Could someone please let me know how much a Ruger needs to fit the 3rd round down. Working on something and need to know a pretty close measurement. thanks for your help, Carey

I think the fellas down under have a solution

well please spill the beans!!! S&F, Con where are you????

Wasn’t the solution a coffin floorplate for the little extra space? I don't recollect seeing the finished product though.

My tang Ruger needs at least 3/8" more...I will end up with 3/8" - 1/2" more depending on how it works out...if and when I find a round toit for the project. My design is basically a box added to the existing floor plate and blended, plus the inner box extension...I guess you could call it a "coffin floorplate". I have a Moyers steel flapper that I will cut and fit to final dimensions...AFTER I get the standard alum mockup perfected.

I'm guessing anyone with CNC equipment could turn one out easily enough once the measurements were finalized. Anyone with a CAD probram AND the desire could draw up a nice design, convert it to CNC code and start turning them out for those few that want them.

I haven't really pursued this project, basically, because if I can't get the job done with 3 rounds I probably shouldn't have started shooting in the first place...notwithstanding an extra round is always nice to have.

Luck

Thanks Foobar for the measurement, I was thinking 1/2" so that is what I will work on. I will be doing this "coffin" floorplate to try and get the 3rd down.

Ideally 1 shot will be enough but if its not with Buff you want as many as possible, that one extra might make the difference.

again thanks, Carey

I first thought of just adding a piece of wood to the bottom of the stock, extending the mag box and using longer stock screws maybe, but then ran across the problem of the floorplate release and front screw mounting...I didn't want to machine all new pieces, or come up with a completely new design...

Then thought about just doing the wood addition and a blind mag...I don' need no stinkin' flapper anyway...adding the box extension to the flapper won't cause any release or screw length problems....or doing a Mauser style floorplate release...AND I like the KISS principle.

No matter HOW it is done... each way has it's problems to solve...the blind mag would be much quicker but would add another ~1/4" of stock material so it could be blended into the trigger guard...or not, and I could get away without doing a mag box extension by epoxying in metal sidewalls to the wood sides so the OEM mag box just sits on top and is held in by the screw pressure...lots of ways to get to the other side. ...I just have to make a decision...

I finished load development on my 510 Makatak and 20 Practical and I'm waiting for a dovetail mill to finish a switch barrel 223 for a NEF frame, so I will be getting at the mag extension on the Ruger in the next few days.

I will be doing the wood blind mag first, I think it might be the simplest and quickest and then the alum mockup maybe...to see how they look and work.

Yeah...sometimes more is MUCH better or still not enough. Never shot a buff, but I have had a few wars with brush Brahma bulls...not only are they quick as a rattler, but they can jump a 6' fence or over a pickup bed and turn 180° in the air...I swear those things are bullet proof almost, at least trying to stick a bullet where it belongs with them wiggling around like a bucket of snakes while playing rodeo clown gets a bit tough...

The good thing about the Ruger is you can just drop a round onto the follower and keep shooting...one thing I do practice and so should everyone else.

Luck

Carey...My Ruger is the old Tang Model M77...just checked it for sure...the top edge if the third round pushed down as far as it will go is in line with the firing pin hole or 0.300", so 1/2" will work well.

I will order a couple more flappers from Brownells as parts for the Tang model are becoming scarce.

And mill a nice rounded shaped coffin box that can be tig'ed to the alum flapper and also a steel one that can go with the Moyers flapper.

Using ANY/ALL of the ways doesn't require all that much fiddling as th OEM pieces and parts can be used with just the box added...AND probably an additional piece of lifter spring added to give enough pressure for the last round to get it up.

I think a MKII Ruger or the new model will be just as easy or easier, just from looking at the scematic and what parts I caged to see what would work when I first started this project.

Be nice if some of the REAL gunsmiths would come up with a simple, relatively inexpensive add on...seems there are quite a few wanting bottom metal for their Rugers.

Luck

Sounds like we are thinking alike here. I am wanting to do the same thing when I get back to the States in September. Ordering some steel flappers and going to work with the tig.

When you get going on yours would appreciate any pictures of your progress if possible. Thanks for the advice and please let me know how it comes along.

Carey

Has anyone finished a Ruger coffin plate yet? Does it work? Do you have any pictures?

I just finished blocking out this one...for the measurements, visual, difficulty to do on my manual equipment etc. It ISN'T a finished product just a working model(and the third iteration model) but it DOES work although a stiffer or longer follower spring would help.

