Feeding problems with centerfeed action

Guys I need some help. I've just put together a 6.5 Creedmoor in a new short action and I'm having trouble getting the thing to feed smoothly. I had to change the bolt face in the transition to .473. Are there differences in stagger vs. centerfeed actions/ bolt faces? I thought the basic difference was screw spacing and magazine configuration. I know the action is new and a bit stiff (my 6.5 Creedmoor built on a well used .308 centerfeed action feeds flawlessly) but what else can i check or do? It seems some rounds feed fine and others I find the round cockeyed in the chamber area.

Blind mag? If so, what kind of stock? Factory, aftermarket? Brand/style?

What cartridge is the mag box for? I'm assuming .308 since that's what you said the gun was originally. Should have a cartridge number stamped on the side of it. .308, 22-250, etc.

What exactly is the feeding issue? Not picking up rounds? Nose of bullet hitting above or below chamber?


Details make all the difference.

Blind mag, factory Savage tupperware stock with wider forearm that came on rifles like the 10FP. The mag box is stamped with "Use only Cal Stamped on Barrel". I was told it was a .308-.243 family mag box but cant confirm based on actual mag box. The feeding issue is it appears the nose of the bullet goes left and the round gets bound and not chambered.

You might try changing the follower and mag box. Is the mag box sitting level in relation to the the receiver? Tweaked feed lip maybe? Pics might help.

Being a center feed I can't see how/why it would be deviating left. On a staggered feed yes, but not a center feed.

There are specific bolt heads for short and long actions, but the bolt face dimensions are the same - it's just the tail shaft that differs between long and short actions. No difference between them for CF and SF.

I would make sure the magazine box is sitting level in the stock, and if that checks out I would start tweaking on the feed lips until it feeds properly. Given you got this second hand.

Try to feed it slow and see what the round does. if it's kicking to the left it may be that the shorter 6.5 Creed round comes off the face of the bolt due to it being a push feed action. When this happens it could be that the rifle is not straight up and down and "gravity" causes the round to go the direction of the rifle. If it is still in the mag when it is kicked to the left, than adjusting the feed lips is your option.

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Originally Posted by LRPUT

Blind mag, factory Savage tupperware stock with wider forearm that came on rifles like the 10FP. The mag box is stamped with "Use only Cal Stamped on Barrel". I was told it was a .308-.243 family mag box but cant confirm based on actual mag box. The feeding issue is it appears the nose of the bullet goes left and the round gets bound and not chambered.

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The box tells you the cartridge family LRPUT.

Furious, thanks, I'll double check tonight and be sure its kicking left, now that I think about it I need to confirm.
Robinhood, the magazine box says "caution use only caliber stamped on barrel" there is no cartridge family listed as on some other detach mags. I'm going to try a different mag tonight too

Ok, I replaced the mag box with a known 308 box and follower. It tends to jam with the bullets nose down (rear of the cartridge up). The mag box appears level from all angles. It doesn't do this on every round. I'm also going to polish the feed ramp tomorrow. This all
makes me miss the stagger feed actions ! Lol

Feed ramp wouldn't be the issue. If the nose of the bullet is jamming into the breech of the barrel below the chamber it usually means one of two things. Either 1) the front of the feed lips need opened up a little to let the nose of the round sit higher, or 2) the round is jumping out of the magazine before the head clears the feed lips thus allowing the nose to fall and jamb into the breech - an indication the lips are a bit to wide.

Not sure if Savage has a specific magazine box for the 6.5 CM or not. I know they have one specifically for the .22-250, and one for the .308 family of cases (243, 308, 7mm-08).

Many thanks for the ideas sir !

Just as an FYI, my other 6.5 Creedmoor built on a .308 donor action and internal mag feeds flawlessly. I think I'll put the calipers to that one as a comparison.

I'm thinking that the feedlips will need to be closed just a bit if jumping and nose down.

Feed real slow and see when it "lets go" of the round from the magazine. Probably best done with a full magazine.