I am doing a blind mag 300 win on an FN already opened up (on the front) to 3.40. Does anyone make a magazine box with correct geometry for the 98? If not, can some point me to detailed instructions about lengthening and redesigning a mil surp box for this round (I have a mig setup)?

Dunlop's book wasn't real specific and didn't deal with altering the x57 mag box dimensions for the short magnums. Thanks for the help.

Well when I want to blind box a 98. I pick up one of the surplus guards with the stamped magazine box. I then use a cut off wheel and remove the box. If I need to extend it I cut the front on each side and then weld in a little spacer.

Why bother with the box? I wouldn't bother with the machining for the spring. I would just machine a small trough for the spring to lay in and not shift around.

BTW the thumbnails are expandable.

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Just to give you some dimensions, I took apart my Interarms Mark X in .300 Winnie and measured the box.

At the rear the inside measures .920.
there are actually two lengths. The longest length is .3.690 and the shorter length is 3.460. that takes into account the roundness in the front that doesn't have to be as wide for the bullet points. At the shortest length its about.680 and then rounds down from there to about .600 across the front flat.

I should say though that this box leaves plenty of room for a .300 Winnie bullet.

More than likely the best thing to do with this box would be to install cartridge stops on the inside to prevent the cartridges from going forward and hitting the tips on the front of the box.

quote:

Why bother with the box? I wouldn't bother with the machining for the spring. I would just machine a small trough for the spring to lay in and not shift around

I like your procedure. I use bedding compound to make a groove to hold the spring. Do you have any trouble with the bullet digging into the front from recoil?

Does that screw hold the guard from the inside?

I should have mentioned that this is going into a pre-inletted synthetic (Bansner blind mag). Roger, is that inletted into the wood or glassed to shape? What did you use for a template, a cast of the inside of an existing box?

340--
Where do you get stamped boxes? I have a few of the milled surp. boxes here, are they different? Seems like those designed for the belted mags are wider, etc.


22Wrf--
I assume that the 3.46 measurement if the longest inside dimension? My receiver has two humps near the rear of the magazine morticse that are only .840 wide, does your magazine box have bars or tabs pressed or soldered into the sides near the rear to guide the follower up and into the action? Seems like I've seen this on other boxes.

Also, I only have the standard follower. Alot is made of the follower geometry. Does anyone make a belted mag follower specifically for the 98. Thanks for the help guys.

Snowcat

No, the longest inside dimension is the 3.690.
Actually, when I compare this magnum box with say a 1909 aregentine box, it is clear what they did. they just took a regular length box and cut the front of the box off and added a piece of curved metal to make it long enough for magnum cartriges. You can tell that because the lower part of the box is not altered at all for length, which limits the number of long cartriges tht could ge in this box to three.

the follower is short

But the darn thing feeds well.

Jay,

That's not my work. Those were photos that Ottmar sent to me to show how he carried out the work sans the box. It was machined into the wood. No bedding material.

The wood was machined to inside box dims.

Hope that helps.

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340--
Where do you get stamped boxes?

I picked up several at a gun show several years ago. I'm not sure what 98 they were from. I have also just used the box from a normal guard. The stamped is just easier to cut.

Since I only do a blind on a fiberglass stock I might try just molding it without a box next time.