Bolt not picking up rounds from Magazine?

[phillip61]

It will "most" of the time, but there are others it won't. When it won't it's because the shells are to perpendicular to the magazine (not pointing at a slightly upward angle). I have to put my finger in there and push down on the back end of the round. What is a good fix for this? some have suggested bending back the "lips" on the magazine itself. I was wondering if I could glue something about an 1/8" thick on the upper end of the magazine that way each shell would ride on that until pushed into the chamber.

Ive ordered a new magazine to see if that helps. I'm at a loss, any info would be great.

 

[Areeves08]

You need to define what magazine and what cartridge for better help.

 

[lash]

What magazine? What action? What Bottom Metal? What caliber? Is this something that just started happening after things worked fine before?

 

[MBanning]

Details? Action, chambering, mag type? I am sure someone will be able to help.

 

[phillip61]

its a J. Allen Chassis, Remington 700 action, 6.5CM. the magazine brand is called "Accurate-Mag". Just got the chassis, this weekend was my 1st trip to the range. I watched the video about getting your mag. set and stuff for the chassis.

The problem to me (and I could be dead ass wrong) is that the rounds are laying to flat and not at a slightly upward angle, but again, I could be dead ass wrong.

 

[lash]

Well, the usual fixes for this are suggested by your situation as you’ve described it. You have at least two things that you have to address. First is how the mag hangs in the chassis. Revisit that situation to make sure that the mag hangs high enough to present the base of the cartridge to the bolt for feeding. Is the mag fitting tight in the bottom metal or is it loosely goosey?

If you have good engagement to the base of the cartridge, then make sure you know exactly why the case isn’t feeding. Is the nose hitting below the feed ramp? If this is your case, then you may need to open up the front of the feed lips to allow proper presentation of the bullet to the feed ramp. There are plenty of videos online showing how to do this.

 

[b6graham]

well the nice thing about a JAE is there is adjustment in the magwell to raise it up a hair and make sure the lugs hit

 

[phillip61]

I watched the video and believe I have it adjusted the correct way. it will cycle through a whole mag, without messing up. It just won't do it every time. The times that it don't when I look in it, The reason it won't is because a round is setting to "flat". I then have to put my finger in and push on the back end of the round and I can feel the front of the round "pop up". After that the round will push on in like it is suppose to.

 

[Bradu]

If the back of the round is sitting a little low, it could be the magazine. I had to have them replace on because of that. Let me look for pictures.

 

[Cjl2010]

Do your mags have the binder plate installed still or are they 2.950 mags?

If using 2.950 mags you might need to notch your feed ramp. Rounds will slide forward as you cycle the bolt and get stuck under the ramp.

 

[b6graham]

I watched the video and believe I have it adjusted the correct way. it will cycle through a whole mag, without messing up. It just won't do it every time. The times that it don't when I look in it, The reason it won't is because a round is setting to "flat". I then have to put my finger in and push on the back end of the round and I can feel the front of the round "pop up". After that the round will push on in like it is suppose to.

have you messed with feed lips at all?

 

[Bradu]

The spring on the follower was different than any other magazine including others from them.

 

[phillip61]

Do your mags have the binder plate installed still or are they 2.950 mags?

have you messed with feed lips at all?

yes, a little. and it did seem to help. But afterword I got the idea of glueing something on the front edge of the mag. that would keep the rounds at a slight angle.

 

[MBanning]

If you have to tweak the feed lips MPA makes a great tool for this.

 

[phillip61]

Do your mags have the binder plate installed still or are they 2.950 mags?

If using 2.950 mags you might need to notch your feed ramp. Rounds will slide forward as you cycle the bolt and get stuck under the ramp.

I don't know what a binder plate is?

 

[sabrecross]

yes, a little. and it did seem to help. But afterword I got the idea of glueing something on the front edge of the mag. that would keep the rounds at a slight angle.

If you can secure an angled piece of plastic or metal, that would do it. But it needs to be angled.

 

[phillip61]

If you can secure an angled piece of plastic or metal, that would do it. But it needs to be angled.

that's what I was thinking, it wouldn't need to be but maybe an 1/8" or so.

 

[sabrecross]

that's what I was thinking, it wouldn't need to be but maybe an 1/8" or so.

Roger that...as long as it clears your front feed-ramp.

 

[kthomas]

You need to notch the bottom of your feed ramp with a mill.

Also may be worth opening the front of the feed lips on your mags, but I guarantee that if you get the feed ramp notched you will be good. That's exactly the same issue I had with a Defiance Rebel action in a JAE chassis (though chassis has nothing to do with it).

The round is moving forward enough in the magazine that the top of the bullet is occasionally catching the bottom of the feed ramp, preventing it from "popping up" and feeding.

 

[MBanning]

Kthomas may be right. Bullet can hang up under the action. I had this problem with a 700 in a Magpul Hunter stock.

