Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Winchester Collectors M70 pre-64 floor plate issue?

I have a 1951 M70 in 30/06 that is in great shape, BUT...
The floor plate is giving me trouble. When I close the plate, its hard to push past the latch pin. Sometimes it pops open when firing, sometimes I can’t hardly open the plate at all. It seems like the plate isn’t gong down far enough, but I’m not sure and I don’t want to monkey with it without some more reference on what’s going on. The gun is very clean and I’d hate to damage it.

Win 70 floor plates can be temperamental.

1. I find if I shift the floor plate a little left and right while applying pressure to close that the latch snaps securely closed.

2. There are a couple of things to do to ease the opening. First drive out the little pin that retains the floor plate catch from the trigger guard, then clean the rust and gunk from the spring and the hole, lightly lube and reassemble. I advise against changing the spring out to a lighter spring, but a new spring may be needed. Too light of a spring and the plate will fly open unintentionally.

3. Another method which should only be done by an experienced person is to use a broom stick or other larger diameter dow rod and flex (put a bow in the floor plate) the floor plate.

4. Extreme cases may need some filing of the floorplate, but you will be removing original finish. I would focus on the cleaning/ lubing of latch and spring myself.

Thank you sir!

I have a few M70s, both pre and post 64 but still not an expert. Two things I see. The trigger guard screw head is sticking up too far......wrong screw? Also, on several of mine, I've had to make a shim to go under the front of the trigger guard to bring it closer to flush with the surface of the stock. It will allow the plunger to engage the floor plate deeper and hold it securely.


My Safari Express

Yep, I'd be tempted to try the shim under the trigger guard as well, it looks like it's inlet a little deep.

Nice safari express!

I think your into something regarding the screw head in mine being too high or even incorrect. I have another M70 made in the early 50s, I’ll have to compare the two to see how the other guns screw sits.

Easy way to find out............take out the front trigger guard screw and loosen the rear. Cut a piece of business card to slide under the front and re-tighten the rear. I think you'll find the floor plate closes and latches easier and more securely. The floor-plate on my post-64 rifles (I'm too lazy to dig out a pre-64 to check) are relieved slightly above the screw head so it may work with your front screw installed.

There are factory shims for the guard bow and magazine cover hinge inlets....

That screw is correct for the year.. I'd bet your issue will go away once you shim the front end of that trigger guard - because I can see from your pic that the inlet's too deep.

It's a common issue - and one I correct when I'm glass bedding a rifle. I make sure the floor plate's flush with the stock and then skim bed that trigger guard to stay in place.. Once done correctly, the latch engages fully and snugly..

Thanks to all so far. Now I just need to get my work day behind me so I can get home and dive into it.

Redneck is an expert in this field! I shoulda dug deeper in the safe and checked a pre-64.

Cut a strip of business card to the profile of the trigger guard and slip it between the trigger guard and the stock. If the stock is inlet especially deep you may need two business card shims. NEVER attempt to bow the floorplate, this is a bubba fix if ever I heard one.

Sure looks like that screw is stickin' up more than it should. Raising the guard itself seems logical. Gotta agree too about that "Bubba" fix. Sheesh.

I never use paper or tape shims.. In fact, I don't use shims.. It's skim bedded to ensure a uniform (for pressure) fit. Re: that screw head - note the design of the interior of that floorplate over that screw. You'll note it's got a recess there to fit over that it. The head of that screw is never flush with the trigger guard.. Post-64 models in later years replaced that middle screw style with one nearly identical with the rear-most trigger guard screw - and changed the inner design of the floorplate as well.. Trying to use that flat-headed early model with a later floorplate won't work; won't allow the latch to engage..

UPDATE:

I ended up pulling both front and rear trigger guard screws and pulling the trigger guard. I was surprised to find some gunk under the trigger gaurd plate where the rear screw hole is. I cleaned off the gunk and put the trigger guard back on with a paper shim added under the front screw hole. I realized then that the front of my trigger guard assembly was too high (where before it was too low). I removed the paper shim and now everything works just as it should. I’m suspecting the gunk under the rear screw was keeping the assembly from being level (tilting the front of the trigger guard assembly down). Once cleaned and leveled properly, the problem was solved.

THANK YOU ALL for your suggestions, opinions, experience, guidance, and insight. I greatly appreciate it!

Glad it worked out with no shims or alterations!

As a token of your appreciation you can send me one of your M71 carbines.

Haha,

That sounds fair!

Glad to hear you found the problem...

Thank you!

Not a Bubba fix that was a Winchester directed method back in the day.