Which action for a 3 position safety?

[XTR]

If you wanted to build a hunting rifle with a 3 position safety, one that locks the bolt so brush and grabby stuff doesn't open your bolt and steal your ammo, what would you pick?

The two that come to mind to me are the Winchester Mod70 and the Mauser any others? Both have a reputation for being very smooth. What would you pick, and of course, why? (at least I think those two have that feature)

 

[jpretle]

If you are looking to do a build, a 3-position safety can be put on nearly any receiver out there. Take your pick. If you are going commercial it would be the Winchester, for me.

 

[XTR]

At this point in my life pretty much everything is a build.

When it comes to bolt I've got a Defiance, a Panda and several R700s, but they are all pretty much different versions of the same thing. I've always read that the Mausers and Wins are the smoothest repeaters out there and both bolts were designed as 3s ( I think anyway) but I have no experience with either. Not set on those, just initial thoughts for something in the future. Thinking of a fairly light hunting rifle, a #3 or lighter barrel. Probably something with at least 30-06 case capacity.

 

[savagedasher]

I think many of the new guns are that way. Savage is. But they have ben that way for years. Larry

 

[rickiesrevenge]

Is the montana 1999 a 3 position safety?

 

[savagedasher]

Can you not lift the bolt in one lift and remove the case in another and fire and remove. Larry

 

[SBS]

Winchester M70. The safety pulls the firing pin back from contact with the sear and locks it and the bolt. The firing pin stays locked back on the mid position, but the bolt can be cycled. Best factory safety on the market. It is most copied custom 3 position safety on the market. The old military mauser actions do the same thing, but the design for them does not allow scope mounting. You can get a custom M70 type safety for them, but will wind up spending in excess of $200 by the time you purchase the safety, machine and adjust the cocking piece to work and get it blued. I have them both and a lot less hassle with the M70. 3 pos. safeties such as the Savage work, but do not lock the firing pin, which is simply safer.

 

[XTR]

Winchester M70. The safety pulls the firing pin back from contact with the sear and locks it and the bolt. The firing pin stays locked back on the mid position, but the bolt can be cycled. Best factory safety on the market. It is most copied custom 3 position safety on the market. The old military mauser actions do the same thing, but the design for them does not allow scope mounting. You can get a custom M70 type safety for them, but will wind up spending in excess of $200 by the time you purchase the safety, machine and adjust the cocking piece to work and get it blued. I have them both and a lot less hassle with the M70. 3 pos. safeties such as the Savage work, but do not lock the firing pin, which is simply safer.

Thank you. That's pretty much what I was looking for.

 

[kjcpoint]

What about a control round feed Defiance with a 3 position safety?

 

[jpretle]

At this point in my life pretty much everything is a build.

When it comes to bolt I've got a Defiance, a Panda and several R700s, but they are all pretty much different versions of the same thing. I've always read that the Mausers and Wins are the smoothest repeaters out there and both bolts were designed as 3s ( I think anyway) but I have no experience with either. Not set on those, just initial thoughts for something in the future. Thinking of a fairly light hunting rifle, a #3 or lighter barrel. Probably something with at least 30-06 case capacity.

There is nothing that feeds slicker, smoother or more reliably than a Pre-64 Model 70. Not even the Sako, in my opinion. Every Model 70 I have handled would feed empty brass. Never tried it w/ a Sako.

 

[Larryh128]

Either a M70 or a Mauser works good. The Mauser is a swing safety like a M70 that does not interfere with the bolt/scope mounting. 2 different companies make them & they are both good. Dakota and Gentry . They come installed on a replacement shroud. Minimum fitting is required. 3 position safeties are available for a 700 as well. A 700 will come in lighter than either a 70 or mauser but they don't feed the same.

 

[Dusty Stevens]

Go with an older 700 that has the bolt lock on the safety.

 

[XTR]

Now I have a question about Win70 markings.

I've found serial # lists for the pre-64s so I can date any of those.
I understand that the Olin version was marked with the Connecticut marking up until the factory closed, and I've seen the new markings since they have been made in Portugal.

Have the Portuguese versions always been stamped the same way?

How are the South Carolina versions from 2006 to 2013 stamped? Figured this on out

 

[XTR]

I'm pretty far down the Winchester Model 70 road now, heck for a hunting rifle I may even buy one that I won't molest, I may even get a 30-06.

Has anyone compared the SC versions to the Portuguese versions? I seem to read a general consensus that the quality went up when the assembly moved from New Haven to South Carolina, is the quality out of Portugal equivalent?

 

[SmokinJoe]

While the 3 pos safety is being discussed, I have a question. I have 5 M70 action rifles, 1 is push feed, the other 4 are CRF. the safety is very notchy/noisy on all these rifles. Is there a way to smooth them up & quieten them down? Thanks for any help & hope this isn't hijacking the thread, just adding to it.

 

[Geno C]

I can't comment of the quality of the overseas 70s. I have 70s both push and controlled feed and a MRC 1999. They all are good guns. The 3 position safety is exactly what draws me to them for a gun that is drug throught the woods and can get snagged very easily. Find a nice used New Haven gun and build off of that. Then you get exactly what you want.

 

[Hopkins]

The downside to FNH Winchester Model 70's is the MOA trigger. The original Model 70 is preferable to me by a wide margin. Apparently it is also to FNH for their high end law enforcement rifles. Lawyered up triggers are a blight.

 

[Quackhead69]

Howa Precision Rifles' Howa M1500 barreled action. I own two of them. A .308 Varmint #6 profile(.825" dia.) and a .243 lite weight hunter with a #2 (.570" dia). Both rifles shoot sub moa and are one of the best out of the box rifles out there today.
3 pos safeties, CHF barrels, and real nice 2 stage adjustable triggers round out the pkg.

http://www.legacysports.com/barreled-actions

 

[wapiti25]

I like the M70, all of my rifles are pre 64 and post 64 push feed as well as one classic control feed.