Hey, folks-

Maybe someone can help me with this. Took a Mod 70, originally chambered in .300 WinMag, and built it into a heavy barreled target rifle. Still .300 WinMag. Magazine box has no block in the back. Is this correct? Follower has about 1/2 inch of slop, front to back. My buddy has a Winchester Custom Sharpshooter II, from their Custom Shop. It has a magazine with a block in the back. Same follower as mine, though. His feeds fine, but he cannot use, for example, the 180 Ballistic Tip, as they are too long. If you seat the BT till it fits in the mag, it falls in the case, as the neck is on the ogive of the bullet.

My gun feeds fine if there is only one round in the magazine, as it feeds from the right side. But if there are TWO rounds in the mag, it feeds fron the LEFT side, and it stove-pipes. When the bolt is drawn back, the front of the round pops up past the feed lip, sometimes not so bad, and it will still go in the chamber. Most often, though, when you push the bolt forward, the round will jump out onto the floor. Not nice.

Any ideas?

marc

Mark357,
The magazine you have is not correct for that caliber. The original magazine has a filler at the rear. You can use a 'full length' magazine (375H&H family) to allow loading the bullet further out. I have done this many times, but you must get the correct system to match the feed lips in your receiver. It sounds as though the feeding problem you are having is that the cartridge is releasing too early (wide feed lips, narrow magazine at top). The magazine you are using probably has the top section bent inward (feed lips), if so, you need a 'straight wall' wide full length magazine. You can also use the longer follower used for the 375H&H. Be aware that there was a design change a couple of years age where the magazine and follower were made narrower. It sounds as though you need the wide system.

Good luck,
Headache

Thanks Headache,



I took the rifle apart and flipped the magazine upside down. Held the spring and follower in by hand, and it seems to feed just fine. I have a straight wall magazine, but it has a block in the back. I can cut the block out. Think I can stick with the same follower? Winchester lists these in their parts catalog:



Magazine Follower, 300 Wby, 375 H&H (Below G318338)

Magazine Follower, L/An, 7mmSTW, 300 Wby

Magazine Follower, L/Aw, 300 Ultra Mag



Would the magazine I have now be a .375H&H magazine, then? (no block in the rear)

Just curious, my buddy's 375H&H has a magazine with the block.



thanks again,

marc

I do not know if this is your problem or not, but I had the same problem with my 416. It would not feed from the left and the last round would pop up.

This all started when I sold my magazine box that came with the rifle, by mistake, and I tried to replace it with a factory box that was suppose to be for a 416. The replacement box had the typical front-to-back sloping sides (trapozoid). Fortunately I found the original magazine box and got it back, The magazine box has parallel sides (rectangular shape)...problem solved.

In your case, if different than mine, might be solved by bending over the sides of the box at the top. Good luck.

Mark357,

I'm glad that it worked out for you. Yes, if you cut the filler block out of your straight wall magazine it will be the same as the magazine for the 375H&H, and if it feeds the last round out of the magazine o.k. stick with the follower.
I'm very suprised that your buddy's magazine has a block in it because the 375H&H O.A.L. can be 3.600" max. and that would not fit in a magazine with the filler block. The filler block is used to reduce the length for standard long action calibers to 3.340" max. for calibers such as the 30-06, 300 Win. Mag. etc.

Have a great day,
Headache