Winchester 70 post CRF vs Pre 64?

[ronniet]

I have a question that possibly only a well educated Winchester 70 smith could answer.
Is it possible that a CRF bolt from a post 64 rifle be used in a pre 64 action?
I understand that the bolt has to be "fitted" by lapping to lugs and fit to receiver but is it the correct size and length that would make it possible?
Something that you just cant look up on the internet since its confusing to some,like how many times Winchester has changed hands and type's of bolts and lengths of action since 1964.
I have a Pre 64 70 300 mag I bought new and a couple of 54s but I have parts for another pre 64 that I would like to build on.
and never owned a post 64 either n PF or CRF.
Thanks
Ron

[Ragnarok]

The newer type bolts have a slot for a guide rib/anti-bind groove that rides a rib in the action. I think the slotted bolt lug came into being on the later push-feed guns and carried over to the controlled feed/Mauser type bolts and actions. My Featherweight M70 from the early 1990's has the slotted lug/guide rib(CRF gun)

Likely the old and new CRF won't just swap without some machine work. Probably going to have to find an age and era appropriate bolt for a project like that.

[James Wisner]

Sorry but any Pre 64 bolts and any post 64 bolt will will not interchange.

In 1964 Winchester lengthened the receiver about 1/8" along with the bolt.
So in sense all of the long actioned post 64 M70's are a 375 H&H length receiver.
That way they did not have to do as much machine work when they made them into H&H actions as they had to do with the pre 64 receivers.

You can still find used Pre 64 M70 bolts for sale on Ebay and Gunbroker

JW

[ronniet]

Sorry but any Pre 64 bolts and any post 64 bolt will will not interchange.

In 1964 Winchester lengthened the receiver about 1/8" along with the bolt.
So in sense all of the long actioned post 64 M70's are a 375 H&H length receiver.
That way they did not have to do as much machine work when they made them into H&H actions as they had to do with the pre 64 receivers.

You can still find used Pre 64 M70 bolts for sale on Ebay and Gunbroker

JW

Thank you Ragnarok & JW, That clears that up and saved me a lot or research and searching.
I only had the one Pre 64 and a couple 54s to examine and never a post 64.
Looks as the bolt of my Pre 64 I will go into the 54s OK just that the trigger/sear bolt stop is different. and the 70 has more of a speedlock to it than the 54 does but it the bolts were swaped completely that would not matter and in fact would be better.