CDI Bottom Metal w/AI Magazines

[Marine24]

I have a Savage Model 11 (CF, 4.40" spacing. blind magazine) in .223 Rem that I converted to use CDI bottom metal and AI 10 round .223 Remington magazines. Having an issue with reliable feeding. In some cases the bolt slides right over the top of the round but in other cases it will feed without any issues.

Fair amount of vertical play on the magazine, but from talking with folks at CDI, that isn't unexpected.

Saw a comment previously about bolt head cross pin hole being an issue, but not following how that can cause the inconsistent feeding behavior I'm seeing.

I would suspect the problem is the magazine spring, but behavior isn't consistent on which round it passes over or which one it feeds.

Any thoughts? Is the bolt head cross pin hole possibly in play or something more obvious?

Mike

[LoneWolf]

Who did the inletting and installation on your stock? There's some Minor fitting that involves trimming the action screws that come with bottom metal and if needed trimming the magazine release lever to set the mag height in the rifle. I wonder if your magazine isn't sitting high enough to strip the rounds off the top on the magazine.

[Marine24]

The Manner's stock was inletted for the Savage DBM and shipped to CDI, who installed the bottom metal. It was essentially a drop in. Barreled action had pillars installed and glass bedded by more local smith.

I was wondering whether the magazine was sitting high enough or not, but behavior is inconsistent. I'll have to check to see how much vertical play there is and adjust from there.

[CharlieNC]

I don't like the AI polymer mags in mine; too much slop as well. Since the AI 308 metal mag does well, I'm going to try the Accurate metal 223 one. If the fit is not snug and consistent, you may need to start with a longer mag release lever in order to trim it back until this is corrected.

[Marine24]

May be the route I have to go as well, but does that also require changing the bottom metal? Not sure if the CDI bottom metal works with both the AI and Accurate mags but will ping CDI.

Other option is converting back to the factory bottom metal and run Dark Eagle magazines. That is what I used on my 260 Rem and it is solid.

[BoilerUP]

Accurate-Mags are AICS-pattern and work just fine in CDI DBM.

The bolt head cross pin hole issue causes rounds to dive nose-first into the magazine; I had that on my long action 223AI which was remedied at CDI's advice with a little Dremel work on the bolt body.

As mentioned, I think the solution may lie in a mag release lever that lets the magazine sit a little higher in the stock.

[Marine24]

Thanks. Good to know I have a plan b if adjusting the mag release lever doesn't pan out.

So if I understand adjusting the mag release lever, step one would be to acquire a longer mag release lever. Step two is trial and error adjusting it until magazine sits at the right height for reliable feeding.

I'll touch base with CDI on the lever, but any other sources?

[Marine24]

Now that was too easy. Talked with Pam at CDI Precision and she knew exactly what was needed. Putting a longer mag release lever in the mail to me today. CDI is outstanding and customer service exceptional.

Seems with the Savage in 223 Rem, this isn't uncommon and they'll be automatically shipping longer mag release levers in the future.

[boostless]

that's good to hear. I went with PTG and they have been having a lot of problems lately. Hopefully it will be fine since I'm having Manners fit it when they bed and pillar the stock I have on order.

[Marine24]

Received the new mag release lever and definitely improved things, but now the behavior has changed. I'll get pictures up to illustrate this more accurately but the bolt head doesn't traavel far enough to the rear to engage the top round and feed it in to the chamber or the rounds sit too far back in the magazine for the bolt to engage.

With an AI magazine of 10 rounds, I can catch the top of the case enough to move it forward in the magazine, cycle the bolt back to the rear and then forward again, and it will feed the round. Works for the first four or five and then bolt skims over the top of the rounds.

With the bolt fully to the rear and looking down on to the magazine, the rear 1/2" of the cartridge is under the bolt (this is where pictures would help). I would expect the bolt face to engage the base of the cartridge and feed the round in to the chamber. You can see the entire bolt head in the ejection/loading port. Rounds that do feed, extract just fine.

I'm try some different AI magazines, but can you manipulate the rearward travel of the bolt?

[CharlieNC]

You probably need to cut off a bit of the rear bolt baffle to get enough travel; instructions should have indicated that.

[Marine24]

Are the baffles different between a blind feed and DBM? This rifle started as a Savage 11 in .223 Remington. Modifications made included swapping the stock (DBM configured) and adding the CDI bottom metal.

[Marine24]

You probably need to cut off a bit of the rear bolt baffle to get enough travel; instructions should have indicated that.

That is the ticket. See a few posts here and another on the Hide that describes my exact problem. See a recommendation to replace the front baffle as well with a "standard" baffle.

Brownells lists a LH or RH rear baffle, plus they list a long action or short action front baffle.

Assume I have a short action front baffle, but would installing a long action front baffle provide more rearward bolt movement?

[Marine24]

Talked with Pam at CDI and confirmed what is required.

Before

http://tapatalk.imageshack.com/v2/14/08/19/01b6d0e8ac60fb2cb4deca81e9630914.jpg

After

http://tapatalk.imageshack.com/v2/14/08/19/20efa7aa91708214583bace0a04939db.jpg

[Marine24]

Judging by the pictures, seems like a long action buffer would also work. Any downside of not having that "tail" that extends along the bolt body that is on the SA bolt buffer? Longer bolt throw but more concerned about feeding reliability.

[BoilerUP]

Any downside of not having that "tail" that extends along the bolt body that is on the SA bolt buffer?

Nope.

A standard bolt baffle simply extends bolt throw vs. the longer "extended" 204/223 bolt baffle, and you need the longer bolt throw to feed from AICS-pattern magazines.

Works like buttah.

[Marine24]

Thanks. Saw your reference on the hide about using the standard baffle. Looks like an easier fix than cutting on the existing baffle.

[Marine24]

That did trick. Swapping the front baffle is pretty straightforward. Feeds with no issues.

Thanks again for everyone's help.

[BoilerUP]

Excellent...