Howa - Stiffer Magazine Springs?

[Flipt86]

Recently put my Howa 20" HB in a MDT LSS Chassis and was function checking a few hand loads tonight and ran into an issue...

These were 120gr SMK's at 1.7700 CBTO length, .020" of jump.

The first 3 rounds feed fine, but the last 2 rounds in the magazine start to feed, but when they hit the feed ramp the base of the cartridge dips down and allows the bolt to ride over the top, causing a jam/misfeed.

I had a theory it was because there was more spring tension on the first 3 rounds, not allowing them to dip down as far into the magazine as they start up the feed ramp.

So, I took one of my spare magazines apart and took the spring out of it, and put two springs in one magazine.
It fit easily, and all 5 rounds loaded into the magazine without issue.

This fixed the mis-feeds, all 5 rounds now feed great!

Knowing it's not cost effective to buy spare magazines just to rob the springs out of them, I'm wondering if anyone has looked into finding a stiffer spring for the factory magazines?

Thanks all,

[HokeyPokeyKid]

There was a thread a while back on this very issue:

http://www.65grendel.com/forum/showthread.php?19711-Howa-Mini-Magazines&highlight=howa+magazines

Nothing wrong with tinkering though, you might find a good fix for the mag issues.

[Flipt86]

Thanks Hokey... I had missed that thread somehow.

Disheartening that your fix didn't end up working...

AK47 mag springs are round coil type springs, and should be the right length/width since that is the parent cartridge for the grendel...
May order one and cut it down to see if it works?

Anyone else been playing with this still?

[HokeyPokeyKid]

I say try it!

The biggest problem I had is that that the springs I sourced were actually too strong and pushed the rounds straight up through the feed lips on the plastic magazine after the first round. The original 60 year old spring I tried worked and still works in the magazine I put it in.

You may find the right balance and it will work well.