Rem 700 mag box fit

[ncageneral]

So, a question for the more experienced than I. Background: I am converting a Rem 700 ADL to BDL, obtained factory floor plate, wanting to utilize the ADL mag because it feeds the 6 BR flawlessly, already trimmed it to a near fit. Still a touch proud. Shot the rifle without the mag box in it last week. Hi teens for 4 rounds at 100. Shot it yesterday after installing the mag box and it shot 3/4". Other things happened that I needed to attend to. Which gave me time to think, (bad), if I were to remove to much metal from the mag box by accident or just my plain bad luck, what if I were to attach the mag via the ADL mag attachment screw and basically let the mag float above the floor plate and not interface with it? Would you think this detrimental? A little time with a belt sander will cure the proud fit, but I know my luck. Go slow and check fit often I know. BUT , if say I am .005 short of resting on the floorplate? Attach with ADL screw ? Let it float with no attachment /fit to floorplate?
Like I said, I will defer to experience.

 

[boltfluter]

Sounds like a good plan to me.

 

[AlNyhus]

When forced to do a BDL setup, I use a shortened ADL box and attach it with the factory ADL screw. I make the clearance between the bottom of the shortened ADL box and the BDL bottom metal .050-.060. Some of the magazine stuffer blocks are spot welded in and others just fit around the tabs on either side. If using the stuffer block and it's not a welded style, I epoxy it to the mag box. Done correctly, there should be absolutely no contact anywhere between the box and the stock.

The BDL bottom metal needs to be bedded to the stock at the two action screw areas only. There should be adequate clearance around the entire periphery of the BDL bottom metal both before and after the action screws are tightened. It should never be tight or 'snap' into the inletting.

If the action is bedded correctly and the BDL bottom metal bedded at the action screws, you don't need to tighten the action screws excessively. The factory BDL metal is horrible stuff and the tapered action screws make it that much worse. In situations where I have to use the factory BDL bottom metal, I prefer to modify it to take a button head cap screw so there's a solid 'flat to flat' mating surface.

Good shootin' -Al

 

[ncageneral]

Thanks, I was leaning towards the same as you described. Not bedding the floorplate but if need be shouldn’t be a problem. Thanks again.

 

[ncageneral]

I got home and had to piddle with it, shot 4 into .587" ctc. It'll probably do better, but for now it shouldn't be the rifle should a miss occur.

 

[ncageneral]

So, for those who gave me words of encouragement and advice here are the results. I shortened the mag box to barely touch the BDL floorplate and attached the mag box via the ADL screw. I've been piddling with this thing for a while now off and on, I'd grind, file and shoot. I think I'm done now. This would've been an excellent 5 shot group for me at 100 yds if it weren't for the one I pulled. Why is it that we can know we just pulled one the instant the trigger breaks but cant seem to stop the trigger break before it goes off ?