S&W 1500 (Howa) 30-06 Magazine Misfeed

[TigerCreek]

I picked up a 1980s S&W 1500 (Howa) 30-06 that is giving me fits with the magazine feed.
This is the factory internal magazine with a trapdoor and not the aftermarket addon external mag.
It will not consistently feed the rounds correctly. It seems to allow them to come at an angle and sometimes will allow the round beneath to wedge the one about to be chambered.
The follower is clean and straight with no binding.
I've tried replacing the spring and that hasn't helped.
I must have lived a charmed life because I have never encountered a feed problem like this in a bolt action rifle.
Can anyone point me in a direction to begin solving this?

 

[SVTOhio]

I'm no expert but are you using hand loads or factory? If hand loading maybe your OAL is too long or too short? Just a suggestion to look at.

 

[TigerCreek]

Factory loads for the moment.
Chambering from the left side is worse than the right.
With only two rounds in the magazine it is almost impossible to feed. Bottom round almost always wedges the top round.
Loading all to the rear or front or mixed makes no difference.

 

[rcmodel]

Take the barreled action out of the stock and put the trigger guard back on the bare metal.
Then see if it will feed.

If it will, something is out of kilter with the stock inletting.

rc

 

[notaglockfanboy]

Could it be possible that the follower is in backwards? In my Howa 1500 in 308 it is not possible to put it in backwards, but I am not sure on the older models. Just a thought.

 

[TigerCreek]

Nope. Wider at the back.

 

[TigerCreek]

Taking advice from remodel I removed the stock from the assembly and put it back together.
I notice a distinct gap between the trigger assembly and the receiver.
If I get it aligned without the gap the bolts are off by about 1/16".
I have about 1/8" play at the rear of the magazine and the follower.
There is a distinctive notch at the top of the magazine that meets with the receiver. Mine is sitting on top. Should this be tapped/bent in to allow the magazine and receiver to meet without a gap?
I am uploading pictures. The last picture is the alignment of the magazine and receiver without a gap but without the. magazine being bent to allow the bolts to align.

 

[rcmodel]

It should fit tight against the receiver without the gap.
WIthout being bent, or misaligned!

So I would do what I had to do too make it so.

Not at all sure why it didn't fit to start with though??



rc

 

[TigerCreek]

Notched out the magazine where I found indent to allow it to meet with the receiver.
Feeding much better now but still having issues feeding the second to last round (left side).
At least I have something to work with now. Thanks for the tip.