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December 19, 2025
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Picked up a M70 in 22 Hornet. Very interesting magazine box and spring. Does the spring attach to the floor plate? To the box? It doesn’t appear to be desinged that way, i.e. to attche to anything? Weird?
April 15, 2005
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You caught my attention when you mentioned “22 Hornet” 
Lou will undoubtedly be along shortly to answer your question(s) about the physical features of the rifle.
Should you need or want reloading tips and supplies for it, I can help with that.
Bert
WACA Historian & Board of Director Member #6571L
December 19, 2025
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Thank you but I won’t be doing any reloading
August 8, 2024
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The spring does attract to the box, as well as the floor plate.
December 13, 2006
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Bo Rich said
The spring does attract to the box, as well as the floor plate.
Strange . . .
On my 1939 M70 Hornet, the spring attaches ONLY to the floor plate.
Merely passing THROUGH the magazine box.
December 19, 2025
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I’d like to know how it attaches to the floor plate, it’s attached to the plunger? I did not see any obvious slots, holes, nooks or crannies to attach it to but I suppose it could be a different floor plate; don’t think so though?
December 13, 2006
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dominosbob said
I’d like to know how it attaches to the floor plate, it’s attached to the plunger? I did not see any obvious slots, holes, nooks or crannies to attach it to but I suppose it could be a different floor plate; don’t think so though?
Take a look in Roger Rules’ book, page 105, photo #4-13.
Hornets use a special floor plate, stamped with a “H”.
March 12, 2008
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The spring slides under 2 tabs machined in the base of the floor plate. These were originally machined for the flat spring used on the other cartridges, so the tabs had to be bent up slightly to allow the spring to enter. The spring was not attached to the mag well, just the follower and the floor plate. See below..
Steve
November 5, 2014
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Hi dominosbob-
Steve (seewin) already answered your question, so I’ll just add another photo… 
The coil spring used for the Hornet was thicker (0.035″ diameter spring wire) than the leaf spring used for other calibers (0.017″ thickness). As a result, the milled “tabs” on the floor plate had to be “flared” or bent outwards at an angle of 30˚ to accept the spring. I think these were made from standard floor plates by bending the tabs outward (whacking them with a cold chisel) as opposed to a different milling operation. The fit isn’t “tight”, i.e. the coil spring isn’t usually grasped by the tabs, so often the spring comes loose when the floor plate is opened.
To mark the modification, Hornet floor plates were stamped with an “H” on the inside, usually with a 1/8th inch tall die stamp, but sometimes with a 1/16th tall stamp. In any event, the Hornet floor plate should have an “H” stamp.
At the top, the spring slid under a tab in the stamped sheet metal magazine follower. This tab was supposed to be bent closed during assembly such that the spring could not (easily) come off the follower.
Hope this helps,
Lou
WACA 9519; Studying Pre-64 Model 70 Winchesters
August 8, 2024
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Sorry, for the confusion. I ment to say follower, and wrote box. Anyway the spring is attached to the follower, and the floor plate. Seewin has it correct.
January 7, 2014
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Just a caution. There is a right and a wrong way to mount the spring to the follower and the floorplate. Some years back I purchased a model 70 pre 64 Super Grade that would not feed from the box properly. I saw nothing wrong with placement of the spring. Upon comparing the spring attachment with another one of my 22H I noticed the spring was attached to the follower and the floorplate differently. Now I need Lou Luttrell to explain this as my 90-year-old mind can not recall exactly how the spring was placed wrong. Using the 22H that fed properly as a guide, I attached spring in the correct position. Worked great.
Confused? so am I. If Lou does not respond, I will get one of my 22H from the safe and see I can recall how the spring was attached wrong.
RR
November 5, 2014
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Good Grief Mr. Roberts!!!
You ask the tough questions… I had to go take a look at a couple Hornets!!! Steve’s picture above looks correct to me.
The Hornet magazine spring isn’t held tightly by the floor plate or the “tab” on the follower, and it’s pretty easy to get it turned around backwards. The spring has a “W” shape, with wide side and narrow side. The wide ends have the open “U” bends. The end with the “kink” goes against the follower. Like this (kinked end at top in photo):
In the correct orientation, the wide side of the “W” has to be to the front such that the cartridge follower is being pushed up harder in the front (end toward the chamber) than toward the back. In this orientation the looped part of the “U” bends are at the front of the floor plate and follower. I tried to take a picture of one that I think is in the correct orientation.
What I’m now puzzling over is that in Steve’s photo the “U” end at the top is clipped up over the front of the follower in a way that would hold it firmly in place. That would make sense. What’s puzzling is that the top “U” end my Hornet springs are not (quite) wide enough to do that, while Steve’s clearly is. Hopefully Steve can clear up my confusion!!!
Thanks for messing with my mind!!!
Lou
WACA 9519; Studying Pre-64 Model 70 Winchesters
January 7, 2014
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Lou,
Sorry, but I knew if anyone could explain the right and/or wrong position of the spring it would be you. I also removed one of my 22H to refresh my memory and the question on Steve’s 22H is exactly what had happened on my 22H. The previous owner had installed the spring backwards with the narrow end attached to the floorplate. Not sure if the narrow end of the spring was widened to fit the floorplate but the spring was in the floorplate slots.
Thanks Lou, I knew you could do it.
RR
December 19, 2025
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Wow, you guys are truly amazingI I’m just now today getting around to taking a closer look at the/MY problem! Using Mr. Luttrell’s photo I first verified the floor plate had and “H”and popped that end of spring into the 2 grooves but it still comes loose when opening the floor plate. I’ll try and figure it out but open to suggestions, And I also want to make sure the other end of the spring is in it’s correct positon. Thanks again for all your (everyones) help
November 5, 2014
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Hi dominosbob-
The Hornet spring often comes loose from the floor plate when opened. That’s NOT a defect in your gun. Those “lips” on the inside of the floor plate meant to locate the spring are simply bent upwards (open) at a 30˚ angle compared to the milled slot of the standard floor plate. So the only thing holding the Hornet spring onto the floor plate is the lateral pressure exerted by the “U” end spring pushing it into the slot. That’s not much pressure and it will fall out easily…
Obviously, the leaf springs used for all other cartridges can’t compress laterally and fit tightly into the slots.
Maybe not the best design for the Hornet, but I guess it saved them from coming up with a more secure means of attachment that would require different milling operations or a different spring design. As it is they just “made” Hornet floor plates from standard ones by flaring the lips open. Easy, cheap, sloppy…
Lou
WACA 9519; Studying Pre-64 Model 70 Winchesters
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