I am working on a FN 98 in 257 Roberts. I have no use for Bob. In my location I must use non lead bullets. As much as I hate that I must comply to hunt. I have this nice FN laying around. The original stock is gone. Somebody electropenciled a drivers licence number on the receiver. Too bas it was mint, looks unfired. I want a 35 Whealen. I have a barrel in the mail. The magazine box is a bit too short. After I remove the blocks I will need to lengthen the 8mm length box.

Should I cut the front of the box off and add a little to the front by silver soldering an extentsion? I only need about an 1/8" inch. After I extend the magazine I will need to extend the bottom of the reciever a bit. Is that OK?

I have heard about milling the front and back of the box. Will that give enough room? Should I buy and '03 or 1917 follower, or a full length mauser one?

Thanks!

There is no need to remove metal in the rear. Simply extend the box in the front to handle your Whelen 3.34". Then remove a little of the feed ramp and polish to match. Your follower should work fine. If you want a longer follower just get a MKX etc.

And I tend to do things differently. I don't like to take any metal off the front ramp/locking lug recess if I don't have to, so I usually remove metal from the rear. Of course, if making a 375, some has to come off the front. Taking metal off the front will certainly work though....Factory FN 375s have most of the feed ramp milled away.
I don't replace followers except for magnums.

Thanks guys. I will need a follower. It is short, as in 308 length. The box has a spacer, like in a M-70, to make a "short action".

I have the comm. FNs ( 06 length ) and the MIlsurp FNs openned up as much as possible in the rear and as little as possible in the front ramp. It works just fine...

However the Mark 10s and the Whitworths are totally opened up in the front on the .375 H&H and .458 Win, and that has been touted to weaken the FN and 98 Mauser actions and said to be a dangerous practice, in some editorials, but I have never heard of or seen a Whitworth or mark 10 blow up from that modification. I don't think anyone is scared to shoot a Whitworth, they are pretty darn nice guns.

It is a commercial one. I took out the spacer. I found an 8mm military follower in my junk box. With that combonation of parts the box is a hair short for 30-06 Korean ball. I could mill a hair out of the fron of the box and have it...for 30-06. I guess I'll do that for now. If is is grosly short for the whelen with barnes bullet hand loads I'll take more drasic measures.

Too bad the action was defiled with electro pencil and the original stock tossed. When I disassembled it I found cosmoline and not a hint of wear.

The scope base holes seem to be canted to the left. I can deal with that but, jeese, what a desicration of a nice rifle.

quote:

Originally posted by Atkinson:
I have the comm. FNs ( 06 length ) and the MIlsurp FNs openned up as much as possible in the rear and as little as possible in the front ramp. It works just fine...

However the Mark 10s and the Whitworths are totally opened up in the front on the .375 H&H and .458 Win, and that has been touted to weaken the FN and 98 Mauser actions and said to be a dangerous practice, in some editorials, but I have never heard of or seen a Whitworth or mark 10 blow up from that modification. I don't think anyone is scared to shoot a Whitworth, they are pretty darn nice guns.

Mark Xs are made from high carbon, manganese alloy steel, not widely varying case hardened low/mid carbon steel.
Mark X

Don't think you should equate the two in strength.

quote:

However the Mark 10s and the Whitworths are totally opened up in the front on the .375 H&H and .458 Win

The 458 is simply the std 06 length mag in the MKX.

It takes about 10 minutes to cut the front out of the mag box and install a new one. Since I have to use a file to thin the rear the front is a lot quicker. The small amount removed for the 06 in the front doesn't worry me one bit.

As has been said I have never heard of a MKX in 375 opened in the front having an issue. Heck there are plenty out there that are in various long WBY chambering.

If I wanted a 35 Whelen I sure wouldn't let the box alteration slow me down.