I think the bolt handles on the pre 64 Winchesters are superb.

They are pretty nice, recently however I prefer the post 64 bolt style with the knurled or checkered ring around it. Even wet cold or sweaty hands manage it.

I don't prefer a bolt knob or handle with checkering or a raised area.

I have been shooting these rifles since 1953 and have large strong hands.

I think they are all on the wrong side.

Love the shape, but don't like the hole in the end of some of them. Just a place for dirt and crap to get into. I can't for the life of me figure out why someone would decide it's a good idea to create an extra step to bore this out... weight savings? Really?! (just take a couple nickels out of your pocket)

As far as the knurling on the new ones, I like a checkered panel, but when I look at these new ones all I see is an efficient-for-mass-production factory manufacturing process. Emphasis on "factory", i.e. driven by bean counters.

Yeah, I know what it would do to the cost to hand checker each bolt nob, but Remington seems to have found a way to produce checkered panels efficiently without knurling them on a lathe. They might not be as pretty as a custom, but I think they are a far cry better looking than the Winchester knurling, although overall I like the lines of the M70 better.

I would rather smooth than knurled all the way around.

quote:

Originally posted by montea6b:
Love the shape, don't like the hole in the end. Just a place for dirt and crap to get into. Not sure why it's there... weight savings?

It's not just the bolt handle--everything about the old M70 actions is great!

Prior to 1952 all the M70s had solid bolt knobs. When the Featherweights came out in 1952 they drilled the bolt knobs to save a tiny amount of weight. Gradually, they drilled bolt knobs on all the different styles and solid knobs were pretty much all gone by the mid-1950s.

I much prefer the solid knobs so look for actions with them. Of course, the drilled knobs can be welded up. And checkering the knobs is guilding the lily.

As for style and function, I agree that they fit the bill. Only the absolute purists replace the M70 bolt handles with custom straight ones. It's really, really hard to improve much on a Pre-64 M70 action.

If your big and strong they might be a good action. But when you get old they start getting damn heavy.

I think Kimber has done a really good job of improving on them by making them lighter, using a more readily adjustable trigger, and allowing for easy removal of the bolt if you want to put a different one on.

Here is a bolt handle I made and installed last week. I like it so much that I am putting it on all my Pre-64 Model 70s. And note, it has a hole in it to save weight.

Now that's a real classic!

Will you be putting that pistol grip on your M70 actions too?

To each his own.

quote:

Originally posted by dpcd:
Here is a bolt handle I made and installed last week. I like it so much that I am putting it on all my Pre-64 Model 70s. And note, it has a hole in it to save weight.

When you have a heavy target barrel and oversized knob you have to look for weight savings wherever you can! Personally I'd put one more circumferential groove on the handle to shave off a few more grams.

quote:

Originally posted by lindy2:
If your big and strong they might be a good action. But when you get old they start getting damn heavy.

I think Kimber has done a really good job of improving on them by making them lighter...

How much lighter? If carrying 8 ounces more makes a difference--you're in pretty bad shape.

Damn; one more groove. Wish I had thought of that; it would make a 14 pound rifle feel downright feather weight. That stock is a solid aluminum chassis.