Are the FN SPR enthusiasts extinct?

Idk if they have a new mag or what the deal is. But their regular AI mags have always worked for model 70s. Maybe some tweaking was required but you could get it to work without opening up the action.
I tried their plastic mag and it never worked in my AICS guns. MDT sent me a competitor's mag which worked fine and I gave away the MDT. This new mag with the metal feedlips was busted up when I received it, but appears to function. I'm gonna test it this afternoon.

As for CDI, I don't have their DBM. I have a PTG DBM that doesn't controlled round feed. I have a friend with an ARC Nucleus and it doesn't controlled round feed either. And ARC's AICS mag doesn't work with my FN and didn't work with my Savage (so I gave it away, too). I've gotten the clue that AICS and CRF don't go together. We will see tomorrow.
 
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I tried their plastic mag and it never worked in my AICS guns. MDT sent me a competitor's mag which worked fine and I gave away the MDT. This new mag with the metal feedlips was busted up when I received it, but appears to function. I'm gonna test it this afternoon.

As for CDI, I don't have their DBM. I have a PTG DBM that doesn't controlled round feed. I have a friend with an ARC Nucleus and it doesn't controlled round feed either. And ARC's AICS mag doesn't work with my FN and didn't work with my Savage (so I gave it away, too). I've gotten the clue that AICS and CRF don't go together. We will see tomorrow.


Oh okay, so the plastic mag is the new one that is good to go then?

I purchased metal mags from them back in November of last year. From their website, that mag was designed to be able to work with model70s and so I bought a few. They do go into the magwell opening but i don't have any stocks with AI bottom metals to see how the whole setup would feed.

I am planning on getting a chassis from them for my SPR, that's where I'll get to see how good their metal mag is going to work out for me.

I may just pick up the plastic ones too...
 
Range report: the mag cycled one time out of five tries as it came from the factory, with messed up feed lips. The top round sits 80% of the way to the left.

I unbent the mangled feedlips to normalish, and it still didn't work. I bent them outward so the cartridge would sit higher and center, and got six out of seven to feed. It appears the mag holds seven. I didn't feel like shoving in an eighth.

The primer isn't sitting above the rear of the mag. I'll compare the mag to pics of AICS 300 WSM round presentation and get bending.

Oh, and Nosler Accubond bullets suck hard. The ballistic tip of one broke off in the box. The rest broke off when the round above it was pushed up towards the bolt. I poured them all out of my mag. Nosler is such a garbage company. All those bullets became hollowpoints. Last time I used their bullets, the actual G1 BC was 0.16 worse than advertised, and they advertised average for caliber BC.
 
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What about the bottom metal shown in the pic's on this thread.
It's a PTG bottom metal, that looks like it fits (one of) the standard FN bottom metal cutout...but uses AICS mags.


I don't see it on the PTG website. Is this new or old?
 
I have a PTG bottom metal that fit the FN factory inlet of my SPR. Edit: It appears to be the same one. Pics attached.

Also, after very crudely bending the feedlips on that busted MDT mag with a multitool, I'm at about 200 smooth rounds through my 300 WSM. Gonna send MDT a love letter.
 

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I have a PTG bottom metal that fit the FN factory inlet of my SPR. Edit: It appears to be the same one. Pics attached.

Also, after very crudely bending the feedlips on that busted MDT mag with a multitool, I'm at about 200 smooth rounds through my 300 WSM. Gonna send MDT a love letter.
@kimber.204 is this the bottom metal you’re looking for?
 
@kimber.204 is this the bottom metal you’re looking for?

@Twinsen thank you for posting this.
Yes, this is the bottom metal I was asking about. I never knew that PTG made this.
If someone has one of these for sale I may be interested in buying (preferred) or borrowing it.

This is different from the CDI bottom metal - which I'm also, still interested in obtaining.

Let me know folks!
Thanks,
Ross
 
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@Twinsen thank you for posting this.
Yes, this is the bottom metal I was asking about. I never knew that PTG made this.
If someone has one of these for sale I may be interested in buying (preferred) or borrowing it.

This is different from the CDI bottom metal - which I'm also, still interested in obtaining.

Let me know folks!
Thanks,
Ross

PTG has always made a model 70 bottom metal that takes AICS. You can find it online if you look for it.
 
@stello1001 I've looked at their website a dozen times recently looking for that and I couldn't find it....I looked again, and sure enough, it was right there.


I feel like an idiot...guess these new fangled webernet's are too complicated for an aging millennial.
 
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Finally had a chance to play with my PTG bottom metal (for AICS mags).

I need a longer front screw - it didn't even come close to starting. I did hold it in place while I cycled some dummy rounds and it did well with the American Rifle Co magazine that I had laying near by.

Regards,
Ross
 
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Not according to their website. I emailed McRee a month or two ago. They never responded.

I just bought one 2 months ago. Follow the link, it states the compatible actions. There is a trick to ordering it from the website and I can't see the option now. If you call MDT they will help you out, they are great.

 
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Finally had a chance to play with my PTG bottom metal (for AICS mags).

