An unexpected hole

[SteveK]

I just bought a pretty new Winchester Model 70 in 7mm-08 and while looking it over I noticed a roughly 1/8 inch hole drilled into the right side of the receiver just behind the chamber. One can see the front of the bolt moving past it just before it locks into battery. What the heck is this for? If I was to guess, I'd say it was a pressure escape hole in case something very wrong occurred during firing of the rifle. But then... I really don't know.

Can one of you, my knowledgeable colleagues, here tell me with certainty what it's for?
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[Love Life]

It's a serious manufacturing defect. The rifle will blow up if you shoot it...


On a serious note, it is what you think it is.

[SteveK]

Funny guy!

Thanks.

[Love Life]

Funny guy!

Thanks.

No problem. That looks to be a mighty fine rifle with nice bluing from what I see in the picture.

[Texas by God]

That is a gas vent ike you thought. Now show us the rest of the rifle!

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[SteveK]

That is a gas vent ike you thought. Now show us the rest of the rifle!

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Here you are.
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[Texas by God]

That is beautiful. You could be a one gun man with that one. But I'm not suggesting any such silliness!

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[1Hawkeye]

You are correct grasshopper it is a gas vent in case of a blown primer or case head separation.

[osteodoc08]

Nice looking rifle. The 7mm-08 is really an underrated cartridge. Ballistics very similar to the very popular 6.5 Creedmoor but with a bit more smack. Will outperform the 308 in some instances at distance depending on bullet selection.

And yes the hole you see is the vent hole.

[Petrol & Powder]

Yep, gas vent.

But onto the serious matter, That's a FINE rifle you have there! Congratulations on that acquisition.

The 7mm-08 is an OUTSTANDING cartridge ! I agree with osteodoc08 that it is underrated. The 7mm-08 has just about killed off the 7 x 57 (7mm Mauser) when it comes to new rifles and in reality, the 7mm-08 will in fact slightly outperform the fine old 7mm Mauser.
The 7mm-08 uses a short action (A huge plus in my book) and has a wonderfully flat trajectory.

[bob208]

all 03's and 03a3's have that same hole.

[Ragnarok]

That's a 'Classic'(claw extractor) action M70...should have a couple holes in the bolt to vent gas from a blown primer down into the mag-box too...these also have a block on the extractor band so gas can't blast down the left side of the action.

The older M70 actions had the same hole in the receiver...but the bolt had a hole or two that dumped blown primer gas into the left side of the action lug groove/raceway....basically into your face!

[Blanket]

all 03's and 03a3's have that same hole. nope all do not have

[SteveK]

That's a 'Classic'(claw extractor) action M70...should have a couple holes in the bolt to vent gas from a blown primer down into the mag-box too...these also have a block on the extractor band so gas can't blast down the left side of the action.

The older M70 actions had the same hole in the receiver...but the bolt had a hole or two that dumped blown primer gas into the left side of the action lug groove/raceway....basically into your face!

I didn't see a hole in the bolt itself but I like the way the firing pin can be removed from the bolt be simply twisting a catch and unscrewing the whole unit from the bolt.

Jeez I love my black rifles but this is too delightfully techie and old school at the same time.

[SteveK]

Yep, gas vent.

But onto the serious matter, That's a FINE rifle you have there! Congratulations on that acquisition.

The 7mm-08 is an OUTSTANDING cartridge ! I agree with osteodoc08 that it is underrated. The 7mm-08 has just about killed off the 7 x 57 (7mm Mauser) when it comes to new rifles and in reality, the 7mm-08 will in fact slightly outperform the fine old 7mm Mauser.
The 7mm-08 uses a short action (A huge plus in my book) and has a wonderfully flat trajectory.

Thanks very much... I was very hot on getting something in 6.5 Creedmore and then I came upon an article comparing the 6.5 CR to the 7mm-08 and realized that for my purposes the 7mm-08 was a much better suited calibre. As osteodoc said, it has "more smack". ('Love that term) I hunt almost everything and I wouldn't hesitate to use that rifle for any NA game using a proportionately weighted boolit.

[SteveK]

Yep, gas vent.

But onto the serious matter, That's a FINE rifle you have there! Congratulations on that acquisition.

The 7mm-08 is an OUTSTANDING cartridge ! I agree with osteodoc08 that it is underrated. The 7mm-08 has just about killed off the 7 x 57 (7mm Mauser) when it comes to new rifles and in reality, the 7mm-08 will in fact slightly outperform the fine old 7mm Mauser.
The 7mm-08 uses a short action (A huge plus in my book) and has a wonderfully flat trajectory.

Thank you Sir. I appreciate your input.

[dverna]

The M70 was never "the" accuracy rifle like the M700 was...

Having owned three M70's and five M700's, I really like the M70 and it is my hunting rifle of choice. You have a very nice gun there and a great caliber.

[Texas by God]

A seldom if ever mentioned hole in the much vaunted m70 is where the front guard screw enters the front receiver ring. On A pre 64 I had you could bind the lug on the bolt by overtightening.

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[SteveK]

The M70 was never "the" accuracy rifle like the M700 was...

Having owned three M70's and five M700's, I really like the M70 and it is my hunting rifle of choice. You have a very nice gun there and a great caliber.

I think there's a fellow named Carlos Hathcock who would disagree with you. Just saying.213284