I dropped the bolt from my Model 70 300 Win Mag onto the floor and broke the safety.

My gunsmith has told me that the wait could be a few months (I might see it right before hunting season)!!! WTF!!! I don't fault him because the reason for the wait is equated to politics. But I am curious, even though the part is restricted, why the long wait?

Contact USRAC directly. They will handle the replacement of the safety for you. You may have to shipped the barreled action to them, but check beforehand.

Your gunsmith may be a procrastinator, or he may be too busy to deal with it.

George

Mike,

Most of the manufacturers, because of product liability concerns in our litigious society, restrict certain parts to factory authorized repair centers. That could be the reason for the long wait. You might be better off (time wise) contacting Winchester directly and asking about having them install a new safety for you.

First you did not say which version of the M70 you have.

If it was made after 1992 then the current USRA safety lever will work. HOWEVER it is restricted to authorized repair stations, or the USRA factory. In short it will have to be shipped somewhere for the repair.

If you have a PRE 64 or a M70 made before 1992, Then you have to go to Wisner's Inc for a reproduction lever. HOWEVER we have conditions that must be met before the part is shipped.

The reason for two diferent levers is that USRA changed the lever shape in 1992 and they will not interchange. Also any gun made before 1992, (USRA ownership change) they will NOT WORK ON THEM. This is due to the lawyers.

Jim Wisner
President
Wisner's Inc.

Thank you gentlemen.

Jim, the rifle is a Model 70 Sporting Sharpshooter. It is a post 1992 action. I took the Bolt over to the gunsmith, and it seems he is at the mercy of his suppliers. He said that he will make the repair, but the red tape associated with restricted parts is causing the holdup.

Based upon the input I have read here, the "restriction" is a liability issue because it is a part for the safety of the gun; as opposed to something that would be "restricted" because of inherent danger. After all, it would take too many to make good shrapnel for some explosive device....Geez!!!

You would think they would want to expidite a repair to a gun's safety, not drag it out. All in all, I think it is pretty silly. Some things that seem silly actually have a more sinister underlying purpose.

Id find somebody else who had more than one Model 70 that wasn't using one of them and get the lever from that one and then just replace it with the one your smith orders. that way you get to shoot your gun now instead of who knows when.

Mike,

It’s not that they don’t want the weapon fixed and safe...it’s that they don’t want the responsibility (legally) for someone else doing the work. Same with bolts. Most of the manufacturers won’t sell you a bolt because they are afraid that it will end being being used in one of their rifles without being properly headspaced. It’s a sign of the times!