Savave Staggered Feed - Feeding Issues

[Qld4390]

I've searched high and low, on this site as well as others, and I'm stumped. Perhaps my Google-fu is weak tonight, perhaps not.

I have a Savage 12 that I have rebarreled into 308. The internal blind mag holds 4 rounds which stagger right, left, right, then left. When fully loaded, first, second, and fourth rounds feed perfectly fine, every time. The third round on the other hand, is pushed forward by the bolt, and when it clears the feed lips, flies out of the ejection port onto the ground. If I'm running the bolt fast, the round stovepipes with the bullet end in the ejection port. If I run slow, it flies out of the rifle.

Since the first round feeds, I can't see it being a feed lip, but I wanted to get some input from those who may know better.

 

[will67]

Re: Savave Staggered Feed - Feeding Issues

What caliber was it originally? When you changed the rifle over to .308 did you change the magazine follower? I would try that first. You can get one from Midway for around $8

 

[Qld4390]

Re: Savave Staggered Feed - Feeding Issues

The rifle was originally a 22-250. Would there be a difference between the 22-250 follower and the 308 follower?

 

[will67]

Re: Savave Staggered Feed - Feeding Issues

No, I don't think so. Now that we know that you have the right follower it sounds like a lack of spring tension. If the follower spring has gotten weak the cartridge can slip out early and cause the problem you are describing.

 

[Qld4390]

Re: Savave Staggered Feed - Feeding Issues

I'm at a complete loss. I tore it down and looked at everything piece by piece. The bottom of the follower has 3 holes in it. I moved the spring to all 3 positions, and oriented it forward and backwards at all 3 positions. That got me nowhere.

I popped the mag box off the receiver and towed the feed lips inward a bit. This also got me no where.

I stretched out the spring a bit to see if it wasn't getting enough upward push. That got me nowhere either.

Unless anyone else has any bright ideas, I think I'll have to order a new spring and follower from Brownell's.