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Greetings. I have a Pre-64 FW in .308. I’ve never done a take down on a model 70, but would like to create a datasheet on it and a few others for the survey. Purchased the proper screw drivers and the take down is going well. I’m at the point where I’m supposed to remove the sear pin, but noticed it is peened in place with a single punch mark. Would like to remove it, but have a few questions for the community.
If I remove the pin, it will “break” the peening. When replaced, will it need to be re-peened to function properly? Also, do Model 70 collectors consider re-peening a negative when it comes to collectibility?
Tia.
PS: I can’t believe I never noticed the takedown instructions in the back of Rule’s book.
November 5, 2014
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Hi mfivefour-
Interesting question… I’ve taken a few M70s completely apart and never found one where the sear pin was peened or punched. Anyone else seen this??? The stock inletting holds the pin in place (preventing lateral movement) and locking it was not necessary. Maybe a gunsmith modification???? Securing something that was already secure??? The best move might be to punch it out and get a replacement unaltered factory part from Justin Hale (???).
FWIW… Scans of the original take down drawings, as published by Winchester and reproduced in Roger’s book, are available for free on the McCracken Library website for anybody with a computer. I’m attaching the sear pin removal page below. No mention of peening…
If anyone wants these scanned drawings but can’t find them I’ll go back and find the library URL… I just downloaded the whole document.
Good Luck!!! 
Lou
WACA 9519; Studying Pre-64 Model 70 Winchesters
Thanks Lou,
Good to know the pin peening isn’t necessary and wasn’t factory. Will post a pic once the pin is removed. Here’s a pic showing the mark.
Survey data sheet almost complete.
November 5, 2014
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Hi mfivefour-
I’ve never seen that… I’m going to ask Justin (pre64win.com) to react to this post b/c they’ve handled/disassembled hundreds of pre64 M70s.
I’ll defer to whatever he says…
Lou
WACA 9519; Studying Pre-64 Model 70 Winchesters
Hi Mfivefour and thanks Lou!
I’ve seen some crazy things, including a sear held in place with the top 3/8” of a heavy framing nail, but I’ve never seen one peened (or maybe more precisely “staked”) into its spot. Sort of makes field stripping a challenge! I think this was someone’s great idea and nothing more. The irony is that in the pre-64 rifle, the stock inletting is designed to hold that pin in place. Staking should have been completely unnecessary, unless something was changed in the stock.
As an aside, in the post-64 years there were some model 70s delivered with a sear pin that had a “reeded rim” (similar to the lines on the edge of a coin) with the intent that this would hold the pin more securely into the receiver. But no pre-64 rifles ever had any such feature.
Hope this helps!
Justin
Thanks Justin and Lou. Appreciate the staking confirmation. Very unexpected, though I see it on M1 Carbine’s. Would guess the modification was done by my friend’s gandfather who purchased, used and maintained it before becoming a collector of dust. It’s a “regular” 1954 FW with LC stock and 53 marked barrel. Checked the stock and other than being very dry, it doesn’t look modified.
Soaking the pin in Kroil just to be sure before driving it out, then on to the last step of removing the ejector pin to complete the cleaning and preservation process.
Appreciate the expertise and the help as I take apart my first pre-64 Model 70.
November 5, 2014
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If anyone is interested…
A digital scan of the complete set of Arnold’s 1958 drawings for “Take Down and Assembly Instructions for the Winchester M/70 Bolt Action Rifle” is in the digital collection of the McCracken Research Library (MS20.62.08). It is downloadable (free) from this URL:
http://library.centerofthewest.org/digital/collection/p17097coll30/id/5839
As mfivefour noted above, Rule’s Appendix II reproduces some of these drawings, and the manual has also been reprinted and sold as a separate pamphlet. The complete set of drawings and instructions comprises 60 pages and besides “disassembly”, include the reverse “assembly” instructions with their own drawings, and three typed pages at the end of “M/70 Service Notes”.
If you’re going to take one of these apart with the intent of putting it back together again or are trying to fix an operating glitch, having this document could avoid a lot of stress. 
BTW… a similar set of Arnold drawings from 1957 for assembly/disassembly of the M/12 shotgun are also in the library files (MS20.62.09):
http://library.centerofthewest.org/digital/collection/p17097coll30/id/5864
Good Luck!!!
WACA 9519; Studying Pre-64 Model 70 Winchesters
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