Thread: Browning X Bolt magazine problems

Hey guys,
I have an x bolt in 7mm08 and am having issues with rounds not popping up in the magazine. If I load just one its fine but defeats the purpose of having a magazine in the first place. As soon as I load a second or third one they 'stick' in the mag and won't pop up to the top. Does it both with reloads and factory ammo and also in and outside of the rifle. Does anyone have any suggestions on what to do next?
Cheers for your time

check the lip inside

I have observed two new x-bolts exhibit failure to feed from the mag. A .223 and a 7mm08. In both cases, the problem was the users, 2 different guys, not getting the bolt fully back before the forward stroke, just make sure you’re not short stroking it would be my first thought.

At first I did think I was short stroking the bolt however it also does it outside of the rifle altogether. Am reluctant to get another magazine at the cost of them just in case its no different. Really like the rifle however these types of issues certainly make you lose a bit of confidence in them. Am close to trading it for a howa even...

Ok, maybe the follower is a bit bent or there’s crap under it and it’s binding or galling against the sides. Disassemble and have a good look inside for signs of binding etc.

Did you buy the rifle new or is it second hand? If new, the shop should put it right for you.

Is the magazine sitting high enough in the magazine well?

are rounds TOO LONG ?? eg touching the front....wee bit of powdered graphite inside mag should help free it up if binding...but as said above,give it a good clean.
pretty shite if its new...

Will give the magazine another cleaning just to be sure. Rounds almost seem to be too wide if anything rather than too long but have tried factory ammo and does the same thing still. I did get it new but probably 5-6 years ago...

now Im agriculturally inclinded......if it was mine and rounds seem to be touching sides...I would put something like large screwdriver inside mag and twist handle to force walls of mag out SLIGHTLY.....and keep doing so untill issue was sorted...but making sure it will still fit inside mag well....must have clearance on sides both inside n out.
are the rounds themselves binding or is it the follower???? if its the follower,you maybe need to sandpaper a tiny amount off edges of follower...easy to see which it is...if its follower it will stick without rounds if you poke it down with fingers...

This is a big issue for many Browning owners. Google around and you will see this issue popping up all over the place. If the rifle is new contact the retailer if second hand try some of the more believable solutions guys have come up with.

Maybe it is a generic 'near enough' mag that Browning use for a range of calibers. Given that you have checked and fixed binding / galling as suggested above, the next thing is has the top leaf of the magazine spring been bent down slightly so the follower is soft at the front instead of even upward pressure ? Are the shells stacking nicely in a ziz zag or trying to squeeze in side by side ? If they are doing that and not presenting properly, I would glue a bit of hard plastic full length on one side of the follower under where the shell lays - say 1mm thick so that the position of the shells is changed. Normally one shell feeds ok and the other doesn't, then the next is ok etc

Pretty sure these are a rotary mag. Something to keep in mind with the suggestions.

As I said earlier, is it sitting high enough in the magazine well?

I had an issue with a magazine that wouldn’t feed for that reason.
A strip of insulation tape across the front of the mag where the ‘notch’ (that that catch hooked into) fixed the issue, otherwise the mag sat only that little bit low but it was enough.

Yes definitely sits high enough in the mag well. Though it still has the same problem regardless of whether its fitted into the rifle or sitting on the bench. As others have said it seems to be a fairly common issue overseas but no real fix for it. Ah well I guess I'll just have to keep tinkering with it and if I bugger up the mag I probably needed a new one anyway

Have you Googled it?

A few YouTube clips like this one https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zBni2Hw88QM

Saw one mention that polishing the insides made no difference.

Sorry, the mag looks a dorg...