Browning A-Bolt 243WSSM Problem

[Johnboy1948]

I just bought a new 243WSSM. I can load a cartridge directly into the loading port (without pushing it down into the magazine) and push the bolt closed (with ease), and then open the bolt and eject the cartridge. All is well there.

But, if I load the magazine with 3 cartridges (or even just one), and try to close the bolt, the bolt experiences hard resistance against the back of the top cartridge's head. If I were to force the bolt closed, I am sure it would jam the bullet against hard steel near the entrance to the chamber.  It appears that the top cartridge in the magazine is not being positioned high enough to allow the bolt to push it forward into the chamber without hitting steel at the front part of the receiver. I checked the magzine and it is labeled "243WSSM". It does not say "Browning" on it. By the way, I have been using dummy loads sized and seated to SAAMI length to try to solve this problem. I am afraid to put a live cartridge in this beast.

Anybody had this problem? Any help is appreciated.

Thanks,
John

[huntswithdogs]

I have one of these things at my house. It will not feed a round nose bullet from the mag. The others that I've used, 87gr HP on up to 105gr A max have fed just fine. Mine doesn't like to be fed single shot. They hang up on the back of the barrel face. Make sure that when you load them into the mag,that they are all the way to the rear.

On a side note, How does yours shoot? Mine has already been back to Browning for accuracy concerns. They sent it back ,along with a target(3 shots inside of 1/2 in) and said they had done minor repairs and shot for accuracy. Needless to say,I've yet to duplicate their target! It has started to shoot better though. Most loads are down to around 1 inch now.



HWD

[Lawdog]

I just bought a new 243WSSM. I can load a cartridge directly into the loading port (without pushing it down into the magazine) and push the bolt closed (with ease), and then open the bolt and eject the cartridge. All is well there.

But, if I load the magazine with 3 cartridges (or even just one), and try to close the bolt, the bolt experiences hard resistance against the back of the top cartridge's head. If I were to force the bolt closed, I am sure it would jam the bullet against hard steel near the entrance to the chamber.  It appears that the top cartridge in the magazine is not being positioned high enough to allow the bolt to push it forward into the chamber without hitting steel at the front part of the receiver. I checked the magzine and it is labeled "243WSSM". It does not say "Browning" on it. By the way, I have been using dummy loads sized and seated to SAAMI length to try to solve this problem. I am afraid to put a live cartridge in this beast.

Anybody had this problem? Any help is appreciated.

Thanks,
John

I have a question.  What did Browning have to say about this problem?  Lawdog
 

[Johnboy1948]

Today, I took the A-Bolt to my gunsmith (35 years experience). He agreed with my assessment, and said that he could not do anything. He and I looked at a new 25WSSM in his rack. It has the same magazine configuration. We even placed this 25WSSM mag in my gun (since the cartridges and mags are almost identical). No difference noted. I don't see how any of these guns work.

I should mention that the magazine is stamped metal with a plastic follower. And its construction is suspect. If you hold it wrong, it will come apart. Why do they put 50-cent mags in these guns? Because they ran out of the 75-cent ones.

I called Browning, who told me to take it to one of their certified gunsmiths here in Dallas. I asked them if I am the only complaining of this problem. He said "yes". Liar. Anyway, this 2nd gunsmith could not get a cartridge to feed from the mag into the chamber either. He is going to talk to Browning tomorrow.

I searched the internet for anybody else with this problem. I found only one shooter with the problem. And he described it to a tee. His conclusion (right or wrong, I don't know) is that the cartridge won't feed into the magazine because there is no "feeding ramp" at the rear of the chamber (to make the bullet angle upwards and enter the chamber. Perhaps he is right, but the other problem is that the magazine does not position the cartridge to point upwards, so that when the bolt is pushed closed, that the bullet is "aimed" upwards toward the center of the chamber entrance. Regardless of whatever the errors of manufacture are, the bullet and cartridge will get buggered up with the force required to force the bolt closed.

I think a big problem here is that no gun shop has experience with these guns, and perhaps the buyers are just putting the duds into their closets rather than complain.

John
 :x  :x  :x

[hogdgonhead]

Aye Carumba! Please keep us informed.

[Johnboy1948]

The local Browning-certified gunsmith told me that this gun will only feed cartridges from its magazine into the chamber that have a COL equal to or less than the factory ammo's COL (about 2.220"), and that the ballistic tip bullets (very pointy) are about the only ones that will feed from the mag into the chamber without jamming against the front edge of the chamber entrance.

So...I shortened my ballistic tip reloads by 0.060" and they feed just fine. Further measuring shows that HPBT bullets (almost pointy) need to be shortened another 0.015".

The bottom line here is that, if you wish to use reloads with a COL long enough to have the bullet close to the lands, then you have to use the rifle in single-shot mode (no feeding from the magazine). The magazine is very cheap and falls apart in your hands sometimes, so this is no loss.

This gun is still disappointing.

John

[Lawdog]

Johnboy1948,

Sorry to hear about that.  Makes me glad I bought M70 Coyotes for my WSSM cartridges.  No feeding problems and I can load the bullets out further.  Lawdog
 

[bchannell]

My shootin' pal had that exact rifle and also had the same problem feeding. After much experimentation and cursing we found, as you all did that overall length is CRITICAL to feeding. Deviate from a certain length and it won't feed at all. It's a shame because it is a very accurate rifle. He has since traded it off and I think, sworn off short mags as a fad. Thankfully, I've never caught the bug for a short mag as I don't need one, nor am I anxious to be the factory tester for their poor engineering. Conversely, another pal had a Winchester 70 243WSSM which fed perfectly.

[cal sibley]

I've been buying on average two new rifles a year, but lately they all seem to have one problem or another, much like those described in this thread.  I'm getting snake bit because some of these rifles shouldn't be leaving the factory in this condition.  It doesn't seem to be limited to any one manufacturer.  They're all guilty of selling us some crappy products at the same time their advertisements are singing their praises to the hills.  This is nonsense.  My money goes back into my pockets and stays there until the quality improves markedly.  Just one mans opinion .  Best wishes.

Cal - Montreal

[pffft]

Why so much defiance?
Don't overlook the good ones.
They might only be here for a short while, and when they are gone, they usually stay gone.
That is unless brought back as a limited edition, and are usually more expensive.
Might want to do some re-bargaining, and a good dealer always will.
We used to have only three days to decide to keep it, or send it back.

[gunnut69]

I've read this with interest and would bet the problem is the magazine lips.  The magazine retains the cartridges as they are pushed forward and releases them so they may move up into the chamber.  With tapered rounds like the 300H&H and 270 Win they release slowly allowing the round to tip up a bit bit before being released from the magazine.  The more paralell sides of the WSSM's are unable to release slowly. They release nearly full length at the same time. If the round is a bit long it contacts the rear of the barrel before being released from the feed lips.. viola--a feed jam.  I should think the feed lips could be adjusted to release the round a bit earlier so the bullet won't contact the barrel before release.  This is fixable but would likely require a bit of time.  not likely to be addressed by the company. This is hardly the first round that proved hard to get to feed well.  Some of the others have been extinct for years,,,