I need a longer front screw - it didn't even come close to starting. I did hold it in place while I cycled some dummy rounds and it did well with the American Rifle Co magazine that I had laying near by.

Regards,
Ross
Try mid-west gun works for screws for M70 actions and order a few , you may have to trim to length I had the same problem a few years back with FNH BM and the McMillan stock I fitted the action too!
 
This is an FN PBR I bought recently from a local seller. It's a control round feed action, that originally came in teh Hogue stock with the DBM.
Had my local smith, Barlow Custom in the SLC area, pillar and glass bed it in a Mcmillan stock I had gotten from Midwest when they were closing them out. Threaded and installed the Surefire 3P adapter and adjusted the trigger. I had a hinged floorplate on hand also, I think its a CDI...smith had a follower and spring on hand, but had some issued finding the correct box....it may not be..
Scope is an SS 12X in TSR rings and factory base.

Finally got to shoot it today, at an indoor 100yd tunnel...well 98yds...using Remington and Fiochii 175Grn match, it shot around 1", which is probably as good as I can do. I'm sure it can do better in more competent hands.

The mag box...anyone know what should be the correct one? This one is marked ASL, the follower is not marked, but appears the same as the one on Midwest site. When I first got the rifle back, the smith said he had a hard time finding the correct one,something about one not being supported properly and the stock being inlet for the DBM originally. Or at least thats what McMillan tod him.

But, I was getting feed issues if I loaded more then two rounds, the 3rd and 4th rounds loaded..ie: the top ones in the mag...will almost teeter at the shoulder, and the base will drop down and the bolt will override it.
Brought it by the smith and he said it's a 3 round mag, which Im fairly sure it ain't. But, he has done a lot of work for me in the past, with out issue, maybe he just got confused on what gun/caliber...or was busy, etc.

I'm hoping a simple swap of follower and/or box will fix it.

Thanks
 

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The last two pics are the 4th loaded cartridge, and how it pivots in the mag well, the next round will do the same..the last two..ie: first two loaded seem to work be ok
Could it be the wrong follower?
ETA: There is also about 1/4" of room behind the follower in the box...the follower can slide back and forth about 1/4"
 

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It does not look like the follower in my PBR , that one had a scallop in the middle of the highest portion. It had a lot of play also. I had WTO modify my PBR while re-barreling to 7SAW and used a follower for 7mm Mauser and it feeds perfectly , midwest gunwerks still has them in stock last time I checked! 40 dollars or so if I remember correctly. The Mauser follower reduced the play in the mag well to less than an eighth of an inch total , seems to have solved the problem although you may have to cut a slot in the follower on both sides to match the crimps in the mag well .
 
@R Moran

The magazine box appears to be correct for a short action cartridge. The ASLS will also work. Its the same, but stainless. Your follower is not correct. As Wipiti16b states, it should have a scallop in the top ridge at about its midpoint. The correct short action follower will be marked with a "B" on the bottom side. It will be a machined part. It works for .308 class and WSM. There is a different magazine box for WSM, marked "1340".

Check Midwest Gun Works for Winchester parts, they're the same as the FN parts. You are looking for:

Follower "B" - Winchester part number: U353601170
Magazine Box "ASLS" - Winchester part number: U353071150
Spring - Winchester part number: U356421040

Hope this helps. Good luck.

Action Guy
 
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@R Moran

The magazine box appears to be correct for a short action cartridge. The ASLS will also work. Its the same, but stainless. Your follower is not correct. As Wipiti16b states, it should have a scallop in the top ridge at about its midpoint. The correct short action follower will be marked with a "B" on the bottom side. It will be a machined part. It works for .308 class and WSM. There is a different magazine box for WSM, marked "1340".

Check Midwest Gun Works for Winchester parts, they're the same as the FN parts. You are looking for:

Follower "B" - Winchester part number: U353601170
Magazine Box "ASLS" - Winchester part number: U353071150
Spring - Winchester part number: U356421040

Hope this helps. Good luck.

Action Guy

Will do,
Thanks!
 
Just a 3 round zero check yesterday…. Didn’t figure it would turn into a wall hanger. Seems like I’m always chasing a .1 - .2 correction.
 

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I know this is the SPR thread, but this thread gets good traffic.

I inherited my grandfather's old Model 70 that I'd like to get the action trued and the bolt spiffed up. It feels like there is some galling in the action/bolt. It seems like the main smiths to talk to are: LRI, Crescent, and SAC. Does anyone know if they will work on Post 64 push feed actions? It seems like LRI indicates that it is on the list coming soon.

Maybe I'll even go after an ESS chassis this weekend from MDT if it is on sale.

Edit: Just read MDT action spacing note. Unfortunately, his action is post 64, but pre 84. So, it wont fit in the chassis. Bummer.

Big Winchester M70 fan here as well. For a Winchester build with the extractor I would got to LRI first - no disrespect to the others as I'm sure they do quality work as well. I hold the Win 70 in high regard as my grandfather and father always preferred them, so for me there is a certain sentimental mystique...

I've got an Model 70 in the ESS chassis and its pretty sweet. MDT revamped their website and its hard to find the Winchester option so here is the link.


Good luck with your build.