magazine falls out of my son's Axis 7mm-08 when shooting

[btownguy]

Hi all. First post here. Back in the spring I bought my son his first rifle...a Savage Axis Youth XP 7mm-08. To say he was excited would be an understatement. We didn't really get around to firing it until it was time to sight it in for deer season which was only a couple of months ago. The gun had two problems for him. The first problem was that the trigger was HEAVY. That was fixed easily enough. The second problem isn't quite so easy. It seems just about every time you fire the gun, the rear of the magazine falls out of the gun about 1/4" give or take making feeding the next round impossible. Please tell me there's an easy fix for this? I don't want my son to get a sour feeling on shooting and on hunting in general.

[pisgah]

Hi all. First post here. Back in the spring I bought my son his first rifle...a Savage Axis Youth XP 7mm-08. To say he was excited would be an understatement. We didn't really get around to firing it until it was time to sight it in for deer season which was only a couple of months ago. The gun had two problems for him. The first problem was that the trigger was HEAVY. That was fixed easily enough. The second problem isn't quite so easy. It seems just about every time you fire the gun, the rear of the magazine falls out of the gun about 1/4" give or take making feeding the next round impossible. Please tell me there's an easy fix for this? I don't want my son to get a sour feeling on shooting and on hunting in general.

Are you inserting the mag properly? Angle the rear end in first, then pivot the front end up until it clicks in place. If you've been just jammin' 'er in, you may have broken off the tiny metal tab at the rear of the magazine, requiring a replacement. My .270 came out of the box with the tab broken, and I can only assume some dimwit at the gun store broke it. But Savage was prompt in sending me a replacement.

[mudpig]

Yep, was going to recommend the same. Insert the rear of the mag first then rotate the front in until it locks in place

[btownguy]

Yep, was going to recommend the same. Insert the rear of the mag first then rotate the front in until it locks in place

Yes, I am putting the rear in first and then snapping the front into place. It still happens. Is there any kind of conversion kit for this rifle that makes the magazine permanent or has some kind of bottom locked hinge?

[Pensacola Larry]

Yes, I am putting the rear in first and then snapping the front into place. It still happens. Is there any kind of conversion kit for this rifle that makes the magazine permanent or has some kind of bottom locked hinge?

I recently received an Axis XP for Christmas and it has the same magazine problem. I did some testing and found that when loading the magazine and cold cycling the bolt there seems to be no problem ejecting and reloading. The only time I had a problem with the magazine falling 1/4" was on the range while firing the rifle. I would load the magazine install it in the rifle, close the bolt and seat a round. I paid attention to detail and noticed that after firing a round, with the bold still closed, the magazine fell 1/4". This told me the problem was caused by the rifle recoil. The recoil was causing the magazine to partially dislodge, which means the stock is flexing partially and allowing the magazine to slip. I have no solution, just remember to push up on the bottom of the magazine after firing each round, which is a simple solution. I'm going to wait for Savage to give us a solution.

[charlie b]

Yes, had the same problem. Yes, I do believe it is the recoild compressing the front latch. The latch is kind of a plastic bend and is not that strong. Three possible solutions.

First, Savage has a new style latch for these magazines, a hinged lever. They aren't cheap but should solve the problem.

Second, (I did not try this but it should help) put some stiff foam in the front latch. Jam it in the "U" of the plastic latch. Maybe some of the flooring foam rubber. Might make it harder to latch and unlatch but it would probably be just enough to keep it in place. [If I had thought of this before now I would have tried it in my magazine first :) ].

Third, build up the rear lip of the magazine. I used some JB Weld to make a 'lump' at the back of the magasine. About 1/4" worth (I made a 'dam' out of masking tape and poured in the JB Weld). Then file it to a pleasing shape with a lip where the original one was, only a bit bigger. Test fit to make sure it isn't binding on anything and that rounds still feed.

[Pensacola Larry]

My rifle came with the new style spring loaded latch. I don't have the old plastic U

[doodedge]

There is a bottom metal kits that CDI does that converts it to a different mag style but that's about it.

If the tab isn't bent out enough to put pressure on the piece of plastic behind it, it may allow it to fall out easily.



If you still can't get it to hold you could always trim the tab so it actually catches over the top of the plastic behind it. I would just use a dremmel, trim a little off until it catches above the plastic, check to see how a bullet in the mag lines up with the bolt. If its too high dremmel little more off. Go a hair at a time and check it after each time.... if you try this and then over trim the tab your bullet will sit too low and the bolt wont grab so be careful and slow if you do try.

[DrThunder88]

I forgot to ask, does the plastic latch on the magazine fully clip onto the stock? Most of the Axis mag problems I've had involved the clip not fully riding over the mating surface in the stock. This has been caused either by the mating surface in the stock extending too far back into the magwell (common on Boyds stocks) or something on the rear of the magwell or magazine itself that doesn't completely interfere with the rear tab lock up but also holds it too far forward for the plastic latch to compress enough to lock up in the front.

[Pensacola Larry]

Hi all. First post here. Back in the spring I bought my son his first rifle...a Savage Axis Youth XP 7mm-08. To say he was excited would be an understatement. We didn't really get around to firing it until it was time to sight it in for deer season which was only a couple of months ago. The gun had two problems for him. The first problem was that the trigger was HEAVY. That was fixed easily enough. The second problem isn't quite so easy. It seems just about every time you fire the gun, the rear of the magazine falls out of the gun about 1/4" give or take making feeding the next round impossible. Please tell me there's an easy fix for this? I don't want my son to get a sour feeling on shooting and on hunting in general.

After studing the comments and videos I came up with a solution. You'll need a Digital Caliper and a small file. Remove the magazine. On the little hook on the back of the magazine slide a some paper between it and the magazine body to protect the area not to be filed. Using the Caliper, Measure and Record the length of the steel hook (top to bottom). Using the file carefully file .015" from the bottom of the hook. Insert the Magazine into the Rifle. Take an object like a pencil or pen and try to push down on the Magazine from the Bolt Chamber. If the Magazine is able to be pushed out, Remove it and file some more until it will fit correctly. Final test, take the Rifle to the range and see if the Magazine falls out. This is what I did and I was successful. Problem solved.