Rough measurments are 4.85" not including the hinge x 1.9" wide x 0.770 thick. The walls are 1.6" thick and the well is 0.500" deep plus 0.090" x .500" for the follower spring to sit in.

ALL the measurments could be optimized or reduced or the box make out of steel and the shape changed to fit the esthetics of the user. I didn't try to make it quick release, but a simple "pecker" placed the same way as the OEM catch would work, although for the weight of the cartridges and the recoil, I would still go with the present screwed down version.

I think this system would work just as well using a RUM based case and maybe an additional round could be added with a slightly deeper well...4 down and one up the pipe.






A CNC machine and a better drawing program would make it a lot easier and quicker to make...this took me a week of futzing around...and a real machinist with better equipment would have produced a much better semi-finished product...but this one works, it doesn't look too bad on the rifle and I had used up all my patience by this time.

Luck

Can't see a thing I don't like about that. Nice job, what's it gonna cost me to get you to do one for me No Seriously!!!

make it out of ALUM and paint it!
works.. not really pretty, but sweet

quote:

Originally posted by jeffeosso:
not really pretty

I think its beautiful

That is exactly what I wish I could order from somewhere! I really hope some company picks up Ruger bottom metal as a product line. Ruger M77s and M77 MKIIs are everywhere and no one makes coffin plates or a one piece bottom metal assemblly for them. I think a +1 or +2 one piece Rigby style coffin plate would sell. Having a factory stock inlet to take a one piece bottom metal unit and even having a new box isn't a big deal. Needing a new stock is for me which rules out retrofitting most of the extended bottom metal units out there. I emailed PTG about this and I hope they incorporate it in their new bottom metal line.

Thanks for the complement...it isn't too bad for a cross-eyed fatboy with 12 thumbs.

I've been working on the measurements today reducing, reshaping, changing a few things...I will start on another iteration tomorrow...maybe...my back decided to go tits up again after I stacked two cords of firewood, mowed two acres and cranked off 3 more 510 Makatak 475gr loads...

I will also make one and add 1/2" and see if that will handle another round...making it a 5 shooter.

This would be MUCH easier in the MK11 actions I think...the MKII SA and the Tang SA have a lot of pieces and parts in common and interchangeable, but the LA Tang is the odd man out...it only likes it's own parts.

I will order a follower spring as I already bought a mag box and follower in 416 to see if I could somehow use them...plus I have some longer springs out of 303 10 round mags I chopped up for another project.

The follower is a bunch wider and so is the spring...the extra width of the spring and stiffness might be enough to handle the weight of the extra one or two cartridges.

There is also the problem of stovepiping with the Rigby round in this application. I had to solder in a piece of mag on the left side and bend it to match the curve of the case to keep the left stacked case from spitting out.

The two down coffin WILL look even more odd as it needs to be about 1.00" x 1.25".

I also think this would work very well with a single stack detachable mag...wouldn't go over to well with the conservative crowd, but the younger ones that grew up on 40 round clips shouldn't look too crooked at it....hahahahahahah

Wish I had a new model MKII LA to play with.

I think the only way someone will get bottom metal made for the Rugers is if enough people holler loud enough on the forums and email the various makers OR someone actually DOES put out a nice piece. at an attractive price and advertize it.

I also might be just too much trouble and have legal ramifications for a gunsmithing concern to want to get mixed up in.

This piece WAS aluminum...my mill is a table top, square post, but it won't handle too big of a mill and I am a little heavy handed...a little Aluma-Hyde will work wonders...dark brown will match the wood...

Time will tell

Luck

btw, a CZ or ruger rsm spring should fit the bill

quote:

Wish I had a new model MKII LA to play with

My Mk II 500 AR barreled action should be in my dad's hands in Texas next week. If you really want one to play with tell me where to send it

I will be coming back to the states in September to try and get the rifle finished to bring back to TZ in December.

This one IS aluminum...a little Aluma-Hyde would work wonders...and dark brown would match the wood...

I spent part of yesterday working over the measurements and changing a few other things, I also added 1/2". That would make the total thickness 1.25"...might really look a little out of place.

The MkII LA is an animal unto itself and you can see by the non-responses just how irrelavent to most shooter of having the extra round or two.

It might only take a hour of drawing/coding time and half that to produce a nice extension, but money isn't in one off items, it's in volume so business wise and/or legality wise it might not be such a good idea.

