Argh! The gun was a real winner until I discovered that the new magazine follower is made of aluminum. What a pity! They sure look pretty, but they are soft. Brass cases can scratch them. Needs to be replaced. Add to list of needed fixes!!!@#$%&*#$%@#$^&!!!

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RAB

Did the follower scratch, or can scratch?

I've only put 4 rounds through it, and haven't seem any sign of scratching of the anodized surface. Of course it probably eventually scratch with use. We'll see.

I think the basic problem is we wish we could have (or afford) a ten thousand dollar rifle for a thousand.

Are all of the new mod 70's aluminum followers? I can't believe they would do that!! They already have been having problems with production, quality etc. Now this!!

It's nothing new. My 375 one of the first 100 to come out of Winchester when they went back to CRF, has the same follower. I've put hundreds of round through it including field use in Africa with zero problems. But I suppose if you can't live with it, take it to a competent gunsmith or replace it yourself.

Can I ask what is actually wrong with an alloy magazine follower providing it is of decent quality material?

When aluminum is used is used for such things as scope bodies (as in Leupold) I never hear you guys say that steel (such as in Zeiss or Swarovskiscopes) is better, so whats the problem with an ali mag follower???

There are so many grades and types of aluminum available today just saying it is junk needs qualifing...

Pete E:

I agree that the aluminum follower is not necessarily a bad thing.

Have to see what it looks like after a couple thousand rounds. I doubt I will ever shoot it enough to see such.

I wonder if they went with the lighter follower to compensate for weak springs? I also don't see a functional problem with an aluminum follower.

I noticed the aluminum follower and didn't have a real problem with it until I had fired about a hundred rounds. Then I noticed the anodizing was wearing away.

The easy fix (for me) was to replace it with a shortened follower from a magnum Rem 700. I beveled the back of the follower like the stock follower is. I also replaced the spring with the mag spring from the same 700.

Everything is a straight swap except the shortening and beveling. I have put about another hundred rounds through the gun and haven't had any problem.

Although this modification doesn't make the gun work any better, I sleep better at night.

Joe.

[This message has been edited by JMac (edited 04-11-2002).]

O.K. guys, maybe it is not such a bad thing, and easily replaced if it gets worn.

I noticed the scratch marks in the purplish hue of the follower anodized surface after only about 50 rounds cycled through. Surely it won't be sending aluminum chips up into the chamber along with the brass but only polishing itself down.

Actually I have noted that Winchester has been through three different types of followers since they started making the Classic in the early 90's (1992?).

The first one looked like the old Pre-64 but was of alloy/aluminum. The second in the trio looked like the old follower but had a crude looking divot gouged out in the middle of the follower. The latest has two nicely formed "divots" scalloped out of the follower's central long axis, and the surface looks as if it is anodized.

Someone told me that the opening between the feed rails is now a bit smaller, and combined with the new follower, makes for better feeding. I haven't done any measuring of the feed port between old and new of the same caliber.

So what is the consensus on the evolution of the Winchester M70 Classic magazine box? My 416 Rem. seems to be working fine, but strange little changes have been going on with the Winchester Classics.

At first I thought the latest magazine follower was something that went along with the windowed magazine box side walls to accomodate the fatter RUM cartridges. However, this follower seems to be standard on all the Classics now.

If anything, maybe this gives the gunsmith more latitude for improvements if a particular rifle doesn't feed well: replace the follower and twiddle the rails and ramp. But, don't fix it if it ain't broke ... yet.

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RAB

My understanding is that the "gouged out" areas in the new followers are for better feeding from the magazine- but why aluminum? I don't think the earlier classic followers (at least the stainless ones) were aluminum, because they are much heavier. Brownell's does list several followers for the model 70's, but they don't tell what is aluminum and what isn't. They are about $35.

My CZ originally had PLASTIC follower and bottom plare!

I complained, they replaced the parts for free, and they told me because of customer reaction ( me? ) they will make this parts again from metal. Now thats a reaction!

But back to theme: the bottom of the mag was what disturbed me. I could have lived with the plastic follower, very unhappy of course.

The follower gets only polished once per mag load. A properly constructed plastic one ( thats not one thats an exact copy, but thicker, taking in account the strenght of the material, or lack thereof ) should last a while, Alu even longer.

Ron, keep that Aluminum one. At least it wont rust ;-)

If it aint broke, don�t fix it.

Hermann

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I found the real problem to be a weak spring. When extracting a fired round, one from the magazine poped out. Stronger spring solved the problem.

A follower, if it fits, is a non critical part and I bet that noone has ever worn a follower out!! but its an easy replacement. It would be the last thing I fixed...

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Ray Atkinson

ray@atkinsonhunting.com
atkinsonhunting.com