Failure to feed in my Husqvarna M38

[watermoccasin]

Hi everyone,

I bought my Swedish M38 back in October. To test it out, I bought a box of Remington Core-Lokt 140gn 6.5x55 ammunition. I've read around online and a lot of people recommended it for use in the 1896 or M38, so I figure my problem likely isn't the ammunition.

Here is what happens (pardon the blurriness):








Of five rounds, the first two that feed from the right of the mag (i.e., the 1st and 3rd rounds) will skid up the feed ramp, and then the bolt will push them forward until the nose of the bullet jams against the 7 o'clock position on the outside of the chamber.

In this following image, you can note a lot of copper fouling on the feed ramp, from the rounds being pushed over it. I don't know if this is to be expected in an M38, but it doesn't look right at all to me.


When the 1st and 3rd rounds are being fed, it is anything but smooth. The sides of the casings are scratched (probably by the walls of the magazine, or the lip of the receiver). It also does not appear as though the extractor is grabbing the cases on the 1st and 3rd rounds as it does on the 2nd, 4th, or even the 5th (which feeds alright, despite also feeding from the right side of the magazine).

I've contacted the previous owner about this issue, and his remedy was simply to ram the bolt home with as much brute force as possible. I can't see a good reason to need to do this on a Mauser, and despite thinking it was pretty dumb, I tried working the action harder than I normally would on my milsurp bolt rifles. The result? Bigger scratches on the cases, and visible damage to the méplat. I didn't expect it to work, but I wanted to see just what this guy was telling me he did.

If anyone could help me out here, it'd be hugely appreciated. I don't know what I'm looking to fix at this point. I'm assuming maybe the magazine spring, but I have no real idea. I'm at my wits' end, because I really love this rifle overall. I shoot competitively with a Swiss Rifle Club, and between this thing and my K31, I have a real love affair with accurate milsurp rifles. It's in great condition overall (the flash makes the mag follower look way worse in that last picture than it does to the naked eye), and I want to be able to use it to hunt, too.

Thanks in advance for any help, and please let me know if you need more information to help me diagnose this issue!

Information

Warning: This is a relatively older thread This discussion is older than 360 days. Some information contained in it may no longer be current.

[Patrick Chadwick]

There may be damage to the edge of the magazine box, the cutout in the system, or the follower itself. Impossible to tell from the photos - you just have to look at all edges that might snag the case, and remove any burrs.

But one very simple possibility (don't laugh - I've experienced it, having made the mix-up myself) is that at some time someone fitted a follower from a different caliber of Mauser! Although they look superficially the same, they are not identical, having subtle differences in the length, height, width and slope of the follower - especially the ridge that holds the first round to one side. The wrong shape here can cause the stack of cases to be at the wrong angle, resulting in a "nose-up" case that bangs on the top of the entrance to the chamber. The case, being forced in at a steeper angle than intended, then becomes scratched by the bottom of the entrance (feed ramp) or the magazine box, and the nose of the bullet may be deformed.

Even if this all sounds potty, please just humor my eccentricities and check that the follower a) has the Swedish crown stamped on it, and b) has not been reshaped in any way.

Patrick

[watermoccasin]

Hi Patrick,

Thanks for your response! Yes, I maybe should have mentioned it, but this is indeed a Swedish Crown-marked follower. I'll try and remove some burrs. What would you recommend -- sandpaper, steel wool and oil...?

Thanks again!

There may be damage to the edge of the magazine box, the cutout in the system, or the follower itself. Impossible to tell from the photos - you just have to look at all edges that might snag the case, and remove any burrs.

But one very simple possibility (don't laugh - I've experienced it, having made the mix-up myself) is that at some time someone fitted a follower from a different caliber of Mauser! Although they look superficially the same, they are not identical, having subtle differences in the length, height, width and slope of the follower - especially the ridge that holds the first round to one side. The wrong shape here can cause the stack of cases to be at the wrong angle, resulting in a "nose-up" case that bangs on the top of the entrance to the chamber. The case, being forced in at a steeper angle than intended, then becomes scratched by the bottom of the entrance (feed ramp) or the magazine box, and the nose of the bullet may be deformed.

Even if this all sounds potty, please just humor my eccentricities and check that the follower a) has the Swedish crown stamped on it, and b) has not been reshaped in any way.

Patrick

[Calif-Steve]

Have you tried any Swedish issue ammo? Give that a try.

[xa-coupe]

hard to tell from the pics but are you sure the extractor claw is okay? if the rim wont slip under the claw cleanly this might cause some issues. I would look and feel for obvious burrs and faults before sandpapering or filing anything.
Also, the cartridge you are using in ImageShack - Online Photo and Video Hosting looks to be damaged just prior to the shoulder. It could just be the pic but it might be a clue if it wasn;t there before putting into the rifle.

[watermoccasin]

hard to tell from the pics but are you sure the extractor claw is okay? if the rim wont slip under the claw cleanly this might cause some issues. I would look and feel for obvious burrs and faults before sandpapering or filing anything.
Also, the cartridge you are using in ImageShack - Online Photo and Video Hosting looks to be damaged just prior to the shoulder. It could just be the pic but it might be a clue if it wasn;t there before putting into the rifle.

That photo is actually one taken by the previous owner (he didn't let me know about this issue until after I was sold the rifle, which I am not at all happy about, but here we are). I've been using new, undamaged rounds.

The extractor does seem to be working alright for other rounds, but I will take a look at it. I think I might try sandpapering the feed ramp, at least, as it is rather rough.

[xa-coupe]

if you can take some clear close up photos I can compare it to mine .. for what it's worth.

[watermoccasin]

My only functional camera is in my phone... and it's in for repairs. If I can't figure the problem out within the next week, though, I could probably get it back and post some photos.

[Harlan (Deceased)]

I'd go easy sanding unless you find a burr or something. There's bound to be an issue that's determinable and you won't need to sand things or force things.

I'm leaning toward Patrick that an incorrect follower/spring may have been installed or something assembled wrong. It doesn't take much to mess things up.

I hope the previous owner didn't compound an original issue by forcing the bolt like he said he did. It should feed freely and easily.

Take your time and don't get in a hurry grinding/sanding.

~ Harlan

[vintage hunter]

Does anyone else think the cartridges in the pictures look to be something other that 6.5x55? The pics are'nt the best quality but the cartridges look an awful lot like 6.5 Remington Magnum to me. Maybe the wrong cartridges were loaded in the magazine and some damage occured when the previous owner attempted to force the bolt closed? Maybe just my eyes and bad pics playing tricks..