Thread: Bolt interchangeability question

My neighbour has two rifles but one bolt is still in Storage elsewhere. The rifles are:

.270 Ruger M77 Mk 2 no bolt

.3006 M77 Hawkeye with bolt.

The ‘06 bolt fits the .270, loads and eject a round as expected, but would it be safe to shoot. My thinking is that cases are the same with the exception of neck size, .270 being necked down. I am loathe to try a live fire on his behalf and have suggested he waits for the proper bolt to be returned. Comments appreciated.

Swapping the bolt over and all may be functional except you have no idea what is happening with headspace. Safe or unsafe?

Also on mass produced rifles the locking lugs contact may be quite happy in the original but maybe not so if moved to another rifle.

Mind you, locking lugs contact can be piss poor on modern rifles regardless of swapping bolts around.

The issue will be that the 270 rifle may have a different head space than the bolt from the 30 06.
At the very least you will need to use "go" and " no go " gauges to determine if it is safe with the other bolt.
Not a gunsmith but thats my opinion.
Of course two hay bales and a bit of string.........

Any gunsmith should be able to check the headspace in a couple of minutes. The gauges are the same for .25/06, .270, and .30/06. Most gunsmiths do not bother to charge for this quick and simple service. This is, of course, yet another example of why you do not separate bolts from rifles!

Many thanks for comments.

I know of an individual with a 223 and a 270 same model I think it was a Tika.

He went off on a hunt and took the 223 with the 270 bolt.

Apparently it worked only thing was he had to use a piece of wire pushed down the muzzle to push the cases out.

Don't try this at home children !!!!!!

Post the vid from the eye clinic after you've tried it.......... dare you

I’m not that stupid, hence the original question to support my beliefs. The owner is now very convinced it would have been an unwise move.