Blind Mag Box

[Rflshootr]

Is a factory blind mag box supposed to make contact on the bottom of the stock or float?

[Dave Hoback]

I’m guessing you are referring to a blind mag, Staggerfeed? In that case it should float, if just a few thous., I believe. The only parts touching should be at the points of the Action Screws. In a blind mag Centerfeed, it’s opposite; the mag is anchored in the stock, and floats against the Action surface.

[Rflshootr]

Yes. It's actually a Stevens 200 staggered short action. It's been giving me accuracy problems. I've done everything that I know of and just recently noticed that the mag is bottomed out in the mag well.

[Dave Hoback]

I can’t say if that would cause accuracy problem. The box should stretch the entire length. Like I said, we’re talking thousandths of an inch here. Not something you can really see. I don’t think it’s a cause if it skims the bottom. It just shouldn’t bow the action or cause a stress point when the screws are torqued.

When dealing with accuracy issues start with they easy. I apologize if you know all this, as I don’t know your background. Is this a beginning investigation into accuracy problem or does your knowledge warrant you’ve looked at all other possibilities & this is the end game for causes? If it’s still in its infant stage, what is the accuracy issue you are dealing with?

[Rflshootr]

This has been going on for a couple years now. I've had 3 different barrels, in 3 different calibers on the rifle, 3 scopes, new bases/rings, installed stainless pillars, bedded it twice, replaced the firing pin assembly and the bolt head with new factory parts and trued the face of the action and squared the face of the barrel nut with the threads. I reworked the recoil lug, surface ground the anti-rotation nub off, ground and lapped the lug flat and parallel then drilled and reinstalled a press fit anti-rotation pin of the proper length. The stock is a Boyds laminate sporter which has plenty of free float barrel clearance. The last time I had it apart, I noticed a slight indent/polish of the wood of the mag box in the bottom of the mag well and got me to thinking if that was causing problems with harmonics. Yesterday I slightly deepened the inlet for the mag box, high spot blued the metal to make sure there wasn't any contact and reassembled. I'll find out on the next range day if it made any difference.

[Dave Hoback]

If there was a mark, an indent in the stock, that is no good. That means when the Action were torqued, the Action was being “Bowed” by the mag box in the middle, causing stress to the Action. So what you did is correct. Relieve the stress point. With all this done, can I take it you are using reloads? Or is this still factory ammunition. Tried different loads, I gather? If you still have accuracy issues, let us know what exactly it’s doing & with what ammunition.

[wbm]

The stock is a Boyd's laminate sporter which has plenty of free float barrel clearance.

Check to see if you have a hairline crack in the front action bed. Boyd's laminates are known for that with Savage rifles. Been there!

[Rflshootr]

Nope. I say no to crack! :rolleyes:
No evidence of a crack when I installed the stainless pillars and bedded it.
And now from the outside, everything looks fine.

[Rflshootr]

Yes. All handloaded ammo. I've tried different bullet and powder combos, working powder and seating depths,
and they all shoot 1" or bigger. I don't shoot anything factory in any caliber, except in some handguns.
There wasn't much of a dent, more of a burnish from the bottom of the mag box touching the wood.
I hope relieving it solves the problem.

[Dave Hoback]

I can tell you anything causing torque stress on the Action can inhibit accuracy greatly.

[Robinhood]

For a staggerfeed you need to have clearance under the magazine. Use a feeler gauge under the action near the screws and tighten the stock. You should not be able to remove the feeler gauge. If you need to remove some material from the bottom of the magazine a sheet of 320 grit on a flat surface should knock any highs off. good luck and if you have anymore questions, we can help.

[Rflshootr]

After I relieved the wood in the mag well, I checked how much wiggle-wiggle (a highly technical term) the mag box had when it was out of the stock. Then I high spot blued the bottom of the mag box metal, assembled it without the follower, stuck my fingers on the feed lips, and gave it the wiggle-wiggle test again. It seemed to be about the same. Removed it from the stock and had no transfer of the high spot to the wood. I'll call it good until I shoot it, hopefully tomorrow. Thanks for the info.

[GaCop]

Has your problem been solved?