Pathfinder45
New member
Thanks, Ray. A picture is worth a thousand words.
Winchester model 70 barrel bulge - suggestions
- Thread starter Ocraknife
- Start date
Looking at that photo I'd have my brother shoot it first. If it shoots then I'd have to decide if I could live with the bulge. If it were mine I'd have 1-2" cut off the barrel and simply remove both front and rear iron sights. That will cost a fraction of a rebarrel and it keep the original barrel.
It will not be original length, but that is a very common pre-64. There isn't all that much collector interest on it anyway. Most of those have been heavily modified over the years and used as the donor for custom rifles anyway. I'd take this opportunity to do the same.
It will not be original length, but that is a very common pre-64. There isn't all that much collector interest on it anyway. Most of those have been heavily modified over the years and used as the donor for custom rifles anyway. I'd take this opportunity to do the same.
I don't get the removing the barrel to cut and re-crown.
What am I missing?
On the surface there seems no reason to remove the barrel to do that.
Certainly what I would do, get rid of the bulge and life should be good.
As noted the 30-06 in Pre 64 is not a rare item so its collector value is low vs the other rarer calibers.
What am I missing?
On the surface there seems no reason to remove the barrel to do that.
Certainly what I would do, get rid of the bulge and life should be good.
As noted the 30-06 in Pre 64 is not a rare item so its collector value is low vs the other rarer calibers.
reynolds357
New member
Not to be the pessimist but whenever a rifle is over pressured to the extent it bulges the barrel, the action needs to be very closely inspected. Magnaflux, ultrasonic, electro chemical, etc. More than likely, any defect will be found in the lugs of the bolt.
tango1niner
New member
RC20
Your are spot on.
Part off bulge, face, crown.
But I do like the .270 win. caliber re-barrel idea also ...
I'd take a good magnifying glass to the bolt lugs as well.
Your are spot on.
Part off bulge, face, crown.
But I do like the .270 win. caliber re-barrel idea also ...
I'd take a good magnifying glass to the bolt lugs as well.
Sure Shot Mc Gee
New member
Trade it in for something new. Even with a bulge the (pre -64 model 70 ) still has some collectors value. By the time your brother finds someone to resolve his rifles issue its quite possible its cost to fix is beyond the cost of a new something replacing it that shoots better than his old and heavy friend.
After such an incident I would never test and inspect the rifle by "shooting it to see what happens" as some have suggested. There may be other damage not easily visible to the barrel, bolt or receiver. If so, or even with just the damage it has now you may have a ticking time bomb there. It should be thoroughly inspected by a gunsmith, preferably one experiences with Win Model 70 before going any further. 
"...no such cartridge as "30-06 Government"..." That's what the '06 was called when it was brand new. Isn't something to worry about.
No hacksaws for cutting that barrel. Take it to a smithy who has a lathe to do it right. I'd be thinking 22" when it's done.
Like James K says, there's no need to take the barrel off to cut it. A Win 70's barreled action without the trigger isn't very big. Front sight is soldered on, as I recall. No big deal.
Very likely is about the same labour cost to cut as it is to replace. Except for the price of another barrel.
"...He'd like to get one with 30-06 Government on the barrel rather than..." That'd be an unusual barrel. Anything remotely unusual costs a bunch more.
No hacksaws for cutting that barrel. Take it to a smithy who has a lathe to do it right. I'd be thinking 22" when it's done.
Like James K says, there's no need to take the barrel off to cut it. A Win 70's barreled action without the trigger isn't very big. Front sight is soldered on, as I recall. No big deal.
Very likely is about the same labour cost to cut as it is to replace. Except for the price of another barrel.
"...He'd like to get one with 30-06 Government on the barrel rather than..." That'd be an unusual barrel. Anything remotely unusual costs a bunch more.
Jim Watson
New member
Leaving a bore sighter in place usually bulges the barrel worse than that, even splits it, you got off easy.
I don't worry about it somehow damaging the rest of the barrel or the action.
I would:
1. Test fire. If it retains "hunting accuracy," great. Carry on.
2. If not, I would look at repairs. Cutting the barrel off behind the bulge would work, but would lose the front sight. Replacing or reinstalling it would be added work. I would ask my gunsmith about counterboring the barrel a few inches. This is said to be pretty common on Mosin Nagants, it ought to work as well on an American rifle as a Russian. Appearance would be unaffected and velocity only a bit lower.
3. Replace the barrel. Haunting the sale sites for the same roll marks might take a while and cost a bit, but it is certainly possible. Of course a new barrel from a blank could be in any caliber that would fit the action and and might well be more accurate than factory.
I once had a similar experience. I bought a rifle at a gun show. I wondered why somebody would put a gun up for sale without cleaning it, but the external appearance was good and the price was very good.
Accuracy "off the table" was poor. The first cleaning, I felt the patch "jump". Yup, a bulge.
It was near enough the muzzle to cut it off and stay legal, so I had it done.
Accuracy was only somewhat better, so I got it very clean and examined it very closely. The proverbial "dark grooves, good lands" of the surplus rifle salesman. But this wasn't a surplus rifle, it was a Remington 788 .223. I didn't know anybody made corrosive .223, but it sure looked like a previous owner had found some.
Remington said they would rebarrel it for a reasonable fee, so I sent it in. I just sent the barreled action so they would not have a chance to mess up the nicely refinished and checkered stock. When it came back, it did not fit the stock well. Different serial number; Remington had not rebarrelled it, they had simply replaced it. Whole spare barreled action on the shelf years after the model had been discontinued. I had the stock rebidded and finally got my bolt action .223 but with a lot more cost and delay than I liked.
