Now you know why custom guns have theirs soldered on.

A friend and I were hunting in Africa a while back. He had his M70 .458 on the truck rack. After a while, we heard a metallic pinging as something hit the pickup floor. Turned out to be the rear sight on the M70! They are indeed held on with just two screws - and not very securely at that!

Telly

Try ONE screw on the rear sight! Two on the front.

Loctite and a spot of J-B weld work wonders. Just as good as soldering them on. I use the Loctite/J-B weld system on all of my Encore pistol scope bases as well, including the ferocious 10" bbl 500 S&W. Never had an issue with this method. Do you need to reblue when soldering the rear sight base on?

I have 3 and no trouble at all.

I've been OK so far with my Classic Safari Express in .375 H&H. It's only been to Africa twice and hasn't had any tough handling or falls yet. Maybe I've been lucky.

The rear sight is made by Recknagel and is excellent. The bead on the tip of the front sight has broke off but not the full front sight ramp.

I would install a barrel band front sight, rear sight, and swivel on any big bore..Might suggest a Wisner shallow V rear sight (ala old M-70) or NECG Island rear. Quarter rib is always best but expensive.

Solder is always best, JB Weld and 8/40 screws works well enough, never saw them fail yet.

Barrel bands options can be put on heated and drenched with water to cool immediatly and that seems to be as good as weld IMO...Dennis Olson does this and it works very well...

Always include a mechanical attachement on that barrel band. Pressure fit failed on mine so it had to be redone.

Had to have the front sight on my 375 H&H Super Express tightened up after a hundred or so rounds. Also, it didn't like to have flat-nosed Federal Sledgehammers slammed in. Hung up more than a couple times. No problems feeding TSX's, though.
Dave

Speaking of barrel bands. Who decided big bore bolt rifles MUST have them? They just need to be more forward. CZ does a good job of it.