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Gunsmithing Surgeon bottom metal-magazine slop?

Steelhead

Gunny Sergeant
Full Member
Minuteman
Jun 26, 2003
759
114
Idaho
For those of you with DBM's, is there supposed to be a little bit of up and down play with the AI magazines when it's placed into the mag well?

My magazine has 1/16" to 1/8" up and down play to it and once in a while the last 2 rounds don't like to feed correctly. So I'm wondering if I have a magazine issue or if it's a bottom metal issue.

The DBM is a Surgeon, the action is a Remington SA and of course the magazine is an AI.

Maybe its just me causing the feeding issues.....

Thanks in advance for your help.
 
Re: Surgeon bottom metal-magazine slop?

Look in the receiver with the magazine installed. How much space is between the magazine feed lips (top) and receiver feed rails (bottom)?

When you push up on the magazine does it hit the receiver and stop or is there still a gap?

Also, are the DBM Tabs flush with the bottom of the stock, recessed or protruding slightly?
 
Re: Surgeon bottom metal-magazine slop?

If I pull down on the magazine, so that it rests on the catch, there is at least 1/8" gap. When I push up on the magazine, there's maybe a 1/16" gap. So the feed lips of the magazine never touch the receiver.

The tab at the rear on the DBM is flush with the stock, but the front tab sticks down a 1/16". The stock is a McMillan A4.
 
Re: Surgeon bottom metal-magazine slop?

When I install a DBM it's usually when I also pillar bed the rifle/stock. The Surgeon DBM is what I reccomend and use.

Rarely will I use the issued pillars opting to make my own. I try to keep the bottom of the receiver ejection port level with the ejection port of the stock and DBM Tabs flush with the bottom of the stock. I've found this works well when fitting things together and aids in the F/F of same. Magazine feed lips are all together another topic. The quick and easy fix to your situation may be slightly bending them to allow the case to rise up a slight bit more. If your receiver isn’t sitting too high in the stock this is the approach I'd try first.
 
Re: Surgeon bottom metal-magazine slop?

That's a great idea! I'll try that.

After playing around with it, I was thinking of ways I could sit the DBM in about 1/16" more, because I think that's all I would need in order to get this to feed the last two rounds correctly. I have plans on getting another magazine, to see if I've just gotten a bad mag.

Thanks again!