My m70 safety is stuck in the fire position

[Muskox]

How do I fix this?

 

[Wyatt Smith]

I had a safety lever break one time, it then got stuck in fire. Does it sit at the same angle as normal? Mine was just a bit off.
I would remove the bolt aground if possible and inspect everything.

 

[WAB]

Agreed. Assuming the rifle is unloaded, attempt to remove and disassemble the bolt. This should reveal whether you have a broken safety or perhaps some odd misalignment.

 

[rookhawk]

Is the bolt in the rifle? If so, it should be able to be cocked and moved to the half-safe and all-safe position.

If the bolt was sprung outside of the rifle, it must be hand cocked very carefully while an assistant puts it into safe position. It can then be reinstalled into the rifle.

 

[Muskox]

The Safety will not move at all, and the bolt can be put and taken out of the rifle

 

[Muskox]

The rifle will even fire, but the safety will not move at all

 

[WAB]

Have you disassembled the bolt?

 

[Safari Dave]

Just curious...


When was the rifle made?



My push-feed M70's have always worked flawlessly...

 

[Grumpy gumpy]

Have you disassembled the bolt?

This
Pull it apart and check for a burr, or muck caught in it, give it a good clean, lubricate and re assemble
Gumpy

 

[fourfive8]

This
Pull it apart and check for a burr, or muck caught in it, give it a good clean, lubricate and re assemble
Gumpy

Yes. That’s first thing to check. The safety lever is spring loaded and has a rounded probe that detents into a milled pocket at each position. Those milled pockets can have a burr on the edge that will catch the detent probe. Easy to smooth off the rims/edges of the pockets if they have burrs. The other possibility is also as gumpy posted- gunk interfering with the detent spring or other part of bolt lock up.

There is IIRC a small drift pin that will need to be punched out for disassembly. Search web for bolt diagram

 

[cajunchefray]

Just curious...


When was the rifle made?



My push-feed M70's have always worked flawlessly...

Important question. I have had a safety issue with a 2008 South Carolina FN Model 70.
A burr on the second notch.

 

[Muskox]

I can't seem to find photos or instructions of how to accomplish this beyond the washed out photos in Roger Rules book. I bought another M70 accuracy book and it is worthless.

I got the bolt shroud off of the bolt, but the spring is still under pressure.

I'll take photos of it tonight and try taking it apart.

My normal gunsmith quit working at my local gun shop.

Push feed stainless, 300 Winchester plastic stock. The serial is is G21XXXXX. mid-1990's manufacture, I would think.

 

[Grumpy gumpy]

Had a Quick Look on YouTube, seven hits on the first page showing how to disassemble the bolt, plus a heap of garbage that had nothing to do with the subject
Gumpy

 

[WAB]

Very easy to disassemble. YouTube is your friend.

 

[fourfive8]

Looking at two different books with assembly diagrams for Win 70 bolt. All models similar but shapes not identical. Both show safety lock stop pin that will have to be drifted out for disassembly. The safety lock spring and plunger is the detent probe that drops into the milled pockets that determine the three positions of the safety lever. Again, the most likely culprit is a burr or sharp edge on one or all detent pocket edges. Chuck mandril into hand drill with small strip fine metal sandpaper taped on end. Spin into each pocket to remove burrs and smooth pocket edge so detent plunger moves in and out of pocket without catching at edge of pocket.

How do I know? Because I’ve had to do it to a couple M 70s to smooth operation of safety lever. To diagnose and fix this function for smooth operation you must completely disassemble bolt.

 

[Muskox]

So yes and no. Even with someone helping me, we couldn't get the spring pulled back and the safety moved. It looks like moving the safety is the key in getting the safety apart.

Off to the smith it goes.

 

[C.W. Richter]

'Had similar on a Win-style Montana rifle. On this particular gun, the prior owner tried to do a trigger job himself (filing/polishing trigger/sear, but didn't do it equally-causing the exact same condition you mention.) 'took it apart (in camp, during deer season) filed it back correctly-and this 1-hole beauty was back in business (with a functional safety!) Definitely NOT my favorite safety design. 'Also, some are quite light...that is, in heavy brush/stickers the safety can be moved off safe and the trigger can be actuated. True! "It Happens!" -O.J. 2 position is just fine and the aforementioned would never happen (No problemos, EVER. KISS Engineering.) Prettiest safety, maybe. This type of problem would mess up most hunts.