Well, I bought a used Model 70 in 375 H&H and didn't notice until I was home that the claw extractor is all chipped up along the edge that goes under the rim of the cartridge to extract the case from the chamber. What do you think this is from? I'm thinking that it is from putting a cartridge in the chamber and then closing the bolt over the shell. This is not the way a CRF rifle should be loaded. I've read on this forum that a lot of guys load this way and I'm here to tell you that you are looking for trouble doing this. You should always load from the magazine then drop the floor plate and drop in the remaining rounds. At least I'm convinced that this is the correct way. Now I've got to replace a part on a fairly new gun in order to use it in the hunting fields. Just a word of warning.

Are you sure what your looking are chips and not some burrs from when it was made or modified? Is the rifle a claw extractor or a push feed?

In any case I load them anyway I want to. Most of the time it's out of the magazine as I like to do that on hunting rifles. When target shooting I load the chamber and then close the bolt.

It never occured to me to load a magazine from the floor plate. If it works ok. I load them from the top with an open bolt. I would not use it that way unless its been tested.

If hunting dangerous game I would fill the magazine and then drop another round in the chamber and close the bolt while holding the shells in the mag. down. Then put the safety all the way back.

If your concerned about the extractor, and you may have just cause, post a picture here or take it to a smith.

Savage99- The rifle is a CRF Model 70 and I can be certain that it isn't burrs as I've looked closely with a magifying glass to see which direction the chips came off. On a different note think about how a CRF extractor works. It slides into the channel cut for it and as that grove is angled so the extractor is pushed under the rim on bolt closing, I'm sure this is what has happened. Forcing the extractor over the rim upon closing the bolt when the extractor claw is getting tighter and tighter the closer the bolt is to being completely closed. Just my take on things, but you load however you want. I'll load my CRF's from the magazine.

I think Pegleg has correctly identified the cause. I saw this same thing on a 7WSM Winchester Classic at the range last month. The guy was droppoing a round on the follower and slamming the bolt forward and snapping the claw over the case rim. I wouldn't have initially thought that brass would do that to the steel claw. When you looked closely at the back edge of the claw there were very small circular chips broken off the claw.

You can put a shell in the chamber and then close the bolt without a modified extractor. Here's how. Load you magazine with a full load, drop a round in the chamber, hold down the magazine rounds and close the bolt so it just touches the chambered round. With your free hand, reach under the rifle and with your fingers, depress the extractor enough so it passes over the rim of the cartridge. It may take some practice, but you will be able to do it.

Frankly, I would have it set to feed either way. Especially in a dangerous game setting. There may come a time when you may not have the luxury of loading and feeding from the magazine, like in a real tight spot, when something is firing at you, or, charging. You may have to retrieve a loose round, throw it in the chamber and fire! At times like that you don't need something so trivial as to the "proper way to feed" cost you your life.

I have four of the M70 transition riles. I load from the magazine on all but my Hornet, which I have restocked and made into a one-shooter. There is no problem with the loading, I set the platform down just a tad, also the hornet rim is smaller in the rim diameter, the extractor jumps it fine. My Roberts will not feed (with normal force at all). You should load from the magazine if you have one.

John Pondoro Taylor addressed this topic 57 yrs ago but the uninformed will never learn !

a magazine rifle is ..always.. too be loaded from the magazine in a controlled round feed ( mauser type )

even John Rigby Co stated this long ago.

there is always the possibility of breaking an extractor and not being able to extract the fired round whe you blithely "put another up the snout "..

i humbly suggest that those of you who need that extra round for "firepower" do the proper thing and have a large capacity drop box magazine fitted to your rifle. then you can load it for as much firepower as you want.

i have a copy of pondoros write up on this subject, but do not know how to post it here. if anyone wants to see it email me cabletools@alltel.net

You can, or could, order spring steel extractors to replace the junker on your Mod. 70 from Williams Firearms. $28????

I'm not convinced they are junkers in the first place, as many claim, as I always just push the round into the chamber and close the bolt, of course forcing the extractor over the rim.

Malm has stated the intent correctly. If the extractor will not pop over the cartridge rim the rifle is pretty much useless in my opinion.

I'm On Malms side on this one. A poor or non feeding CRF could cost you your ....

The intent of my comment was meant to inform that the bolt can be closed on a chambered round, it is a method that was explained to me a while back. Additionally, I agree with Malm, the extractor SHOULD be modified so it will close on a chambered round.