Where to find an aluminium hinged floor plate for Win M70?

[MtnMan]

I'm wondering if there is something available in Australia to replace the steel floor plate on my M70 featherweight in .270Win?

[cleger]

I'm wondering if there is something available in Australia to replace the steel floor plate on my M70 featherweight in .270Win?

Good question. I bought one of the earliest FN rifles back in 2012. Right after I spotted the steel floor plate, I noticed was that the balance of the bottom metal was powder-coated zinc alloy, which I liked even less. The only replacements I found at that time were steel.

Your post prompted me to check, and now I see Pacific Tool & Gauge are making complete sets in aluminum in both Win and Mauser styes. Perhaps you knew this?

https://pacifictoolandgauge.com/1454-wi ... ttom-metal

I understand that the export/import thing is a chore, but maybe they do regular business with someone in Australia? You could check with them.

[MtnMan]

Thanks for the info. Mine doesn't have the one piece design. It is simply the trigger guard, mag box and floor plate with hinge. The floor plate with hinge is the part I'd like to replace with an anodized aluminium one.

[cleger]

Thanks for the info. Mine doesn't have the one piece design. It is simply the trigger guard, mag box and floor plate with hinge. The floor plate with hinge is the part I'd like to replace with an anodized aluminium one.

I assumed you had a recent one.

If you have the old three-screw type, then the aluminum floor plates from any long action Featherweight from before about 2003 ought to do it. The old Featherweights all had aluminum. I owned a couple. I'd just check around for one of those.

[MtnMan]

cheers again.
I bought it new in 2001 or 2002. Yes it has 3 action screws. So mine should already have aluminium according to it's age? so where would I start looking for one? online shops don't seem to have what I'm looking for or there is so many it's hard to know what will work.

[cleger]

cheers again.
I bought it new in 2001 or 2002. Yes it has 3 action screws. So mine should already have aluminium according to it's age? so where would I start looking for one? online shops don't seem to have what I'm looking for or there is so many it's hard to know what will work.

I was thinking find a used one.

I'm not certain that a 2001-2002 era gun would have an aluminum plate, but the earlier ones did. I had 2 "pre-'64" Featherweights, and both had black-anodised plates.

I do believe (though I'm not certain) that any plate from from a 3-screw gun should fit, perhaps with "minor fitting."

Like I said, count yourself lucky. The early FN guns like mine have pot-metal trigger guard and mag frame, with a steel floor plate. The steel plate is fine, but the powder-coated black finish on the trigger guard is rather crude and drab-looking.

No help to you, but here's a Super Grade aluminum plate for sale online in the US.
https://www.gunbroker.com/item/903489104

Is there no gun "breaker" in Australia who might have one? Here's Numrich's site -- scroll down to part #59. I note that among the floor plates listed, none is aluminum. Maybe the guns in that period had steel plates?
https://www.gunpartscorp.com/gun-manufa ... ist-70-crf

If it were me, I'd replace everything with a "one piece" set-up. The center screw is more hindrance than anything. That aluminum set from Pacific looks pretty nice. You might need a sharp gouge/chisel to fit it properly.