Am looking for a "pocket plate" to allow a Ruger 77 mkII to hold one more round in the magazine. For those who don't know what it is (I didn't until recently), it is a very short-drop floorplate, usually allowing one more round, that doesn't interfere like some of the extended dropped magazine floorplates.

also called a coffin mag - used by westley, as well as many period 500 jeffreys

I am not aware of anyone making them for the Rugers but am sending some PMs to board members and hoping for the best. If anything comes of it I will post it here.

Thanks for the help, Guys.
Max

Check with Jim Wisner...

Rich

I called Wisner's today, they do not make one.

Well, it seems that no one makes extended floor plates for Rugers. Lets get some made, PM me if you are interested!

First you need a drawing of what you want.
Otherwise someone might make something ugly.
Then you need money.

quote:

Originally posted by SR4759:
First you need a drawing of what you want.
Otherwise someone might make something ugly.

For this I am depending on you guys.

quote:

Originally posted by SR4759:
Then you need money.

I have some of this.

Will try to keep up with this tread! Adding one rd to my 458AcRll would be a good thing .Clint

i'll dig up my solidworks model i did a couple years ago ... or try to

quote:

Originally posted by clintsfolly:
Will try to keep up with this tread! Adding one rd to my 458AcRll would be a good thing .Clint

Clint how many can you fit down now, Ive got 3+1 in my Ruger 458 AccRel with just a bit of simple work.

If I wasnt in Australia I'd say send your magazine box and floor plate to me and I'll get it to 3 down for you.

regards
S&F

S&F After 3 tries i still get just 2down and one in the barrel. Was at the range yesterday left to get some parts to fix the plate rail and got rear ended not hurt but smashed my car. To remove the stress shot 20rd of 458accrl at a steel plate after that it hard to be mad! Now i have to weld up the plate. If you will please send info on reworking the mag and floor plate. Have been restocking my rifle. Got a great piece of Quilted maple found a stock turner with a pattern for a left hand Ruger all glassed, cross bolted and a good base finish. All that is left is to blue, checker and topcoat the finish! will post pic as soon as I get the kid to teach me how. Clint

Ok As per Dans request I've been tasked with this project preliminarily to see if it's even possible.

Here are some rough models










Let me know what you think. Any design changes etc.

I've got some coffin floorplates made for vaious bottom metal...maybe if someone were to send me a frame, I can see if somethilng matches up.

That would be a lot easier then what I'm doing

Question for the gunsmiths on this board:

What would you think about these plates being made out of aluminum like the OEM plates? Would there be any reason not to? It would keep with the intent of the AR rounds to be an economical way into really big bores.

The Ruger Hawkeye floorplate is steel.
There has always been a steel alternative for anyone stuck with an aluminum floorplate on a standard length Ruger, old M77 or Mk II.
Aluminum would be a big mistake.
Gotta be steel.
Chromoly or stainless or both is my only question.
I am not ramrodding this drive, but if you get to the point of a signup list to get one of Duane Wiebe's pocket plates for a Ruger, I want one.
Everybody with a standard length Ruger could use one of those.

As RIP has said, gotta be steel. As long as we are paying for the new floorplate, might as well get a good one.
Max

quote:

Originally posted by viperidae:
Question for the gunsmiths on this board:

What would you think about these plates being made out of aluminum like the OEM plates? Would there be any reason not to? It would keep with the intent of the AR rounds to be an economical way into really big bores.

Aluminum is more expensive when machined and anodized in small lots.

Soda blasted titanium would be nice though.
Last time I looked it was ONLY $7 lb.

quote:

Originally posted by SR4759:

quote:

Originally posted by viperidae:
Question for the gunsmiths on this board:

What would you think about these plates being made out of aluminum like the OEM plates? Would there be any reason not to? It would keep with the intent of the AR rounds to be an economical way into really big bores.

Aluminum is more expensive when machined and anodized in small lots.

Soda blasted titanium would be nice though.
Last time I looked it was ONLY $7 lb.

Hope you were being sarcastic. But yeah if you include the anodizing aluminum gets pricey But the part I'm looking at is raw aluminum. Granted not the best choice as far as surface durability goes. Stainless was an option. I suggested 303 free machining grade.
Titanium would put that part right at the cost of a new rifle. At least in my shop it would. I'd have to send out a bunch of endmills to get coated and swing my coolant system over from the grinder to the mill. Then secure enough material

aluminum is far far far faster to machine

my plate design was a conic section, base about 20" top about 17", then declined 1.8degree bottom to top...

i would prefer alum, as it should cost about 1/2 steel

Material cost yes But not machine time. It's only about 25% faster then 4140 due to the accuracy of the part and the small radius required in the magazine box area. Sure if everything could be cut with a two flute 1/2" end mill yeah then it would be a $50 part. Then there's the spring retainer in the bottom. I have to make a cutter special for that operation. I love how people think that if the material cost is half then the part cost must also be half. Rarely if ever does it work that way.

meant materials .. sorry..

quote:

Originally posted by Duane Wiebe:
I've got some coffin floorplates made for vaious bottom metal...maybe if someone were to send me a frame, I can see if somethilng matches up.

If you made a pocket plate for the Ruger 77 the word hotcakes comes to mind.

I have just received approval to build one Pocket floor plate for Viperidae. He has chosen to incur the majority of the R&D expense in this project. I need to confirm with Viper which action this floor plate is being made for. It is a Ruger action But not sure if there is an action length that needs to be addressed. We'll keep you guy posted on the progress. I plan on making chips this weekend. Should have a finished part on Sunday.

