FCP-K .223 feed problems

[groaner71]

I have a model 10 FCP-K .223 centerfeed that is having feed issues. It will randomly crash the round into the bottom of the breach causing the bolt to hit the side of the round and jam the round either denting the casing or the bullet nose. If I baby the bolt it will be more reliable, but I do not feel that this is normal. I contacted Savage, and they shipped me a mag follower and mag bottom. After changing these out, it is still acting the same. My hunch is that the mag lips are too close together. Looking for some feedback/help. My next step is to ship (on my dime) to a Savage warranty depot (i live in Canada), but this will put me out for an undetermined amount of time, and if it is just a magazine, I could just go get a new one locally for a bit more money, but no rifle down time.

[groaner71]

I should note that this issue happens with hornady 55gr tipped bullets, federal 55grain fmj, and remington 55grain hollow points as well as snap caps.

[375Win]

As long as you have a second mag box on hand just try bending the mag lips out a little did that to one of my 223.s and works fine.

375Win

[dwm]

I bought the HS Stock separate and put together my own .223 FCP-K.

The bolt won't even pickup a round, the cases are held down in the mag pretty far. I worked hard at bending the mag so the rounds would stick up high enough for the bolt to grab them. I sort of got it functional, but now they pop out sometimes.

I am considering filing off the rear tab of the bottom metal so the mag will sit higher.

The tang is making contact with the stock, maybe the tang is holding the action high in the stock thereby causing the bolt to ride high and not be able to pick up a round.

So either the cases need to stick out of the mag more (bend the mag) or the mag needs to come up higher in the stock so the bolt can grab the cases.

Does the tang float or contact the stock on a factory FCP-K?

(Not trying to steal your thread, sounds like we have similar problems with the .223 mag feeding.)

[groaner71]

Ok, problem fixed!!!

2 separate issues ... I got a new mag which fed better than the factory one, but was still not perfect, so I swapped the mag follower into the new mag. The updated follower has a softer spring. This made the new mag feed perfect. I did check the feed lip opening of the new vs old mag with a caliper. They were exactly the same, so the opening was not the issue. I did note however that the new mag came apart and went back together easily, but the original mag was a real bear to take apart, and required twisting the metal to get the metal to engage into the base. I have two bases, so this confirmed that the problem is with the original metal on the original mag, with the updated follower making the mag perfect. I contacted savage with the findings, and they said that they would exchange the original mag without having to ship the entire rifle back. Phew!!!

Hope this will help someone else.