Is there such a thing as a two-position safety to replace the three-position safety?

And where one might find one?

Thanks for any info....

Will, I have not ever heard of one but I would imagine if Jim Wisener sees this he will know for sure. Imagine he knows a way to disable the middle position also.

I am curious why you do not like the 3 position. You seem to know which way is up regarding firearms and I am always open to learn some different slants on rifles from knowledgeable people.

Chic,

The old pre-64's have a two-position safety. I posted on African BG Hunting a month ago how I screwed up and touched the trigger while pushing the safety off, which allowed the firing pin to fall. I increased the trigger pull from 3 lbs. to 4+ lbs. which helps to some extent to help eliminate this "touching the trigger problem."

I think my old pre-64 w/a 2-position safety is less succeptible to this and probably is better suited to my apparent subconscious habit of using a 2-position safety!

edited, doesn't apply

[ 10-22-2003, 03:53: Message edited by: TC1 ]

I read most of the previous topic by Will and I have a suggestion that the trigger might be changed to a two stage military type.

I don't see any big advantage in eliminating a stage of the best safety.

If the trigger pull is increased to five pounds or more it will be safer. This is not too heavy if one practices with it.

Will,

When you say the "old pre-64 70" had a 2 pos. safety are you referring to some of the very first produced, or are you "old" in general terms and were referring to all pre-64's? The reason I ask is that of the 2 pre-64's that I own (a 1950-51 and a 1956), the safeties both function in 3 positions. And the indexing at each position is positive enough that I'm sure this is the way they are meant to be.

Just curious, thanks in advance for clearing this up.

Regards,
Bob

Bob,

I sure am not qualified to clear anything up, but I do have a pre-64 Mod. 70 (.375, something like 30X,XXX serial number) that has a two-position safety. I remember having an old Mod. 70 .270 that also had a 2-position safety.

Based on that I jumped to the conclusion that the 3-position safety is a later model feature, but I could be mistaken.

Will, I remember that post. I have a prewar and a pre 64 post war and both are 3 position. If their is one check with Wisners.

Gunacologist is Jim's dad. Start shouting. Hope he sees this or email him tomorrow.

Wisner's Site

All the pre 64 M70's have had a three position safety lever, this inculdes the pre wars. However the pre war models had a lighter spring for the detent so the middle position may not have been that positive. But all of the levers I have seen have had two detent recess from the factory.

I have on spl order in the past, only milled one detent recess in my three position lever, so it was only a two position lever but looked like a three position saftey.

I currently make a two position kits for the M93-96 and M98 Mauser, and 1903 Springfield. These use the military sleeve which is then machined to accept the two position lever. Forward is fire and rear locks the bolt and is safe, which also retracts the cocking piece.

Hope this helps

Jim Wisner

Jim,

Thanks for your response. It goes to show how little I know about pre-64's, huh?

I guess I am forced to pretend it is a two-position safety and just never put it in the middle position.

Thanks.

Will, if you think some sort of special two-position safety is going to be the right fix, well... I'll have to be candid and say that you're headed down the wrong path. You'll not only be stuck with and "new and improved" - but vastly inferior - mechanism, you'll not really be getting at the root of your problem. It's pretty hard to out-engineer Winchester in the first place, especially since they had the basic formula down-cold from the beginning.

The trouble is, the Model 70 trigger/safety system is so simple that it's somewhat complicated, and if you want it to live up to its potential, it needs to be worked on by a trained, experienced expert who really understands it and has the right tools an fixtures to get everything right the first time out.

It's a better use of your time and money to keep the original system intact, but have it adjusted by a qualified professional.

AD

Will,
You just need to learn to keep that fat finger off the trigger ...

I tested my M-70s, Mauser 98s, Savage 99s, Sako L-461, and Ruger 77, Montana 1999 and they will all fire if you hold the trigger back and drop the safty....I think your out of luck trying to correct this problem...

Oh yes, the Remington 600, 700, 722 and 721 will do this also and some of these Remingtons will do it without your finger on the trigger..My 600 did until I had it fixed.....