Need loading tips on Rem 700 internal magazines

[immerfrei]

I feel a bit silly asking this; and did attempt a few searches.....

My last several Rem 700 308 tactical rifles I have owned had external magazines...AICS mags on Badger mag bases or CDI, or McRee stocks.....so I am out of practice with standard internal mag Remington short actions.

In my latest build, I decided to keep the stock Remington BDL floorplate and internal magazine to save money and keep things light- HS Precision varmint stock. For some reason I am having a devil of a time loading 4 rounds into the magazine without jamming the last round and having to release the floorplate and start over. I tilt the rifle to the right a bit and thumb the rounds in; pushing them toward the back; but that fourth round falls into the bolt rail on the left and will not easily come out. It's like that bolt rail is the perfect size to have the round lock into it and no matter what I do, I end up having to drop the floorplate to start over. This happens about 1/2 the time; even when I tilt the rifle to the right....almost all the time if I try to load it when the rifle is sitting level.

I don't remember having this issue the last time I had a standard BDL but it has been years; so I am not sure. I might have just put one round at a time while on the range etc.

Practice makes perfect I guess; but how in the world does someone under stress, or in the cold, consistently load up their magazine? Ideas?

Also; I heard there was a way to get 5 rounds into the standard mag well with only minor surgery to the rifle.. What is the best way?

 

[MrGreg]

If you're willing to have the internal mag extend below the floorplate a little, you could add an extender. I used product number 818519 from midway to do so on my 223. I can now easily load 7+1 rounds with no trouble at all. I had to do a little bit of minor sanding to the extension to get it to fit perfectly, but overall I'm quite happy with it.

 

[markymark]

I have the same issue with my 308... Was hoping someone would have an answer so I wouldn't have to ask !!!

 

[mlh29]

If it were me I would try trimming the tabs that are on the bottom of the follower. Just a little should do it. I have also seen people trim them off flat but that would be up to you. I trimmed a couple I had with the milled follower and they seem to work much better. Good luck

 

[LeoC8541/2112]

Double check that your Mag box is the correct box for a BDL/Floor plate hinge and not an ADL Box and that it is installed correctly, sounds crazy but you would be amazed at how many are not the correct box or not installed correct. Like mlh29 said you can remove the tabs on the bottom of your follower and if your brave enough you can tig weld the front center and both sides of the split section in the rear of the box just enough to hold it in place, before tig welding to receiver put a Q-tip or penny down into the split of the mag box to spread it open then weld. This will give you a 5 round box. Sounds crazy but that's how its done on the M40A1 and it works. Plus once welded you can also blend the mag box to the feed ramp with a dermal and sanding roll or drum.

 

[immerfrei]

Thanks, I will check to see if it is an ADL box and installed correctly. Not sure how to tell, but I will do some searching.

It shoots pretty well.

300 yards at the range, off a bench
5-10mph wind gusts
50 degrees
Rem 700, HS Precision Varmint stock
Blue Printed
20" Obermeyer barrel with vortex flash
168 Fed Match

The little orange dot was flapping when I got to the target, so I pressed it back down. You can see where a bullet hit under the flap a bit.

 

[LeoC8541/2112]

An ADL mag box is deeper from top to bottom and has a tab with a hole in it at the back of the box for a screw to attach the box to the receiver. The BDL box is shorter from top to bottom without a tab. The BDL box doesn't require a screw because the bottom metal holds the box in place and it is shorter because of the thickness of the bottom metal. An ADL obviously doesn't have bottom metal, only a trigger guard or also known as a bling mag box causing you to unload your rifle by working the bolt to eject the ammo.

 

[immerfrei]

Yep, it is a BDL mag and I doublechecked on the net schematics to make sure I didn't install it upside down or backwards etc.

Maj Plaster says that folks need to practice loading more because they tend to do one at a time too much. So, perhaps that is my problem. I will make up some dummy rounds and practice. If I don't get it consistently right under pressure; the gun goes off to CDI for a detachable mag option