Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Ask The Gunwriters Mule Deer: Magazine box and binding

Hey John, any tips for filing down a magazine box? Do you draw a line along the circumference and file down to it? I have a Nicholson flat bastard file in the tool box.

If the side you want to file has no projecting tabs or the like it's easy. Just put the file down on a flat surface and stroke the box against it.

What mathman said.

It obviously depends on the box. Some magazine, such as 98 Mausers, are stout enough to put in a padded vise,. But with Remington 700 (and similar magazines) it's easier to move the magazine against the box.

Recently converted a deeper ADL box to BDL using that method. Took about 15 minutes. Removing "high" spots would take far less time.

A belt sander works great, just don't get carried away. Cut a little, check a lot...

I'm talking sheet metal boxes, like the M-700. On 700 type guns, I like to feel a little movement of the mag box after the gun is torqued down. Just very slight movement, front and rear, tells you there's no bind.

DF

Yep.

Another trick for 700-type boxes is to stick the tip of a safety pin into the gap between magazine and stock. If the pin wont go in at all, then you need to take a little more off the box.

Thanks for the replies. Just curious, if a little too much is removed will that cause feeding problems?

I don't think so. It would take a lot, IIMO.

DF

I've done Rem 700 magazines just by filing them while holding them on the bench with my hand. I would file a little, then check the fit and repeat until done. It seemed to work fine for minor adjustments.

You can lay a piece of med coarse sandpaper on a flat surface, rub the mag box over the sandpaper. That will keep it even if pressure and strokes are even.

DF