Gunsmithing Removing 0.100" plate out of AI magazine.

[Dollman]

Want to try 140 grain Berger hybrids in my .260 Rem target rifle. If I remove the 0.100" thick tack welded in plate from inside the front of the magazine I will have enough clearance for the longer ammunition. The 591 Surgeon reciever is relieved for this as it comes from the factory. I paln on having a EDM machine utilized to do this so it should be a very clean cut with no holes to fill from otherwise drilling out the tack welds to removing this plate.

Question I have to those who may know:

Is removing that 0.100" thick plate from the inside of magazine going to make the magazine come apart at the seam or otherwise destroy it?

 

[mcfred]

Re: Removing 0.100" plate out of AI magazine.

It'll be fine. Instead of EDM you can use a die grinder and chew through the plate to the spotwelds from the inside. When it gets thin enough you can pop the plate out with a flat-blade screwdriver and file what's left flush. It would be faster than EDM. It won't damage the rest of the mag. I can fit ~2.965" COAL now.

Be aware that the follower may hang up if you don't add .080" back to the follower either in front or behind, at least it did for me.

 

[Dollman]

Re: Removing 0.100" plate out of AI magazine.

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: McFred</div><div class="ubbcode-body">It'll be fine. Instead of EDM you can use a die grinder and chew through the plate to the spotwelds from the inside. When it gets thin enough you can pop the plate out with a flat-blade screwdriver and file what's left flush. It would be faster than EDM. It won't damage the rest of the mag. I can fit ~2.965" COAL now.

Be aware that the follower may hang up if you don't add .080" back to the follower either in front or behind, at least it did for me. </div></div>

So how did you add the 0.080" back to the plastic follower?

 

[mcfred]

Re: Removing 0.100" plate out of AI magazine.

IIRC it's just a piece of 3/32" acrylic and some glue at the back of the follower, reshaped.

Also I modded my AI follwer for use with WSM cases. SO if it looks different that's why.

 

[Dollman]

Re: Removing 0.100" plate out of AI magazine.

Great, but just one other question:

What type of glue or epoxy did you use?

 

[mcfred]

Re: Removing 0.100" plate out of AI magazine.

Whatever was at hand. I did it 2 years ago. I'll guess I used superglue (cyanoacrylate) after roughing up both pieces. It's sort of a low-duty part so it doesn't take much. I'm sure you could spend a few bucks and get a good chemical bonder instead.

 

[Dollman]

Re: Removing 0.100" plate out of AI magazine.

Thanks for the info.

 

[mdesign]

Re: Removing 0.100" plate out of AI magazine.

What would the max COAL be after making this modification?

 

[mcfred]

Re: Removing 0.100" plate out of AI magazine.

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: McFred</div><div class="ubbcode-body">I can fit ~2.965" COAL now.</div></div>

 

[swhiteh3]

If you didn't completely remove the front plate, but instead, just cut (milled or EDM'ed) a semi-circular hole in the plate, all the way down into the magazine, and maybe 0.070" deep, you could make room for the nose of the round, while still keeping the follower tracking smoothly. Someone with an EDM machine could set up for these and crank them out, and charge good money for the modification.....

 

[Killswitch Engage]

that would take a pretty long cutter to reach the bottom especially on a 10 rd mag. i just drilled the spot welds and back filled them with jb weld. works great and easy to work with.

 

[Wade]

As the cartridges are pushed down and begin to stagger they would no longer be in line with such a groove. This same staggered orientation allows the spot welds to be drilled out and cleaned up without needing to be filled in to ensure proper function. The bullet points will not contact the holes.