Bolt head swap

[cowboybart]

I have a 270 Win action that I want to change to 7 mag. My action is from the 80s . The owner of the magnum bolt head says his is from the 60s. Will there be a problem??

[sharpshooter]

There will be if that magnum bolt head is from a pre 1966 gun.

[Shortbox4x4]

I’m going to say yes. About 10 years ago I got new magnum bolt heads from Savage. I wanted a new bolt head to open up the bolt face to .338 Lapua Mag for testing.

The action I was using was my J series 112V single shot. I was told right away by Savage that the older firing pin wouldn’t go in all the way in the newer bolt heads and that I would have to machine out the inside in order for them to work. They we’re correct. It was a simple drill bit affair and I did it in the Hardinge tool room lathe. I used my original bolt head for the depth reference for what I needed and modified the new bolt head so it matched. It worked like a million bucks but it wasn’t just a put it together and go shooting set up.

Also the older guns as Sharpshooter pointed out....that internal rib that orientates the bolt head in the bolt body could make your bolt head not line up properly. You might get it to go together but the extractor would be on the wrong side amongst other issues.

Later, Frank
Bartlein Barrels

[Shortbox4x4]

I’d have to take a look at it....but it might be easier to take your existing .270 bolt head and just open up the bolt face to the magnum bolt face.

Or....

Watch Ebay etc...for used bolts and pick up a magnum bolt assy. Or head and be done with it. Just watch for the correct vintage bolt. There are a few bolts for sale on there right now but don’t remember what each one is set up for caliber wise.

[sharpshooter]

The pre 1966 bolt heads were completely different from current production. They used a circular clip for an extractor,and had a protrusion on the bolt nose. The cross pin hole is also 90 degrees from current production.
To use a current production bolt head you will have to drill out the tail for firing pin clearance and remove the protrusion from inside the bolt body.

[cowboybart]

I found a pre 66 bolt head, but it won't work for me.
I'll keep looking.