What's required to convert an 06-based M70 to handle the belted mag's?

I'd assume:

New Barrel
Magazine Box
Extractor
Rail Work?

What else?

My primary concern is proper feeding... all experienced thoughts are appreciated.

Thanks,

BA

Brad, the answer depends entirely upon who's going to be doing the conversion work. Unless your gunsmith really understands the nuances of feeding and is going to install a correct and better aftermarket magazine box and follower plus a proper spring-steel extractor and everything else, you're almost better off trading your .30-06 in on a Model 70 in 7mm Rem. Mag. or something, and taking it from there. The factory short-magnum box won't be as good as a quality aftermarket unit, but it'll be better than a lot of the atrocious conversion work I've seen by a country mile. Cheaper, too....

I've seen too many such conversions that were improperly done to assign too much trust or assume too much about the outcome of a project like this. If you're dealing with a Dave Gentry, then you don't have anything to worry about, I shouldn't think, especially with your personal input.

If you're dealing with someone who wants to cram .338 cartridges into the original .30-06 box and only open the feed rails, bolt face, and alter the original molded extractor and call it all good, then you're better off financially and results-wise if you make that trade or else find a different gunsmith.

Best,
Allen

Allen, I believe that's sound advice!

Brad

You don't need a new barrel if staying within same caliber.
You will need a new ejector and follower, mag follower spring a god idea - all available from Brownells, others - and then open feed rails, boltface, extractor.
You don't need a new box; they use the same one for all of their standard cartridges.
As for buying a new gun, well, if you like the way the stock fits, and can't stand to lose on selling a used gun, you might be able to get the conversion done right for ~$250 or so. You probably won't lose that much in the resale, so it usually doesn't make sense, for an over-the-counter cartridge like one of the WinMags.
Sell your '06 for $300, and spend the same $250 on what you want new.
For some freak cartridge, where you must rechamber and do feed work anyway, you may as well use what you've got in the rack.

Bwana-be, you do need a new magazine box. They do use the same box for all standard cartridges but they have a different one for magnums, also available from Brownells for $30.

You are right; I stand corrected. Do you know what the difference is? Surely it has the same outer dims, otherwise they'd have to have two inlets for the stocks.

Are you getting rid of your 30-06 already?? What cartridge are you looking to try next? Something to make those Montana bears do back hand-springs???

Bwana... the USRAC Standard LA follower and Mag LA follower are the same piece. The "magnum" USRAC mag box is dimensionally the exact same as the 30-06 size box except it has straight walls all the way up both sides whereas the 06' box has the upper portion bent inward to create "lips" for proper feeding... obviously, as Allen pointed out, all these are factory "fits-all" pieces and are a compromise. Also, I have a Jim Wisner magnum magazine spring which is hell-for-stout (378 Wby copy) and makes even heavy belted mags fly up under the extractor... a worthwhile addition to any M70 magnum that I'd heartily reccomend!

NE, I'll never get rid of that stainless featherweight 30-06... shoots too darn well. I do have another exactly like it (I bought them both used at local pawn shops). I shot each and picked the best one with the idea of rebarreling the other. I'd considered doing a 257 Bob on it but am reconsidering a 270 Win... I'd been toying with using this action in a belted mag but beleive it's easier to locate a donor action set up from the factory for the mag.

Best Wishes,

BA

Bwana-be,

"Need" is probably too strong a word here. As Brad said, they use the same mortice and there are compensations made so they feed. In a perfect world the cartridges all make contact in the magazine box. Well the adjacent as the second from the bottom will touch the bottom one and the next one up and the bottom one will touch the one that is two above it. Think of three cartridges in contact with each other and that is how the magazine box is designed with the best fit. Winchester has made some short cuts and the magnum box is not built to the best dimensions. If they did, as you pointed out, the stocks and the bottom metal would have to be different. A best design magazine does more than maximize the space and the capacity. Think of the cartridges as they slide up. they have two contacts below from cartridges and one on the side from the magazine box. When it gets to the top it also contacts the feed rail which directs it towards the center of the actiona and also towards the center of the bolt. If the same width box is used in a magnum or wider cartridge and that is the case with Winchester, There is no contact from the cartridge directly below it on the same side but only from the next one below it. Confused? Well the two point contact from the two cartridges below in a narrower magazine would now is just one contact point. It still contacts the side and then eventually the feed rail. The two sided contact gives a resultant force along with the contact on the side so that the force is upwards. With contact on just one below and the side of the magazine there is a force directing the cartridge to the outside and the feed rails then have to compensate for this. I don't know if this makes it clearer but I need an excedrin.

Gotcha. Thanks for the explanation.