Model 70 stock swap help

[rickjames80]

I have a M70 that I put in a Boyd's laminate. The problem is with the blind magazine box. When I put it together the box is up into the action, but eventually it will drop down a smidge. When it drops down it won't hold bullets in the mag. If you get one to stay as soon as the bolt touches it they literally just fall out. I thought the box should have a little room and not be tight? I have had it apart about 20 times and can't figure out what is going on? Nothing like this happened with the factory synthetic stock..

 

[16Bore]

You could shim the bottom of the recess to make the box sit higher.

 

[rickjames80]

You could shim the bottom of the recess to make the box sit higher.

I thought about that, but will that put pressure against the action? Or I thought about using foam or rubber so it would keep it tight and have some give.

 

[16Bore]

Reassemble the rifle without the spring and follower, just the mag box. Once you're torqued where you should be, take a look into the action see how far up and down you can move the mag box. You should be able to see the gap at the top that will give you an idea of the thickness of your shim. I might use something a little stouter than foam, maybe a little give would be good. I'd be curious to hear how wide the gap is.

 

[rickjames80]

The gap between the stock and the box is roughly .035. The more I played with it today, it seems the way the spring sits in the stock makes more of a difference than whether the box is tight or not? I assembled it a couple of different ways and if the spring is set so the follower "pushes" toward the ejection side it seems to hold the rounds better?

 

[16Bore]

You've got the follower all the way on the spring, right? "Legs" should face the muzzle, "bends" towards the trigger. The "hump" on the follower should be on the left side of the action.

 

[16Bore]

Except the middle bend, of course.

 

[rickjames80]

You've got the follower all the way on the spring, right? "Legs" should face the muzzle, "bends" towards the trigger. The "hump" on the follower should be on the left side of the action.

Yep, the follower has a tab on it where is locks onto the spring. The assembly is oriented just like that. I set the bottom of the spring toward the left side of the box. It seems to be holding ammo, but I haven't shot it yet. Subject to change I guess?

 

[16Bore]

I'd still make sure the box is seated against the action.