I don't worry about it somehow damaging the rest of the barrel or the action.
I would:
1. Test fire. If it retains "hunting accuracy," great. Carry on.
2. If not, I would look at repairs. Cutting the barrel off behind the bulge would work, but would lose the front sight. Replacing or reinstalling it would be added work. I would ask my gunsmith about counterboring the barrel a few inches. This is said to be pretty common on Mosin Nagants, it ought to work as well on an American rifle as a Russian. Appearance would be unaffected and velocity only a bit lower.
3. Replace the barrel. Haunting the sale sites for the same roll marks might take a while and cost a bit, but it is certainly possible. Of course a new barrel from a blank could be in any caliber that would fit the action and and might well be more accurate than factory.
I once had a similar experience. I bought a rifle at a gun show. I wondered why somebody would put a gun up for sale without cleaning it, but the external appearance was good and the price was very good.
Accuracy "off the table" was poor. The first cleaning, I felt the patch "jump". Yup, a bulge.
It was near enough the muzzle to cut it off and stay legal, so I had it done.
Accuracy was only somewhat better, so I got it very clean and examined it very closely. The proverbial "dark grooves, good lands" of the surplus rifle salesman. But this wasn't a surplus rifle, it was a Remington 788 .223. I didn't know anybody made corrosive .223, but it sure looked like a previous owner had found some.
Remington said they would rebarrel it for a reasonable fee, so I sent it in. I just sent the barreled action so they would not have a chance to mess up the nicely refinished and checkered stock. When it came back, it did not fit the stock well. Different serial number; Remington had not rebarrelled it, they had simply replaced it. Whole spare barreled action on the shelf years after the model had been discontinued. I had the stock rebidded and finally got my bolt action .223 but with a lot more cost and delay than I liked.
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T.O'hair I would like to correct you on this issue.
When you cut a barrel off in the lathe you get a square cut using a parting tool.
BUT..... that's not true when you cut a barrel with a bulge.
See, when you bulge a barrel in almost never stretches the steel uniformly.
So the live center will go into the muzzle, but that muzzle will, in most cases be out of concentric with the rest of the bore.
So in the case of a bulge near the muzzle the best way to cut them IS with a hacksaw.
You then square up with a protractor square and a file. Next you put the barrel in the lathe and use the live center to run the bore concentric with the bed. I use a stead rest to hold the rotation perfectly at that point. Then the last step to to re-crown. When that's done you take the barrel out of the lathe and replace the front sight and re-blue.
Heck if you can pull the barrel and send it to me
I'll do the job for you for $30 plus the cost of shipping back.
When you cut a barrel off in the lathe you get a square cut using a parting tool.
BUT..... that's not true when you cut a barrel with a bulge.
See, when you bulge a barrel in almost never stretches the steel uniformly.
So the live center will go into the muzzle, but that muzzle will, in most cases be out of concentric with the rest of the bore.
So in the case of a bulge near the muzzle the best way to cut them IS with a hacksaw.
You then square up with a protractor square and a file. Next you put the barrel in the lathe and use the live center to run the bore concentric with the bed. I use a stead rest to hold the rotation perfectly at that point. Then the last step to to re-crown. When that's done you take the barrel out of the lathe and replace the front sight and re-blue.
Heck if you can pull the barrel and send it to me
I'll do the job for you for $30 plus the cost of shipping back.
Also keep in mind that the pre-64 Winchester 70s have a coned breach and a relief for the extractor, so if headspace is loose you cannot simply turn in the barrel a bit to take it up. You must take a full thread off. Also the same must be machined off the cone, the shoulder and the extractor cut. That makes the chamber too short and then you go in with a reamer and set the chamber and headspace where it should be.
The collectors value will be lowered a great deal by the modification to the barrel and unless you can find an exact Winchester replacement the sad truth is that the value to the collectors is dropped already, probably about 50%
So with that knowledge, it may not be a bad idea to simply install a new barrel from Shilen, Douglas, McGowen, Green Mountain, or any other of your favorite barrel maker.
The collectors value will be lowered a great deal by the modification to the barrel and unless you can find an exact Winchester replacement the sad truth is that the value to the collectors is dropped already, probably about 50%
So with that knowledge, it may not be a bad idea to simply install a new barrel from Shilen, Douglas, McGowen, Green Mountain, or any other of your favorite barrel maker.
I was going to add what Hoffbill added. Strange things happen with steel, and if there was enough force to bulge the barrel, even slightly like yours, I'd be very cautious about firing it to see what happens. I've personally seen barrels that were not even obstructed blow up on the bench due to metal fatigue over many years. I know a guy who was talking about his rifle, and the fact his groups seemed to be rising over the course of 6 months or so. It had iron sites so it seemed it was just him, the temperature, or maybe a jacket he was wearing, etc. As they say, hind sight is always 20/20 and I'll never forget the symptoms, and the end result. A short while later the barrel of the old Ruger shattered and severely injured his left hand. Always use caution when metal changes character or shape due to extreme forces or stress. It's going to be altered no mater what at this point, and I get the sense this is a hunting rifle so I'd get it inspected, screw a new barrel on, and it's just a lesson learned. It'll be much more accurate with a new barrel so that's a plus!
This. I bought a 270 Win pre 64 M70 and found the thing had a "shadow" just at the end of the barrel. It shot poorly. Gunsmith reamed interior just enough to remove bulge, it shoots better but is not a tack driver. Around a 2 MOA rifle. Few original M70 featherweights were target grade, the barrel heats up quickly and the barrels were not as high quality as today's tubes.
Blindstitch
New member
If it was mine I would contact Wyosmith.