Antique Crossbolt Search

[Papa72]

My FWW .458 WM, manufactured in 1972 and acquired by me in 2022, only has a front crossbolt installed. The stock is fully glass bedded but has no steel pillars for the action screws. The bore looks clean and sharp so I am pretty sure the rifle’s round count is low. I have fired several reduced velocity 350gr loads but hesitant to stoke the beast until I install action screw pillars and add a second crossbolt….

Herein lies my problem: I have been unable to locate the exact plain & concave crossbolt type to match the existing factory one. I thought maybe a member may have one in their parts bin so wanted to allow some time for a response while I start bedding the screw pillars. I am not opposed to just installing new crossbolts that match but that will be my last resort. The wood on this rifle is awesome and I have resolved that adding a second crossbolt will probably be overkill, but I’m too old and frail to kick my own ass these days.

 

[Grumpy gumpy]

If you can’t find one, A decent machinist would be able to make one easily enough, you would need to give them the original one to copy
Gumpy

 

[Scott4030]

I agree, most good machinists could knock one out pretty quickly. But when did 1972 become an antique!!!! Makes me feel so old!!

 

[Papa72]

Having one machined is a possibility but I would just opt to install a matched pair of current style bolts if I fail to locate a twin to this one. Again, I am really on the fence about installing a second crossbolt anyway as I am confident adding front and rear bedded steel pillars to supplement the existing crossbolt should protect the stock that has been glass bedded full length.

 

[Grumpy gumpy]

Take the action out of the stock and check that there isn’t already an internal cross bolt bedded into the stock, I’ve done a few discrete ones like that, they may be not as strong as one with heads on the outside but will stop splitting regardless
Gumpy