Now for those of you that want one for your rifle. It's going to have to be in a group order of at least five pieces. Hopefully all out of the same material Either stainless (303) or 4140
I chose 303 stainless due to it'S free machining properties and it's readily available at the vendor I use. I WILL NOT BE ACCEPTING ORDERS UNTIL THE FIRST ONE IS FINISHED AND PROVEN OUT. I WILL NOT ACCEPT DEPOSITS NOR PRE ORDERS EITHER.

And Duane you have a PM

My rifle is a Ruger MKII stainless 7mm Remington Magnum. I believe this is the long action. It was a barreled action purchased as a donor for a AR build project.

As kcstott has said I am paying the set up costs for the first plate. I have elected to use aluminum for the prototype. This is to keep costs down and to keep in the spirit of the AR rounds being an economical way into big bores. Once we get the bugs worked out then it will be time to get an order together for kcstott. Once the prototype is perfected it is my understanding that the order can be made of any reasonable material(s) provided enough plates are ordered. As kcstott mentioned, the development costs are for the most part my expense and I will not be recouping them. I am just happy to be able to give back a little to this great sport.

Being that my rifle is still 7mm what do you guys think would be the best way to proceed?

(1) get it to feed in 7mm 1st

(2) have it built into a .470AR using the OEM floorplate then fit the coffin plate

(2) have it built into a .470AR using the coffin plate

I will be contacting McGowen shortly and arrange for them to do the conversion. Would somebody be able to provide me with a few dummy rounds? I can pay all shipping and return them at the end of the project.

This is the win mag length action not the 416 Rigby length action. Also called the standard action of 3.34" length magazine.

Great idea for my RSM in .458Lott. Hope it works out and one to fit my rifle becomes available. Always nice to have an "extra" round in the mag when on tuskless Ele herds!

PM me which bullet you'd like in the dummies and an address

quote:

Originally posted by kcstott:

quote:

Originally posted by SR4759:

quote:

Originally posted by viperidae:
Question for the gunsmiths on this board:

What would you think about these plates being made out of aluminum like the OEM plates? Would there be any reason not to? It would keep with the intent of the AR rounds to be an economical way into really big bores.

Aluminum is more expensive when machined and anodized in small lots.

Soda blasted titanium would be nice though.
Last time I looked it was ONLY $7 lb.

Hope you were being sarcastic. But yeah if you include the anodizing aluminum gets pricey But the part I'm looking at is raw aluminum. Granted not the best choice as far as surface durability goes. Stainless was an option. I suggested 303 free machining grade.
Titanium would put that part right at the cost of a new rifle. At least in my shop it would. I'd have to send out a bunch of endmills to get coated and swing my coolant system over from the grinder to the mill. Then secure enough material

I know no one would like the price of a titanium part but it is not that hard to machine in the environment that I work in. But if some one wants to save a few ounces it does not need anodizing. Aluminum is ok for a prototype but I would not bother with it for a part like this. You save nothing unless you install it bright or paint it yourself.

We have all carbide tooling and titanium is the easiest stuff that we machine. It is just the cost of the raw material that high.

Titanium may be the easiest stuff to machine in your shop but on manual machine it's a royal pain in the arse. You need heavy duty machines made for that kind of work. CNC machining centers would be the best bet. A manual Bridgeport is no machine to hard mill on. And since that's what I have No thanks

KC,
I figured that is what you have. We have all CNCs. Mostly HMCs 10 HP and up. I have been in some wonderful machine shops that most of the rifle manufacturing companies could only dream of.

Yep I worked i a couple of shops that had top end Mori Sieki machines HMC's & VMC's Thats where the money is. This little project would be nothing if I had a HMC and a tomb stone on a pallet changer. Mass frigging production and the machine wouldn't even work up a sweat.

I have future plans to get a Haas VF2 Only because I can get them dirt cheep. If money was no object I'd get a Mori in a heart beat but at double the cost of a new Haas it puts it far out of reach. For $20K I can get a VF2 in decent condition with some good tooling.

KC
That is a good way to start. Most folks get choked up on not buying the best new item and never get started at all. UMS is a big machine shop in Singapore. The owner got started in Fremont Ca. When the costs to operate in California got high he started another shop in Singapore. I think he has about 300 mills there now.

Yeah I was offered a very high paying position in china to go start up a shop. Umm no thanks to damn far from home and the politics suck

China is about a 17 hr plane ride over Alaska and Siberia, depending on where you start. The country is a real education. Yes they have a different system and different politics but it is worth while to experience it to appreciate what we have. In some ways when you go into many shops there you will be the guy with the most varied practical experience. While they will often have modern machines and computers, their understanding of things mechanical does not go back to taking apart stuff from the age of 3 or 4.

I hear you. But I don't have to go to china to appreciate what I have here. I've been to Mexico Lived a worked down there enough to that no matter how screwed up America is At least our corruption is not that blatant and rampant.
I would like to go to china though And I may get the chance

Pretty basic criteria for the box plate.

Ruger action for, 7mm, 300 and 338

Same internal dimensions as the existing magazine box.

The follower needs to smoothly go up and down without catching the step.

Hopefully the existing spring can be used.

Outside it doesn't matter what it looks like, rounded edges, square, its the inside that is important.

For the 416, 458 and 470 the box doesn't need much more internal depth than an extra 1/8 inch of, but the 500 would need maybe 1/3 of an inch. So go with deeper one.

Must allow extra depth to fix the factory spring either by sliding spring under small cross bolt / plate or a dovetail set up

There is a cheap nylon/ plastic version for HOWA and Remingtons only at Brownells and online that should help give a basic idea.

I will post up some pictures of them, one of you guys over there should buy one see how its put together, think they are only about $20 - $25

Reg S&F

OK

I did a bit of sniffing around, the design you will get most of the ideas from is made by Arms Tech called a MAG-XTENDER. Midway dont seem to have it anymore, but Brownells do and you can buy them online for about $20 to have a look at.

Here's a picture of one I found