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CURE FOR FEEDING ISSUES

Stix

.22LR
I was having feeding issues with my .308 ATR. Usually the last shot in the mag but sometimes others. This problem is definitely related to the follower and spring. When I pulled the spring follower out, I noticed that when it is sprung, it leans forward. So I tried bending the spring in may different configurations (spent 4 hours on this) to try to get it to feed properly. What actually worked was a final spring alignment leaves the mag follower completely parallel to the bottom surface when the spring is fully sprung. I also bent the spring so that it is shorter when fully sprung. In other words it does not have as much force pushing the bullets up. This keeps cartridges in the mag longer and allows them to feed into the chamber without popping up and out of the magazine before the bolt can fully guide them into the chamber. So remember, shorten the spring and bend the spring so that the follower is parallel to the bottom of the magazine. The magazine follower/spring assy should sit on a bench freely with all edges squared in the shape of a rectangle.
 
Thanks for the post and the fix Sir!

Have you noticed any difference in your bolt manipulation after tweaking the spring? I've had a feeling that excess spring tension has been contributing to the stiff bolts folks have been reporting...
 
I am a mechanical engineer by trade, so this problem presented me with an opportunity to analyze what the problem actually is. Since the top cartridges jammed in a different manner than the last, this told me there were two problems with the follower/spring assy. The top cartridges jammed up against the back wall of the barrel, indication the they came out of the magazine too soon thus not allowing the bolt to smoothly guide them into the chamber. This indicated too much spring pressure, so I manipulated (bent) the spring so that it was smaller in its sprung position. The jam of the last cartridge ended up facing downward, with the case being caught between the bolt and the top of the receiver. This indicated too much spring force on the rear of the cartridge. As I said when the spring was originally in it's sprung position, it leaned forward and was not square, thereby putting more spring force on the rear of the cartridge. When it was being chambered it popped out of the mag, rear end first. So I squared up the spring/follower assy by bending so that it put equal upward pressure on the cartridge. What I ended up with was a shorter, squarer spring assy.


After working on this for 4 hours, you start to get frustrated and start trying to ram the cartridges into the chamber. Normal human frustration. Walk away from it. Take a few deep breaths. and exhale.

If anyone else tries this, please post your progress here. I will check it from time to time and offer any assistance I can.

Godspeed!
 
I compared springs and followers with a Remington 700 ADL. The follower spring on the ADL is a Flat spring versus a coil spring on the ATR. If you could fit a Remington ADL follower with flat spring in the ATR it would possibly solve the problem. I have a follower from an ADL but mine is a little too long so I may have to modify it to fit the ATR. The ADL follower is metal.
 
I tried this on my recently acquired ATR and it has helped the feeding of bullets into the chamber. No my only problem is that I can't fit four rounds into the magazine and put the +1 in the chamber without the bolt trying to pick up the top round in the magazine and put two rounds into the chamber.
 
I tried this on my recently acquired ATR and it has helped the feeding of bullets into the chamber. No my only problem is that I can't fit four rounds into the magazine and put the +1 in the chamber without the bolt trying to pick up the top round in the magazine and put two rounds into the chamber.
Did you check the spring to make sure it is centered in the recess? I turn the action upside down and drop the stock down on top and make sure the spring in in the recess and push it back to the butt of the stock as I drop the stock. If the spring is not perfectly positioned you get the 4+ failure.
 
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