Tikka 223 magazine feeding issues

ElPollo

WKR
Joined
Aug 31, 2018
Messages
1,819
To this day my biggest issue is now cases hanging up on the case mouth when entering the chamber. Happens with all factory ammo a small chamfer on the chamber would entirely solve this. For now a small case mouth chamfer is the solution. Does anyone have a photo of a factory tikka chamber?
I was having this happen occasionally with factory mags and regularly with single feeds dropped in from the top on the factory mags. My expensive Waters mags resolved these issues. Take home is that I would be cautious on opening up the ramp or chamber because I don’t think that is ultimately the reason for the issue.
 
Joined
Aug 20, 2021
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510
So far I haven’t had any issues with rounds from the magazine failing to chamber (assuming the bolt picks them up), but if I try to drop a single round in through the ejection port it 100% gets stuck nose against the breech face.
 

Formidilosus

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Shoot2HuntU
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Oct 22, 2014
Messages
10,679
So far I haven’t had any issues with rounds from the magazine failing to chamber (assuming the bolt picks them up), but if I try to drop a single round in through the ejection port it 100% gets stuck nose against the breech face.

Have you stretched the magazine spring?
 

rbutcher1234

Lil-Rokslider
Joined
Jul 2, 2023
Messages
174
Stretch the mag spring, start paying more attention to mags after a season or two of use, and just be prepared to replace as needed. Mags get damaged being dropped, used, and abused. Just part of it.

FWIW, I had way more feeding issues with 223 aics accurate mags than factory tikka mags, so I pulled my 223 out of a bravo stock and back into the factory stock because of it.
 
Joined
Aug 20, 2021
Messages
510
Have you stretched the magazine spring?
Not yet, I think the previous issue I had was probably because of the gummy sizing lube on the cases as you had pointed out. Thanks for that.

This reply about the rounds nosing against the face of the barrel when I drop them in through the ejection port I would think is unrelated to the magazine. But I could definitely be wrong.

I wasn't really trying to call that a problem, just adding a data point to the issue Stocky and ElPollo were discussing. I should have quoted.
 

Formidilosus

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Shoot2HuntU
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Oct 22, 2014
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10,679
This reply about the rounds nosing against the face of the barrel when I drop them in through the ejection port I would think is unrelated to the magazine. But I could definitely be wrong.

I wasn't really trying to call that a problem, just adding a data point to the issue Stocky and ElPollo were discussing. I should have quoted.

Oh that’s a problem. You should absolutely be able to drop a round in the chamber and it feed. It’s usually because the front of the follower isn’t up all the way. Is it a factory stock and bottom metal?


The Tikka 223 mags seemed to start having issues about two years ago. Not sure what happened, and it’s not all of them-but it’s happening often enough that I’ve seen it with quite a few. The 4 rounders are better than the 6 rounders overall. I still have 2-3 original mags from 2013 or so that feed perfectly, but about 30-50% of new mags seemed to need to be tweaked. A lot, or most issues seem to be with non factory stocks and bottom metal- quite a few of the guns/mags that i have seen give issues, worked fine when everything was put back to factory.
 

PaulDogs

FNG
Joined
Nov 30, 2023
Messages
93
Oh that’s a problem. You should absolutely be able to drop a round in the chamber and it feed. It’s usually because the front of the follower isn’t up all the way. Is it a factory stock and bottom metal?


The Tikka 223 mags seemed to start having issues about two years ago. Not sure what happened, and it’s not all of them-but it’s happening often enough that I’ve seen it with quite a few. The 4 rounders are better than the 6 rounders overall. I still have 2-3 original mags from 2013 or so that feed perfectly, but about 30-50% of new mags seemed to need to be tweaked. A lot, or most issues seem to be with non factory stocks and bottom metal- quite a few of the guns/mags that i have seen give issues, worked fine when everything was put back to factory.

Any updates on extended use with the mambamags?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 

Stocky

Lil-Rokslider
Joined
May 8, 2019
Messages
195
I was having this happen occasionally with factory mags and regularly with single feeds dropped in from the top on the factory mags. My expensive Waters mags resolved these issues. Take home is that I would be cautious on opening up the ramp or chamber because I don’t think that is ultimately the reason for the issue
I'd really like to see a factory chamber as the rifles done it from New with 4 different magazines both plastic and metal lipped.
 

DJW51

FNG
Joined
Oct 28, 2024
Messages
21
These Waters Rifleman 223 mags work slick as snot.
Would you say they are worth the money and effort? This is such an aggravating issue. Not only the feeding issues but not being able to mag feed extended coal cartridges is ridiculous. Not sure I can wait for unknown version to come out. Thanks
 

ElPollo

WKR
Joined
Aug 31, 2018
Messages
1,819
Would you say they are worth the money and effort? This is such an aggravating issue. Not only the feeding issues but not being able to mag feed extended coal cartridges is ridiculous. Not sure I can wait for unknown version to come out. Thanks
Worth it depends on you and your needs. As far as I know, the Waters are the only option that offers extended COAL and does not use the problematic factory magazine spring. If you want to load long there are limited options. Honestly though, I haven’t used mine enough to tell you how they work long term. I’ve got about 700 rounds a piece through three mags. But that’s well past where the factory mags started to fail. Mine are factory length, not extended.
 

DJW51

FNG
Joined
Oct 28, 2024
Messages
21
Worth it depends on you and your needs. As far as I know, the Waters are the only option that offers extended COAL and does not use the problematic factory magazine spring. If you want to load long there are limited options. Honestly though, I haven’t used mine enough to tell you how they work long term. I’ve got about 700 rounds a piece through three mags. But that’s well past where the factory mags started to fail. Mine are factory length, not extended.
So far would you say that feeding issues are non existent or just greatly diminished with the waters mag. Thanks for the feedback.
 
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