Kimber montana mag box

[Sykes]

Just got a Kimber Montana 300 WM last week and some reloading components this week. I was taking some measurement to the lands and magazine box length and noticed a spacer with a slight angle on the back of the mag box, the angle obviously to help with loading cartridges into the magazine. What I'm seeing is that it limits my COAL by .285" ,, in other words if I could remove that spacer I'd gain .285" in the mag to seat bullets out further. Have any of you guys with a Montana messed with this? It's spot welded on so I don't wanna ruin it if I attempt to remove it and it causes feeding issues.

 

[Sykes]

 

[ShtrRdy]

I'm not familiar with this rifle but I'm wondering if that spacer in the back of the magazine is there so the bolt can get behind the top cartridge and push on it?

 

[Sykes]

It goes well past the back of the mag box.

 

[Sykes]

I could see maybe the magazine follower could then be too short because it wasnt all the way back if that spacer was removed, weather that matters or not I have no idea

 

[Kimber7man]

Is that a NIB Kimber?
I've owned multiple Kimbers, both Montana's and Classics, and none of them have had a spacer like that on the mag box. My guess is that someone modified that mag box.

 

[ramrod79]

My doner Montana doesn't have that spacer.

 

[Sykes]

Yes I bought it NIB

 

[cohunt]

Looks to also hold the actual mag box together...if you remove it you might need to butt weld that rear sheet metal joint.
Can you buy a spare? If so, buy a spare before you start messing with it so of you booger it up too much you can just drop in the new one.

 

[Sykes]

Just checked my Kimber varmint 84M 22-250, it also has the spacer at the rear of the mag box. I've had it for 2-3 years

 

[Sykes]

Popped the spacer out this morning, only one side had a decent tack weld so it came right off. Everything is functioning fine so far and I can load to a coal of 3.6 now. The follower is a little short now so I may need to see if Kimber will sell me a longer one, I'm guessing one out of a talkeetna would do the job