I am having a bit of difficulty with my mod 70 classic stainless in 375. I have an upcoming plains game hunt in Africa this summer. This rifle has performed without hicup for the last four years and is my favorite rifle. I have had a few feeding and scope issues recently. Had new scope and rings/bases placed. Feeding is better. Not perfect but better. I am still working out the details as it works great part of the time. My real issue is that I went to the range today to resight my scope and the firing pin simply will not drop. It is like the safety is on all the time. On disassembly of the bolt a small ring like a washer was loose inside the bolt. WTF is going on?! I have loaded it a bit warm on occasion but not at what I figured was as warm as say a 270win. I have usually loaded to about 62k piezo. I really did not consider that that was too much. Maybe over book by a little but not out of the relm of sanity unless I miss my guess. Any help as to how to fix? Are my loads hotter than I think? Thanks in advance.

D.....

If you think your ammo is a bit too hot, then you "must" cut them back. Chances are you will be hunting in warmer weather than you are shooting in right now, and then you will have real troubles.

I also would take the M 70 to a GOOD 'smith, and have him look it over.

Give my local 'smith a call, 616-459-3636 Lori will usually answer the phone, but she and husband Brad, usually can fix anything.

D Hunter,

Ditto to the idea of having a good 'smith help out. There were several problems that had to be ironed out with my Son's W70 stainless 375 before we went to Australia last summer. How do your loads chronograph? That is the poor mans pressure gauge. I would want the feeding to be perfect and the loads to be a bit cool. I have never endorsed the school of thought where everyone tries to get their 30-06 to shoot like a 300 mag, after all 300's are very readily available as are super 375s. Better safe than sorry in the heat of battle.

Paul

quote:

Originally posted by D Hunter:
...On disassembly of the bolt a small ring like a washer was loose inside the bolt. WTF is going on?!...

The firing pin is threaded through the firing pin spring. At the front end of that spring is a regular washer. Right in front of that regular washer is a not-regular washer. That not-regular washer is kind of U-shaped. It fits in a groove on the firing pin. You need to pull back hard on the firing pin spring and regular washer, hard enough that you expose that little groove on the firing pin shaft. Then put the U-shaped not-regular washer back on. The concave side of the not-regular washer goes forward, toward the poity end of the firing pin. If the not-regular washer isn't on there, there is no way for the firing pin spring to push the firing pin forward.

I don't think hot loads knocked the not-regular washer off your firing pin, but I wouldn't go using them anyway. I think there is something wrong with either your firing pin or that not-regular washer. Simple re-assembly and the use of moderate loads will probably give you another slipped-off not-regular washer and another not-functioning rifle.

H. C.

Ages ago, I typed a much more detailed procedure. The stuff about bluing salts and rust probably doesn't apply in your case:

https://forums.accuratereloading.com/eve/forums/a/tpc/f/9411043/m/830107831/r/947108831#947108831

H. C.