Round jumped out of magazine

John J

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I had the bottom metal adjusted by the stock maker. I finally got around to shooting but only one round at a time in the mag, broke a DG rifle rule hu? At the end of the session I loaded 3 in the mag (full capacity) took two shots and decided I was done. Ejected the second empty case and the third loaded round popped out. This never happened before and I can't get it to pop out with dummy rounds. Was this a fluke or do I have a problem in your experience? The rifle was pointed down in the low ready position when I ejected the second empty and the third popped out if that is of consequence. The rifle is going water buffalo hunting in 7 months so I dont have much time to get it right. The rifle is a 500 MDM using CEB 450 gr bullets, M70 action. Any help is appreciated, John
 
Can you replicate the problem with the ammunition you were using?
 
Could it be that the first round in (the last one out) was loaded on the wrong side of the magazine? My first thought would be to try to replicate the problem. I'd make up some inert rounds i.e. no powder and a spent primer and cycle them 25 or 30 times. If during that process the third round pops out ONCE, get it back to the gunsmith immediately.
 
Maybe the work has put a squeeze on the cartridges? I converted a 30-06 to 308 Norma. There was a similar problem and the gunsmith had to machine a bit more out of the magazine to eliminate pressure that was essentially squeezing a little. Perhaps replacing the bottom metal has changed the forces on the cartridges?
 
Of course you have a problem.

If it happened once it can happen again.

I bet that it won't do it with only two rounds?
 
My dummy rounds are the same as my loaded just without powder. I couldn't duplicate the problem again with 2 or 3 rounds. I probably tried it 6 times at the house. I'm not sure of the position of the cartridge in the mag I believe first one in goes right? Its worth a call to SSK I know they had problems in the past like this that was an easy fix. I appreciate the input. And yes if it happened once it can again.
 
I had the bottom metal adjusted by the stock maker. I finally got around to shooting but only one round at a time in the mag, broke a DG rifle rule hu? At the end of the session I loaded 3 in the mag (full capacity) took two shots and decided I was done. Ejected the second empty case and the third loaded round popped out. This never happened before and I can't get it to pop out with dummy rounds. Was this a fluke or do I have a problem in your experience? The rifle was pointed down in the low ready position when I ejected the second empty and the third popped out if that is of consequence. The rifle is going water buffalo hunting in 7 months so I dont have much time to get it right. The rifle is a 500 MDM using CEB 450 gr bullets, M70 action. Any help is appreciated, John
Check your magazine well to make sure the walls of it haven't bowed in at all. This is usually a symptom of a mag well that is too narrow or feed rails that aren't properly configured. sometimes the tack welding used to produce a mag well (unless it is milled from a solid block), causes one side to swell a bit and they tend to bow in. This is complicated when the rounds are heavy and shift upward with some momentum. My .416 Ruger did this with the 2nd round in the magazine. It may also be that the follower isn't keeping that round pinned against the wall of the mag well properly, allowing it to slip around the feed rails when racked hard. If you're gonna make it fail, it will probably be when you jerk the bolt back rapidly.
 
If you go to the B&M or SSK sure there was a section that talked about that and the way I fix it. It is a fairly common problem or was at least on some of the earlier build
 
If you go to the B&M or SSK sure there was a section that talked about that and the way I fix it. It is a fairly common problem or was at least on some of the earlier build
I remember reading about it somewhere. The rifle is going back to SSK when I get home. I'm not taking any chances, then I have to run the hell out of it to make sure its good when it gets back.
 
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I had a similar problem with a Springfield 03. the cartridges loaded fine with capacity of four and all would cycle through the action until I ejected the next to last round, then as the last round was being raised to next position it would pop-up and out. I haven't had the rifle to the gunsmith yet, but was told that this is caused by a weak magazine spring. so where does one go to get a new magazine spring for a rifle that is 100 years old?
 

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Thanks for the info/link. Now all I have to do is find enough stuff to order to qualify for the free shipping.
 
I had the bottom metal adjusted by the stock maker. I finally got around to shooting but only one round at a time in the mag, broke a DG rifle rule hu? At the end of the session I loaded 3 in the mag (full capacity) took two shots and decided I was done. Ejected the second empty case and the third loaded round popped out. This never happened before and I can't get it to pop out with dummy rounds. Was this a fluke or do I have a problem in your experience? The rifle was pointed down in the low ready position when I ejected the second empty and the third popped out if that is of consequence. The rifle is going water buffalo hunting in 7 months so I dont have much time to get it right. The rifle is a 500 MDM using CEB 450 gr bullets, M70 action. Any help is appreciated, John
I’ve just had both my Ruger .375 and .416 do the same thing with solids. Full mag, work the bolt hard, and they spit out the spent cartridge and the next good round! They are at Hill Country rifles now and I’ll make a report in the future.
Philip
 
Yes sir, mine is leaving tomorrow I believe. Now I will be focusing on my 375 H&H as my possible primary. I just ordered 350 gr North Forks. The round jumping is a known problem on the B&M website, it says how to correct the problem.
 
My brothers 416 Rigby started doing the same thing. His friend at the range had a 458 lot and we started swopping parts. Magazine spring/follower etc. Then we noticed the magazine box walls were bowed inwards. Under recoil, the magazine gets compressed and the walls can bend inwards. He bent them out by hand, problem solved. Worth checking before you send it off to a gunsmith.
 
The rifle is at the gunsmith already. We will see what they come up with. Thanks, John
 

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