What short action follower for 223?

[MZ5]

I want to get rid of the magazine block at the back of my 10FP short action, chambered for 223 Rem. Looking for suggestions as to what follower to use instead, and any other parts I'll need to make the change.

[Nor Cal Mikie]

SF with the mag attatched to the bottom of the action or CF with the mag staying in the stock when the action is removed?

[MZ5]

Ah yes; important info left out,wasn't it? :-[

This is an FP-UV, has accu-trigger and Choate Ultimate Varmint stock (from the factory). It's a stagger-feed blind magazine, which mag box is attached to the receiver.

[Nor Cal Mikie]

Get a single shot follower that fits on top of the factory follower.
Or, pick up a single shot sled, remove the blind mag and fit it to the slot in the bottom of the action. May take a little fitting but should be pretty easy.
If you can't find/get one, let my know. I've got 2 new ones, just in case.
SSS has both. That's where I got mine. SSS can be hard to get in contact with at times so keep trying or PM me and I'll bail you out if I can. ;)

[MZ5]

Get a single shot follower that fits on top of the factory follower.
Or, pick up a single shot sled, remove the blind mag and fit it to the slot in the bottom of the action. May take a little fitting but should be pretty easy.
If you can't find/get one, let my know. I've got 2 new ones, just in case.
SSS has both. That's where I got mine. SSS can be hard to get in contact with at times so keep trying or PM me and I'll bail you out if I can. ;)


I haven't seen the single-shot followers before, so: Do they take up the entire short-action mag length? Are you saying I would leave my blind mag alone, and just pop the single shot follower in over the top of it (once I remove the block in the back, that is)?

[Nor Cal Mikie]

That's it. Pull the action, drop the follower and spring out of the mag box, install the "single shot follower" in the mag box, reinstall the factory follower/spring assembly, put the action back in the stock and go shooting.
No modification to the blind mag. Don't like it after a while? Remove the ss follower and you've still got a repeater. 8)

[darkker]

If I follow the original question, you want to remove the block to gain action length for it's(receiver) full potential.

Pull the stupid tin "block", and put in any full sized short action follower. I.E. 308,243, etc.
Pretty sure I have a 22-250 follower sitting at home. Obviously you need to remove the "long ear" on the bolt, so the throw is also increased. You can buy one, or get a dremel and cut it off(like I did), or again, pretty sure I have several bolts of various configurations, sitting at home.

So all you need is:
Any standard follower(308,243, etc)
Any standard (not 223 length) bolt baffle.

[Nor Cal Mikie]

Funny how you picked up on "removing the block" and I didn't. :-[
So what he's trying to do is lenghten the blind mag.
I got stuck on the ss "follower" part. ;)

[sharpshooter]

Just put the original follower back in. The .308 size won't fit anyway.

[MZ5]

Okay, Darkker, you have the idea. I want to take advantage of the full available length of the action's blind mag. My 223 handloads are considerably longer than SAAMI spec, and I'd like to have a repeater, whereas presently only 1 cartridge will fit in the top of the mag; trying to load a second jams the feed ramp.

I have removed the longer bolt stop, and put one in from a long action I used to have, so I have full bolt stroke available. It seems, though, that there's a difference of opinion as to what followers will work once I pull the mag block out.

Sharpshooter, will the short 223 follower not try to tip end-to-end when it loses the support of the mag block at the rear of the magazine?

[devildogandboy]

MZ5, i am by no means an expert on the subject, but looking at my 223 i don't think anyone makes an follower for the 223 caliber that will fit the longer mag space as they only require an shorter and narrower mag than the 243-308 family. could be wrong and if someone can help you here, they will.
myself, i would just use it as an single shot and leave it at that!
if you feel you really need the repeater consider going to different caliber, 243 or something similar and change out the mag altogether.

good luck!

[sharpshooter]

The spacer block doesn't guide the follower, it guides the cartridges. If it were gonna tip it would already be doing it. The follower is guided by the "guide bumps" pressed into the side of the magazine box.

[MZ5]

Okay! Then I'll just pull (or cut or whatever I need to do) the block out and call it a day. Thanks!

[Nor Cal Mikie]

Once you cut the block out, you can't go back. The ss follower will work for your rounds without altering the mag box. You've already lengthened the bolt throw for longer rounds so think hard before you start cutting on the blind mag. ;)

[MZ5]

I hear you. The trouble is that unless I cut the block out, I only have a single-shot gun. I already have a single-shot gun inasmuch as I can put exactly 1 round in the magazine, ahead of the block, without hitting the feed ramp. So I'm not sure the single-shot follower really gains me much(?). I must've realized when I took this thing apart a couple years ago that I'd have to cut or grind the block out. That's the only reason I can think of for why I changed the bolt stop, but left the magazine alone.

[Nor Cal Mikie]

Go for it and let us know how it works for you. ;)

[MZ5]

Well, I may call Savage and ask about parts. The 'block' is a folded-over piece of sheet that also is the back of the magazine. I'm not sure the loss of integrity/strength will matter here, but I'm not fond of the idea. A replacement mag w/follower may be simplest.