Home Forums Lever Action Central Lever Actions - General 358 BLR magazine problem

I'm having a problem with my 2008 vintage '81 Lightning stainless take down magazine. When loaded with 4 rounds, it is almost impossible to latch with the bolt closed and the 1 time I was able to do so, the bolt snagged on the shoulder of the first cartridge and would not come to the rear. When the bolt is open it latches fine and the top round is carried into the chamber when manipulated but, when that round is ejected the second round (right hand side) pops up at an angle and usually can't be chambered. The mag looks almost new and there's no marks on the lips that would indicate someone "adjusted" them.
When I load 3 in the mag with the bolt in battery, the top round pops up at an angle as when 4 are loaded and can't be chambered. When I insert mag with the bolt open, I can reach in the ejection port and push the round down parallel which will then let me chamber it. The bottom 2 rounds function flawlessly every time. I suppose I could use it as a 3 shooter and have 2 left over but, I don't like anything that doesn't work properly. Any suggestions?

Get a new magazine. Yep, that was my problem with the 358 blr,
Finicky, unreliable function, and a mag design that is hard on brass. I had the same thing occur, a new mag helped. Along with polishing off sharp edges on bolt and magazine.

The first thing I would check is the spring. It may have been bent.

It's funny...Browning sells them as 4-round magazines, but Bud's Gun Shop....

https://www.budsgunshop.com/product...6042+blr+magazine+3rd+358win+blued+steel

Thanks for the replies gents. HuntnShoot, I saw that and Midway shows .243, .308, and 22-250 as 4 round but, .358 as 3 round which makes no sense at all.

All the 308 based cartridges should be the same magazine. All of the pre 81 BLRs were three round mags. Could the 358 you are seeing online be pre 81?

You have at least 1 problem, and probably 2.

First - pull out the magazine spring and follower and while holding the spring bend the follower nose down so that most of the pressure is on the base of the round, and NOT the shoulder...
Put it back in and try it -

Second - with the bolt forward, insert the magazine with rounds and open the bolt to see how hard the rounds catch the bolt... if they bind hard then you need to adjust the magazine lips to hold the rounds down further to hold them so the bolt only catches the back base and glides over the rest.

I had the same problem with my AW magazines before...

I got my new magazine in today and it will take 4 rounds and will latch in the rifle. It is a little stiff when chambering the first round but the other 3 are slick. Now I can work on the original.

Yep, they should be all the same. My magazine for my 358 is stamped .308 WIn.

I need to take my rebore out and shoot it some more before season. Never had a problem but only took it out once. Didn't try both magazines. Thanks for the heads up. Be Well, RZ.

I have been loading 4 rounds in The magazine and Insertting it. When I get on stand I chamber a round remove magazine, top it off with another round and then reinsert and hunt. I have a blr takedown model in 358. You are also correct as I picked up a spare magazine marked 243 that feeds 358 like nobodies business. Just lucky I guess.

I had an old BLR 358. I could never get more than 3 rounds in the magazine. I had two magazines. I wasn't about to buy a third at the going rate of $300 to see if it would get 4 rounds in the magazine.

I just load 3 rounds. If I can't stop a deer or black bear with 3 rounds of 358 Winchester than I need more range time.

Dan

I had a BLR in .308 made in Japan in 1975. Great rifle but I had two magazines and problems with both of them . Sometimes more than one cartridge would come out of the magazine at once jamming the action. I ended up selling it, because to hunt with it has to be 100% reliable