Brand new Zastava in 9.3x62-feeding issue

[JR Hartman]

So finally I got a chance to go shoot my new rifle. Brand new. first rounds thru the rifle.

Cleaned, lubed, checked over. By me, not by a certified smith, but I generally do fairly well in that department.

If I load the magazine with more than one round, the cartridge will jam up when the bolt tries to feed it into the chamber. Mostly when feeding from the right side of the magazine, but occasionally on the left side too.

Cartridge will push forward about 1/3 of the way, then tip up and point left, then the bullet will jam into the left side of the chamber about 9:00 area. The Mauser action controlled feed has not engaged the case head yet, its only push feeding. If the bullet tip clears the side of the chamber and starts to properly enter the chamber, it will straighten out and the controlled feed mechanism on the bolt will engage.

If I feed it quickly and with some authority, it will just ding the bullet up, but still jam.

These are admittedly big wide flattish faced bullets, soft points. 286grn Prvi cartriges. Factory ammo. However, the rifle and the ammo are both Serbian and reportedly this combination works well for many people.

Rifle works fine with single shots, but not with more than one in the mag.

any ideas are appreciated.

 

[JR Hartman]

no one? there are tons of good smiths on here, and there are lots of you that knows about these specifics.

 

[Chas59]

I've got the CZ550 in 9.3x62 and it supposedly holds 5 rounds in the magazine but it really only works well with 4. Not sure about the Zastava but the CZ needs the rounds pushed into the magazine in the 'right' spot, or it gets finicky. Does the magazine have a plastic piece over the spring that holds the cartridges tightly in the magazine? If so, I found that it can come loose, so if you have that design it's worth checking. Sorry, all I can add, I'm far from a gunsmith with this stuff.

 

[mbogo3]

The Zastava's can be rough machined in places that could require some TLC /polishing.No way it should not feed factory ammo right out of the box.

 

[iceman2]

If it is new contact the people you bought it from.

 

[Falconflyer]

I would see about returning it if it's brand new.
The round should feed straight ahead and once the bullet enters the chamber the head of the case should spring up into the claw extractor but I don't think that I'm telling you anything that you don't already know. I doubt if it's the bullets that your using as the round should feed straight ahead and not twist to the side regardless.
Some one will be along shortly with some idea's about whats going on.

 

[Mik123]

I have a 9.3x62 built on a zastava action. It has the same issue from time to time when it's loaded to max capacity with Prvi ammo(one round less and I've never had a problem)

 

[JR Hartman]

yea, its been several months since I bought it, and I have refinished the stock. I'd like to get it working correctly however, so I may get ahold of them anyway.

 

[Why not?]

My full stock Zastava has never had a hiccup, even feeding flat nose 285 gr cast bullets. If you bought it new, contact the dealer about having the feeding issue solved and properly rectified.

Ted

 

[riversrest]

Open the floor plate and have a look into the mag well and at the follower. Some have burrs/dents or other irregularities which prevent the follower to properly align in order to feed a round. There also may be a burr or similar on the extractor so it cannot grab the round as it should be.

 

[kamlooky]

I had a problem similar to this with a different rifle.
The mag box well was installed upside down by a certified gunsmith.
Chit happens.

You mention you refinished the stock?
Did you remove it from the action?
Everything get put back in proper order?

 

[pounder]

I have the same problem with factory round nose ammo. It feeds pointed bullets like butter but RN just will not feed.

 

[riversrest]

I had a problem similar to this with a different rifle.
The mag box well was installed upside down by a certified gunsmith.
Chit happens.

You mention you refinished the stock?
Did you remove it from the action?
Everything get put back in proper order?

Mausers can be finicky as for proper re/disassembly, I agree. And they don't like some ammo neither. Check the feed-ramp if it allows for different cartridges.

 

[farshot]

One thing to check for - I have found in some of my new CZ or similar 98 actions that the bottom edge of the receiver rails (in particular the two sides of the rail that face down into the mag well) can be knife edge sharp.
I have seen where the rail actually cuts a slice into the side of the brass as it tries to rise through the rails; thereby preventing proper feeding.
If the edges of the rails are that sharp, a simple swipe with a piece of emery cloth does wonders.

As was mention above, some simple de-burring and edge removal does help.

The machining process of an action is just so fast and automated that I find that one needs to check these things. Most times it is fine...sometimes not so much.

 

[kamlooky]

Just had a thought this morning on this issue.
Could the cartridge follower spring be in about face?
If this is a hinged floor plate style system?

 

[doc25]

I would look at the feed rails like mentioned especially underneath. Mine had burrs but still fed fine. I have one in 375 and it feeds the 300gr hornady Dgs fine and they’re kinda flat pointed.

 

[Power Pill]

This is heresy! controlled round feed rifles don't jam!

 

[JR Hartman]

thanks for all the ideas, I appreciate it. I haven't had time to fiddle with it, but I will look at the rails and for other rough spots. I did look for rough spots in the mag well and where the follower rides up. I figured it might be hanging up, but I didn't get any results from smoothing that area out.

As for the mag spring being in backwards, I did look at that and I don't think it can be put in backwards, but maybe I am wrong? Love to be if it fixes it that easily.

as for putting it back togeather wrong after I did the stock refinish, I supposed its possible, but how? what would be screwed up? Unless the thickness of the finish is making it too tight a fit and the receiver won't fit as far up into the stock as it should?

 

[JR Hartman]

I have the same problem with factory round nose ammo. It feeds pointed bullets like butter but RN just will not feed.

Same ammo for me.

I found that by re seating the bullets to minimum depth, they mostly feed. I am not sure that's the right fix, but it may be a clue

 

[JR Hartman]

I had a problem similar to this with a different rifle.
The mag box well was installed upside down by a certified gunsmith.
Chit happens.

You mention you refinished the stock?
Did you remove it from the action?
Everything get put back in proper order?

pretty sure its back the way its supposed to be, but hey I'd be happy to have been wrong if I can make it work properly. anything I should check for? also maybe the thickness of the finish (6 coats of urethane) might be causing the receiver to not fit as deeply into the stock as it should be?