Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Gunsmithing Model 70 magazine question

I have a new model 70 fwt 243 (6 or 7 years old). To make a rifle for my daughter I found a compact stock for it and had a gunsmith glass bed the stock. Before I took it to the smith I had been messing around trying to get the action to fit into the new stock by removing the bedding material. Mistakenly, when I took it to the smith I forgot to send/include the magazine box. The smith bedded it and never mentioned the missing magazine box and I didn’t realize the box was not in it until I got it back and noticed the box on my bench. I installed the box and it seemed to go in no problem even with the bedding job. But now for some reason I can only get one round in the magazine. If I really squeeze I can sometimes get 2 in but something definitely is not right. It is the only one I have so I have nothing to compare it to but I don’t see anything obviously wrong with it. Any ideas what could be wrong? I believe it should hold 3 plus 1 in the chamber.

I appreciate any information or ideas.

Send the whole mess back to the smith. If that doesn't work send it to a top flight smith who works m70s

Does the magazine slide easily into the stock? The stock inletting for the magazine could be to tight causing the magazine box to be pinched and then the follower can’t slide down inside the box.

I assume it has a floor plate/trigger guard. Have you tried to assemble it out of the stock and see if it functions that way.

Thanks for the ideas. I didn’t think the box went in tight but I will check that. Taking it off the stock and installing the box and bottom metal and then trying it is a good idea - I should know more after I try that.

Thanks again.