Hi folks,
I thought I would share my reading and research after looking into the couple different problems with my magazine.
I love my Tikka T3X Varmint in .223. I shoots great groups...better than me, and will allow me room to improve.
I am not in love with the magazine though. After 700 rounds (probably half of that single fed) it has reduced performance due to it 1:intermittently miss-feeding and 2: sticking often when trying to load more than 3 rounds.
Problem 1: Occasionally when I pull the trigger I get a click, only to find there was no round in the chamber. The bolt had passed over the next round (typically the third/fourth) failing to chamber it. I have read a fair bit on this one and read about three causes.
1. A weak spring
2. The case bulging out at the front fingers that guide the cartridge.
3. Worn fingers at the front.
The round presents itself nose high and the rear rim of the cartridge low, such that the bolt misses grabbing it.
If you take the follower and spring out and hang the mag upside down with a round in it, you can see this (bullet tip hanging low). If you squeeze the sides of the back, the round actually levels. One forum writer said he heated the mag and then pinched it with a clamp to bring the front guide tips closer together.
I believe my problem is actually from the front edges being worn from the around 400 rounds passing through.
My second problem just started to occur this weekend at the range. It would only allow me to insert 3 rounds. With nothing in the mag, you can push the follower all the way down if you push straight. The least little bit of sideways and it sticks. Upon close inspection, the magazine is two parts clipped together. There is a little ridge inside where the two parts meet that is catching the follower half way down.
If I don't get a replacement mag, I suppose one could knock the ridges off with an x-acto knife.
I have started a service email to Stoeger Canada to see what they have to say.
Are there after market mags available at all?
PS: once again, my flickr picture links are not showing up.
I thought I would share my reading and research after looking into the couple different problems with my magazine.
I love my Tikka T3X Varmint in .223. I shoots great groups...better than me, and will allow me room to improve.
I am not in love with the magazine though. After 700 rounds (probably half of that single fed) it has reduced performance due to it 1:intermittently miss-feeding and 2: sticking often when trying to load more than 3 rounds.
Problem 1: Occasionally when I pull the trigger I get a click, only to find there was no round in the chamber. The bolt had passed over the next round (typically the third/fourth) failing to chamber it. I have read a fair bit on this one and read about three causes.
1. A weak spring
2. The case bulging out at the front fingers that guide the cartridge.
3. Worn fingers at the front.
The round presents itself nose high and the rear rim of the cartridge low, such that the bolt misses grabbing it.
If you take the follower and spring out and hang the mag upside down with a round in it, you can see this (bullet tip hanging low). If you squeeze the sides of the back, the round actually levels. One forum writer said he heated the mag and then pinched it with a clamp to bring the front guide tips closer together.
I believe my problem is actually from the front edges being worn from the around 400 rounds passing through.
My second problem just started to occur this weekend at the range. It would only allow me to insert 3 rounds. With nothing in the mag, you can push the follower all the way down if you push straight. The least little bit of sideways and it sticks. Upon close inspection, the magazine is two parts clipped together. There is a little ridge inside where the two parts meet that is catching the follower half way down.
If I don't get a replacement mag, I suppose one could knock the ridges off with an x-acto knife.
I have started a service email to Stoeger Canada to see what they have to say.
Are there after market mags available at all?
PS: once again, my flickr picture links are not showing up.
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