My Winchester model 70 has a push button catch for the magazine floor plate. Pressing on this cylinder-like plunger pushes the entire piece back against an internal spring and into a recess. When it moves back far enough to clear the edge of the magazine floor plate, the plate swings down and forward (attached by a hinge at the front of the plate). The plate itself has become grooved from wear reducing the friction holding the magazine closed and reducing the pressure needed to open it. Occasionally recoil will cause the plunger to slide back or the plate to move forward (or both) and dump my magazine of unfired cartridges on my toes. This is bad. Should it ever happen in the field during a hunt, I could be down right upset. So - short of duct taping the bottom of my rifle or welding it closed forever - what is to be done?

I could replace the plate eliminating the worn groove, but what would stop it from just getting worn again?

I could replace the plunger's spring with a stiffer one, but I have never really cared for this style of catch anyway.

What I like is the less attractive and more functional "clip in place" style of catch found on the lowly SKS, and similar to the magazine release lever of the Lee Enfield rifles. Converting my M70 to accept detachable box magazines like the Enfield's is probably too much of a gunsmithing project for my limited skills, but I must admit that it would be an ideal solution.

Does anyone have other thoughts or replacement latch suggestions? Preferably something that can be done with simple tools by a novice? Has anyone here had a similar problem? How did you remedy it? Did you do it yourself? Would you recommend taking on the job?

If it is something as simple as a part replacement I think I'd give it a try myself. I hate to pay for skilled labor when I can muddle along for several hours to do a five minute job and save a few bucks....

Last - when you come up with the ideal solution, what's a good source for the parts I'll need?

Thanks for any and all input, Mike.

The Cure: Williams one piece bottom metal.

I use it on just about all of the M70's I build.

www.williamsfirearms.com

Order from Williams, or Brownells has them in stock.

Thank you Mr. Ricks.

Replacement of the spring with a stronger spring will normally fix the problem if you consider that an option, and from your post I am not sure that is a option you want...

John Ricks advise is a far better, but also more expensive option...

There was a bit of sticker shock. Thanks again.

Mike,

Can I assume that you've loosened up all three action screws, and positioned the floorplate correctly in relation to the trigger guard?

I got sticker shock also, so my rifles are still sporting the two piece bottom metal from the factory. But those one piece bottoms sure look nice, and I bet they work good too!

The most common problem with the setup that you are describing is the fact that the distance from the end of the floorplate to end of trigger guard is excessive. Excessive meaning that you probably have over .010" of clearance between the two. The other problem that the factory guards have is that they don't lay perfectly flat onto the trigger guard surface. This causes them to be sprung. If the tolerances are held close between the trigger guard and floorplate, that system of retaining the floorplate is the best out there. Aside from popular belief, the Oberndorf, or inside the bow release, does not provide as much lockup as the model 70-style does. When the Obernorf release is setup properly, it's only making about .040" of contact to hold your floorplate. The model 70 on the other hand, is making almost .200".
The model 70 catch system has gotten a bad rap because the factory can't seem to execute the machining and design correctly. The pre-64's were cured of this by means of a lot stiffer spring, but it rendered the opening of the floorplate to almost useless.
The post 64's began using a stainless spring with less tension, but they didn't improve their machining on the guard or flooplate. They started with a casted guard, and forged floorplate, tried to half-ass them together, and what you have now is the result.