I'm having a left hand long action Winchester M70 CRF action converted from 30/06 to 416 Ruger. My gunsmith will sort the details of reliable feeding and magazine function I'm sure. But I'm curious about the particulars of bolt action magazines, followers, etc. I have a variety of left hand guns and I've observed many right hand guns in my business. I have noticed that most bolt guns, both left and right hand, place the first round on the right side of the magazine. Then depending on magazine capacity, the first round fed from the magazine can come from either side. In the case of this left hand M70, with the factory follower, first round on the right, the 416 cartridges were jumping out of the magazine when the bolt is operated. So I went through my parts box and found a magazine follower of unknown pedigree where the first round loaded is on the left. With 3 down, the first round out of the magazine feeds from the left. That completely eliminated 416s popping out of the magazine. They fed and functioned perfectly, even though this action was barreled in 30/06 and still has a standard bolt face. I'd like to hear some informed opinions about what makes a bolt gun in general, and left hand model 70s in particular, feed and function best.
O

The first Mausers fed from the center and are, by far, the smoothest and most reliable feeding of any. But when they developed the flush box mag, they made it feed the requisite 5 rounds, (and the top, or fifth round), from the right. It makes no difference; just how they designed the follower.

quote:

Originally posted by Vol717:
I'd like to hear some informed opinions about what makes a bolt gun in general, and left hand model 70s in particular, feed and function best.
O

In my experience, a good gunsmith who knows what he's doing.
DPCD for example...

I'm sure that my gunsmith will sort it.
I have mostly owned factory original guns and haven't considered what it takes for reliable feeding. All that was worked out by factory engineers/mechanics.

I had a browning A-bolt in 22 Hornet that used a box magazine that clipped to the inside of the floorplate. The magazine sat in empty space without a feed ramp when in position. It fed like a charm! I'll bet that one gave somebody nightmares.

Then there was the .223 mini Mauser bolt gun that I naively had barreled to 350 Legend. Same cartridge head right? It would barely feed one round from the magazine. A gunsmith had to install an elevated fixed single stack magazine that loaded from the bottom to make that one feed. No follower, just a magazine spring that had to be positioned against the bottom cartridge before closing the floorplate. It's a good thing it had a pretty stock. I sold it someone in a straight cartridge state.

I have a short action M70 Winchester that was a 300 WSM. It has been rebarreled to 450 Marlin. I don't think any work was done on the magazine and it feeds perfectly. Go figure.

So I'm sure there are good examples out there that just might provide some good entertainment and perhaps some enlightenment.

Who is the gun plumber?

I'd prefer to call Jim Wisner a gun artist.

I suspect he will get it going right.