 

[sabrecross]

You need to notch the bottom of your feed ramp with a mill.

Also may be worth opening the front of the feed lips on your mags, but I guarantee that if you get the feed ramp notched you will be good. That's exactly the same issue I had with a Defiance Rebel action in a JAE chassis (though chassis has nothing to do with it).

The round is moving forward enough in the magazine that the top of the bullet is occasionally catching the bottom of the feed ramp, preventing it from "popping up" and feeding.

Would you provide a picture of the notched feed ramp? thanks.

 

[buffybuster]

If you're running a magazine without the front binder plate (2.95" COAL), you're going to have to notch your action feed ramp. The front binder plate limits the COAL to 2.88" which is the maximum length for an unmodified action. Under recoil the rounds will slowly creep forward and the bullet tip will get caught under the feed ramp. At that point either you will get a bolt override or you will not be able to close the bolt.

 

[kthomas]

Would you provide a picture of the notched feed ramp? thanks.

The post right above yours shows the notched feed ramp. See how there is a little curve or almost a "U" milled out of the front of the feed ramp on the bottom of the action. That's what I'm talking about.

 

[spife7980]

I don't know what a binder plate is?

MDT has some good pictures showing what a binder plate is- a spacer on the front of the mag that keeps the nose of the bullet back from under the feed ramp on the action.

With it removed the bullet can hang under the feed ramp- this is why people notch the feed ramp, magazines without the binder plate can allow them to run longer rounds provided their chamber has adequate freebore to accommodate a round that long.

The post right above yours shows the notched feed ramp. See how there is a little curve or almost a "U" milled out of the front of the feed ramp on the bottom of the action. That's what I'm talking about.

Since Im on a pc with a snipping tool Ive arrowed and highlighted the area that has been notched.

 

[Triggs75]

I am assuming you mean the round is nose diving and not chambering, not that the bolt is not picking the round up. If so then yes you will more than likely need to notch your action.

I had lri notch mine and they were very quick with the turn around time. If memory serves me correctly it was within a week.

 

[Lionsbreath]

I had the feed-ramp notched on a 700 in a Manners, and it fixed that very problem.. I now have that same 700 in a KRG and use Magpul AICS mags and I love those things..

 

[Jack's Dad]

Well, the usual fixes for this are suggested by your situation as you’ve described it. You have at least two things that you have to address. First is how the mag hangs in the chassis. Revisit that situation to make sure that the mag hangs high enough to present the base of the cartridge to the bolt for feeding. Is the mag fitting tight in the bottom metal or is it loosely goosey?

Is there any way to remedy a mag that just hangs a bit too low? My ARC doesn't pick up my rounds but there's enough vertical play when my mag is locked in my Hawkins bottom metal that when I push the mag up into the action it does run well. If I don't keep constant upward pressure on the mag to eliminate the play it's a no go.

 

[lash]

Is there any way to remedy a mag that just hangs a bit too low? My ARC doesn't pick up my rounds but there's enough vertical play when my mag is locked in my Hawkins bottom metal that when I push the mag up into the action it does run well. If I don't keep constant upward pressure on the mag to eliminate the play it's a no go.

There are fixes that I’ve read about, but I cannot offer direct advice here since I’ve not done it myself.
I do know that some have welded a bead below the mag catch bump on the magazine and then filed it in order to achieve that correct height. I imagine that a competent smith could do a solid job, most likely adding material to the mag catch itself and re-machining it for a proper mag height fit.

Perhaps others with experience fixing this issue can chime in.

 

[Jack's Dad]

Holy shit that seems like a pita. Thanks for the help. I assumed it wasn't an easy fix. Super annoying.

 

[Evintos]

Is there any way to remedy a mag that just hangs a bit too low? My ARC doesn't pick up my rounds but there's enough vertical play when my mag is locked in my Hawkins bottom metal that when I push the mag up into the action it does run well. If I don't keep constant upward pressure on the mag to eliminate the play it's a no go.

https://hawkinsprecision.com/product/m5-dbm-long-latch/

Contact Hawkins to confirm. May require fitting to dial in height.

 

[Jack's Dad]

That's super helpful!

 

[Jack's Dad]

I ordered a new 223 latch. $40 is stupid for a part that you should not need. I own a bunch of Hawkins stuff and this is the first time I've been frustrated with them.

 

[b6graham]

so is it a hawkins problem or an ARC problem?

i've run hawkins in multiple stocks with AI, Accurate, MDT metal, poly, and metal/poly, RimX, and magpul mazines without issue

i have not run AW but know they have a different mag catch height

 

[RFutch]

Holy shit that seems like a pita. Thanks for the help. I assumed it wasn't an easy fix. Super annoying.

Little dab of JB weld, let dry, file to fit. No more than a couple of beer-job.