I've acquired a beautiful Springfield custom rifle...that is, beautiful in appearance, but NOT in function. It will not retain the last round in the magazine, and will not feed at all if filled with 5 rounds. Works kinda half-fast if either 3 or 4 rounds are in the magaine.

Inspection reveals that the major problem seems to be an incomplete comnversion from the normal
springfield magazine box to an "ADL" type magazine...that is, to a "blind magazine" without a floor plate. Whoever did the work did not retain ANY kind of metal box for the magazine.

Further, the magasine area without a box is too wide for the follower to fuction correctly. As it is now, the follower tips to the side and binds, as well as gets stuck frequently under the side of the action. Plus, the box area is too long, so it is possible to put rounds in the gun in such a way as to locate them too far to the rear of the action so the bolt cannot come back far enough to pick a round up when pushed forward.

It seems that the rifle would function correctly IF there was a steel magazine box in place, as there is in the Remington 700 ADL.

Does anyone make an "ADL" box either specifically for the Sringfield action, or which is easily adaptable to one? I'd sure like to not have to make one from scratch if I don't have to.

Anyone out there done this type of blind magazine conversion on a Springfield? Do you have any tips to share?

You could get one of the stamped 1903-A3 trigger guard assys and band saw the magazine box off of it. It might be better to have someone with a Bridgeport to mill away the part you don't need.

Canuck, do you suppose it might help to use a spacer like Remmy does at the rear of the blind mag. Could easily make one from a piece of sheet metal. And install a Remington ADL follower? Does the stock have a blind mag well or is the bottom open?

What ireload2 said. Should be very straightforward to fit an original Springfield box.

quote:

Originally posted by ireload2:
You could get one of the stamped 1903-A3 trigger guard assys and band saw the magazine box off of it. It might be better to have someone with a Bridgeport to mill away the part you don't need.

I was afraid you guys were gonna suggest that, and that there are no suppliers of such ready-made boxes. When I moved from Canada to Arizona some 25 years ago I had a large box full of Mauser, Springfield, and Enfield parts, about 4'x2'x2'...also had about 3 dozen G&H side-mounts in it. The box never arrived at the Arizona end.

Anyway, guess I could buy a couple of '03-A3 assemblies from Sarco or Numerich. Still I am not looking forward to it. No longer have a band saw or a power hack-saw. So would have to hand hacksaw it.

Could use my buddy's, but he lives about 30 miles farther up the river into the Cascades and is in the last stages of terminal cancer. I hate to drive up there and use up a goodly part of his day watching me putzing with a magazine box. Also hate the idea of doing that much hacksawing by hand, then having to file it down to a neat appeaance and final dimensions, and then powder-coat it.
Looks like "bite-the-bullet" time, though...

quote:

Originally posted by olcrip:
Canuck, do you suppose it might help to use a spacer like Remmy does at the rear of the blind mag. Could easily make one from a piece of sheet metal. And install a Remington ADL follower? Does the stock have a blind mag well or is the bottom open?

Olcrip - That would work IF I had a box and was going to use a shorter cartridge. Right now the stock is inletted for a box, but there is no box at all in there. Whoever built it apparently either forgot to put it in at time of final assembly, or never made a box to fit. So it looks like what you would have if you took the stock off a Rem ADL and threw away the metal box inside the stock.

Beautiful piece of walnut, nicely shaped and finished, skelteton buttplate and grip cap with profuse checkereing of about 26 LPI inside each, lots of excellent wrap-around checkering on the grip and forend, Shotgun-style trigger guard with extension which runs all the way down to the grip cap, inletted into the front of the pistol grip and actually encircling the very bottom of the grip to meet the cap...but DANG IT, no magazine box!!

Could just slap on Springfield bottom metal, but then would have to cut through that beautiful piece of walnut and throw away the very nice shotgun trigger guard and fill the area where the trigger guard extension runs down the front of the grip, Don't plan to do any of that...will just have to cobble up a box, much as I hate to take the time. Then will need no filler, as it is still going to be a .30-06 as it was when fist made for the U.S. military...

Thanks for the suggestion, anyway.....

AC

I have an extra 03/A3 TG thats in good shape that can be sacrificed. Its yours for the asking.
Just PM me your postal address.

Bob

quote:

Originally posted by manhasset:
AC

I have an extra 03/A3 TG thats in good shape that can be sacrificed. Its yours for the asking.
Just PM me your postal address.

Bob

Thanks very much, I'll take it! Please also PM me your mailing address (I don't need your residence address), so I can at least send you enough to cover your postage. The mag box is something I'd be quite willing to pay you for...



PM sent

You couldn't try using a 30-06 dimensioned sheetmetal mag box from some type of commercial magazine box and adapting it could you? Maybe rob the follower and spring from said magazine to go with it?

you can get the ruger box, from brownells, for like 8 bucks, ... put it in upside down, and trim to height... COULD... or, if the lips are bent to the right shape (that sounded naughty) you might can just trim to height

quote:

Originally posted by jeffeosso:
you can get the ruger box, from brownells, for like 8 bucks, ... put it in upside down, and trim to height... COULD... or, if the lips are bent to the right shape (that sounded naughty) you might can just trim to height

Thanks, Jeffe. that sounds like a plan if I need to go that far. A Springfield 'A3 trigger guard is being sent to me as we speak, so I'll try cutting that down first. If I bugger it up beyond all redemption, then I'll give the Ruger box a try....

(The Springfield should work all right, as I am used to doing lots of metal work, just originally hoped someone had experience with something that would work as almost a straight drop-in. The longer I have been retired the less free time I seem to have.......)

Canuck, it will work. I converted my 03-A3 to a .308 target rifle for NRA matches in '68. I used a laminated Herter's target model stock, pretty beefy, and didn't want to reduce the wood depth under the action but did want a magazine. I chiseled out the wood and installed a homemade blind magazine made from the original A3 guard assembly. Hacksawed and filed away the excess metal and dropped it into the blind mortice. Used a replacement trigger guard, Remington "ADL" type for better looks. Using the original follower and spring, it worked well.

Later found an original -03 trigger guard/magazine and installed that for easier unloading and glad I did.

OH Yeah, I should mention that the modified blind mag only held 4 rounds but that was enough at the time.