I’ve got a new Winchester Model 70 Stainless in .338 WM. I can get two cartridges in the mag and one in the chamber. It has a black plastic magazine follower. Before I go and order a new spring and magazine follower, I want to be sure what I am proposing is going to work, so that I am not out $50. I’ve heard that a Pre-64 follower and spring from Wisner’s will allow me to get an extra round in the mag without causing feeding problems. Is this correct?

Look at Brownells, their Win magazine followers are under $25.00 and you know these will fit your new model 70.

A lot of customers have been asking about changing the follower and magazine spring in the current production USRA M70 rifles. This is to try to get extra cartridge in the magazine.
The Model 70 has gone thru several changes in the past 40 years. The follower has been changed at least 4 times that I know of, but the magazine spring has only had two changes that I know of.
The spring used in the 375 and 458 rifles has an extra part either spot welded onto the bottom, or is currently formed with an extra loop in it. This prevents the follower from going down and allowing the extra cartridge into the magazine. On the older rifles by changing the magazine spring then you can get that last round into the magazine and have enough compression in the spring yet to still feed from the magazine box.
The newer rifles the depth of the stock has been reduced, also those fitted with the steel Williams rail type Super Grade guards, and now from what I have been told the USRA aluminum rail type guards. These are simply not deep enough to get any more cartridges into the magazine.
Changing the follower will not work as the follower shape and size has to match up with the feed rails in order to properly feed the cartridges.
The magazine spring can be changed, and in most of the rifles, especially the older ones this works to allow the extra cartridge into the magazine.

I put these notes together for customers.

Jim Wisner