Besides anyone with a simple drawing program can design a coffing box and code it for CNC machining, then ANY CNC shop can do the work.

Once I finalize the drawing and get a mockup made I will talk to Dave at PT&G and send them to him if he is interested in producing them.

"My" CNC machinist charges $75 hr for the coding time and the same for machine time. If I could get a half dozen or so commitments I might get a price quote and see what happens.

I need the floor plate measurements off a LA Ruger MKII Magnum from end to end not including the release stud if someone happens to have a bit of time, otherwise I will order one from Brownells.

I have several designs drawn up...some just boxes hanging down and one is a full width nicely rounded piece that blends in fairly well for a one down.

On my Tang Ruger it fitted well in the hand for carrying...but that was using the OEM floor plate inletted into the addition and it just didn't end up all that well...mockups are for finding out those things.

Plus a couple of wild hairs grabbed me for the SA's in the 223 and 308 case sizes for a 3-5 down double stack...but that will take a bit more futzing.

I will try to get something decent make up well before you head back to Taz so you can get it checked out...I wouldn' want to turn a DGR into a DG(dangerous rifle) by the addition.

I always wanted to visit Tasmania, Australia and NZ but it just wasn't in the cards
Luck

Don't know if my post are going through...the last couple haven't shown up...

Anyway here is another iteration of a +1 on the rifle. This one is full width and more rounded. It will/should blend a little better left polished, painted to match the wood or just painted.



I think I figured out your talking about Tanzania is Africa...I'm getting REAL slow in my old age. I would have liked to hunt Africa two hundred years ago, but not for the past 100 years...

I also need a measurement from the front edge of the trigger guard nect to the floorplate release to the centerline of the center receiver screw...and from the centerline of the hinge pin to the centerline of the center receiver screw.

Luck

Looks like your posts are coming through as far as I can tell. I wish I could help with the measurements but I don't have the rifle here in Tanzania. I'm sure someone else with a MKII can chime in I personally like the more squared design in your above post, it seems more streamlined.

If there is anything I can do to help, please let me know. If you need me to have a MKII floor plate sent to you just PM me your info. and I will get it on the way.

I would love one of those for my ruger 500ar. Please keep me updated if you decide to make some more.

I still need the measurements for the MKII...I'm going to town tomorrow and will get some off a Standad LA if I can find one...the floorplate is discontinued by the factory at Midway and Brownells for the MKII so I can't buy one and I haven't caller Ruger yet, but will.

I have a 2 down half finished, I will make it as narrow as I can using aluminum and will post a pic after I rough finish it. I'm still working on the design of the hinge piece, finding the right thickness, width and screw size and a more esthetically pleasing shape for the box.

My mill won't handle much over a 0.375" mill at 0.050" x 0.100"(way too much fledx) at about 1 rpm advance speed, so removing all that metal, 1/2" x .875" or 1 x 0.875" takes literally hours and NO power advance...all HAND cranking...I would kill for a CNC machine.

HS Precision has some very nice detachable mag units for Rems and I wish the would make one for the MKII...OR someone would...I think they would sell. There belted mag box for RUM and LAPUA would work great.

I'm also working on metal pieces I can bend and weld together...and a metal floorplate I can maybe use with a presently available detachable mag.

This ISN'T a commercial venture...just hobby futzing and I'm way too "financially challenged" to spend much money or time on it, but I would make a few for those "lucky individuals" who happen to get lucky.

I hope PTG is following this thread!!!!!!!!!Hint, Hint, Hint...I'm talking to you there in White City. Hahahahahahah

Luck

Here is a +1 and +2 almost finished...better shaped and painted, brown is all I had other than bright yellow...I will paint them black and see how they look later...they don't look TOO bad ?? but ARE functional...purists won't like that hangy-down thingy a bit. I'm not sure about the +2...it will take a bit of getting used to.

Have a Ruger spring ordered, might like a CZ for the +2. It would be much better if I could find a detachable mag I could adapt...or...

The MKII is larger and the floorplate is 0.300" or so longer, mag box is 3.4"...I found a nice 30-06 MKII Hawkeye with lite green Hogue stock for a nice price I might buy and do some barrel swapping.

The Magnum action is MUCH bigger.

Haven't found the right person at Ruger to get the rest of the information I need.
Have emails out for information.

Hey Foobar, did you ever make any progress on the MK II floorplate work? I got busy back in the states and forgot about it, now I'm back in Tanzania and my memory is returning.

Let me know, I am still very interested!