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Model 70 xtr saftey issue?

para72

Sergeant
Full Member
Minuteman
Dec 7, 2013
664
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52
gig harbor wa.
I've looked, have not found the answer I'm looking for. It's a winchester model 70 xtr chambered in 300 Weatherby magnum . The saftey is very difficult to manipulate! Is their anything I can do myself to smooth it out? Polish maybe?

Has anyone else had this issue with their own Win 70 3 position safety? what did you do?

Thanks for any help or suggestions! !

Scott.
 
There's a little detent and spring. Might look at polishing the seat or lessen the spring pressure. Also check the safety lever shaft for binding.

But before I disassembled everything I would work the safety back and forth a few hundred times to see if that smoothed it out.
 
I've worked it back and forth about 100 times so far,Still doesn't feel right. I will try to find a sclematic and take it apart . Also look into how to adjust the spring.

Thanks for your input

Scott.
 
At what point and which direction does it bind up the most?

Fire - Safe - Lock

It should be slightly easier to go forward than back.
 
Back is slightly tougher ,but both ways no matter if it's back to front, front to back or middle to back or front
 
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My XTR is the same. I've always held it with my finger and thumb to avoid making any noise, but I recently discovered that if I just flip it forward with my thumb, it seems to have much less resistance and is quieter than I expected. My dad's pre-64 is similarly stiff.
 
Both of mine are really stiff from fire to safe, but comes off of lock really easy. Sounds like your detents might have been made to deep?