Winchester model 70 question

[Mtstalker]

The wife suprised me with a new model 70 alaskan in 338 win mag. After inital dissasemble and cleaning i checked the mag box to see if it had any movement. None at all, its tight i loosened and reseated it and tightened the floor plate and checked again and still tight. Should this be like a rem 700 where there is a little movement when assembled or do i need to take a bit off the bottom of the mag box? I called winchester and they didnt have a answer for me. I also told them the first couple of patches down the barrel were covered in what appeared to be rust (a dark orange color on them) . I thought it was rust but the bore looks good. They said they still run a patch of cosmoline down the bore after proof testing, i dont know if its true but it made me feel better. But any input on the magazine box would be great since this is my first winchester.

 

[Geno C]

Every new model 70 I've ever seen has the box tight. My personal ones get the bottoms shaved a bit so it's free floating. Not that I have any proof that it helps but I can't see how it'd hurt any.

 

[watercam]

I have a Winney match rifle where the magazine box is glass bedded and thus movement free. I suppose the theory was that it helps solidify the action. The Marines Tig weld their Rem. 700 magazine boxes to the receiver (or used to) to help stiffen them up a bit.

 

[cherrio]

The wife suprised me with a new model 70 alaskan in 338 win mag. After inital dissasemble and cleaning i checked the mag box to see if it had any movement. None at all, its tight i loosened and reseated it and tightened the floor plate and checked again and still tight. Should this be like a rem 700 where there is a little movement when assembled or do i need to take a bit off the bottom of the mag box? I called winchester and they didnt have a answer for me. I also told them the first couple of patches down the barrel were covered in what appeared to be rust (a dark orange color on them) . I thought it was rust but the bore looks good. They said they still run a patch of cosmoline down the bore after proof testing, i dont know if its true but it made me feel better. But any input on the magazine box would be great since this is my first winchester.

I make sure all my magazines on pre 64 Winchesters are a tiny bit loose.

 

[Will Henry]

A business card shim under each end of the bottom metal should do the trick. Do not tighten the middle screw tight. Just contacting is good enough. Unless the action is bedded so as to utilize the middle screw as part of the bedding system, tightening it just messes things up. WH