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Joined: Dec 2011
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Campfire Greenhorn
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Campfire Greenhorn
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Guys, posted this over on the Express Rifle forum but not getting any feedback, and as I only have 3-days to keep or return the rifle in question, thought I'd seek advice here. This concerns a Whitworth Express rifle in .375 H&H if anyone owns or is familiar: Guys, I received the rifle today and am very pleased. I actually believe it's unfired - there's no sign of use on the bolt face, in the bore, in the chamber area, feed ramp, etc. She looks straight up new. One concern though - I'm confused by the magazine follower. It's not only very short, but it seems to be too narrow. With the slightest flick of the finger, you can cause it to pop up into the bolt's path (as seen in pic), completely jamming up the works if you're trying to close the bolt on an empty chamber. I'm having a hard time believing this is the right follower for this rifle - is it possible Whitworth stuck a follower from a smaller action in there by mistake and since no one's ever actually used the rifle, it's never come to light? Some of you guys with a Whitworth Express please educate me. Is your follower like this? Thanks, DeWayne http://s19.photobucket.com/user/sonvolt/media/IMG_1754_zps031e4391.jpg.html?sort=3&o=0
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Joined: Jun 2001
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Campfire Member
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Campfire Member
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Joined: Jan 2014
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Campfire Tracker
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Campfire Tracker
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Guys, posted this over on the Express Rifle forum but not getting any feedback, and as I only have 3-days to keep or return the rifle in question, thought I'd seek advice here. This concerns a Whitworth Express rifle in .375 H&H if anyone owns or is familiar: Guys, I received the rifle today and am very pleased. I actually believe it's unfired - there's no sign of use on the bolt face, in the bore, in the chamber area, feed ramp, etc. She looks straight up new. One concern though - I'm confused by the magazine follower. It's not only very short, but it seems to be too narrow. With the slightest flick of the finger, you can cause it to pop up into the bolt's path (as seen in pic), completely jamming up the works if you're trying to close the bolt on an empty chamber. I'm having a hard time believing this is the right follower for this rifle - is it possible Whitworth stuck a follower from a smaller action in there by mistake and since no one's ever actually used the rifle, it's never come to light? Some of you guys with a Whitworth Express please educate me. Is your follower like this? Thanks, DeWayne http://s19.photobucket.com/user/sonvolt/media/IMG_1754_zps031e4391.jpg.html?sort=3&o=0 First of all, I've seen pics of that rifle and what you paid for it. Unless there are other issues with the gun(and check it over carefully), you'd be a damn fool to return it, even if it's got the wrong follower i it. The follower only PUSHES THE CARTRIDGES up the mag. The feed rails are what actually dictate most of the feeding in terms of the magazine box and as long as the rounds maintain the same angle. It's entirely possible even with that follower , .375 rounds feed just fine.. On thing is for sure, the fix is Cheap -about $30 bucks and you can still offset the cost by selling off your old follower for a few $$.
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Joined: Dec 2011
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Campfire Greenhorn
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Campfire Greenhorn
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Clemson, thanks for the link, and jk16, for the advice.
My concern with the aftermarket follower is that once I go that route, there's no turning back - my three day window is up. If for some reason the feed rails are milled unusually narrow on this rifle (i.e. the opening unusually wide), even a longer follower might still be prone to popping up into the action. And then I'm stuck with needing to have someone make me a custom "wide" follower for the rifle.
I agree I may be making a mountain out of a mole hill here, I just have visions of having a problem I can't fix and kicking myself for having let my return window close. Damn thing is brand new though ... I'll not find another like it I reckon.
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Joined: Jun 2007
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Campfire Tracker
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My rifle has a short follower also, but I have no issues with it popping out like that. Probably the follower is the problem.
JOC was right. The 270 Winchester on a Model 70 is a great combination as is the 30/06 and 375 H&H
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Joined: Dec 2011
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Campfire Greenhorn
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Campfire Greenhorn
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raybass, thanks. That's what concerns me is the question of whether it's the follower being too narrow or the guide rails being cut too wide. One is no problem, the other could be a big problem.
DeWayne
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Joined: Jan 2014
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Campfire Tracker
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Clemson, thanks for the link, and jk16, for the advice.
My concern with the aftermarket follower is that once I go that route, there's no turning back - my three day window is up. If for some reason the feed rails are milled unusually narrow on this rifle (i.e. the opening unusually wide), even a longer follower might still be prone to popping up into the action. And then I'm stuck with needing to have someone make me a custom "wide" follower for the rifle.
I agree I may be making a mountain out of a mole hill here, I just have visions of having a problem I can't fix and kicking myself for having let my return window close. Damn thing is brand new though ... I'll not find another like it I reckon. I guess the question here is do you even have a box of .375 H&H ammo laying around to check the feeding? That would resolve the question of the feed rails being off any.
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Joined: Aug 2005
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Campfire Outfitter
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Campfire Outfitter
Joined: Aug 2005
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I have that same rifle, absolutely love it and wouldn't sell it for 3x what you paid. Think your's has nicer wood. Looks like an easy fix. Just buy another follower and don't stress it.
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Joined: Dec 2011
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Campfire Greenhorn
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Campfire Greenhorn
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No, dang-it, unfortunately I don't have any .375 on hand and by the time I got some delivered, as with the replacement follower, my window's closed. Decisions, decisions!
I suppose what I could do is contact the seller and see if he'll give me an extension so I can try to fix it with a new follower, and then if not, return it. Seems like he'd have nothing to lose since the other option would be sending it back now.
Last edited by sonvolt; 01/29/14.
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Campfire Tracker
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Got a dial caliper? If so measure the distance between the feed rails and I'll measure mine at the back of the ejection port. I'll be posting mine shortly.
JOC was right. The 270 Winchester on a Model 70 is a great combination as is the 30/06 and 375 H&H
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Campfire Tracker
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Ok a caliper won't measure the feed rails ( will not fit) but a scale measurement is dead nut 5/8". The back end of the follower is .827".
These simple measurements should solve the problem as to what to do.
JOC was right. The 270 Winchester on a Model 70 is a great combination as is the 30/06 and 375 H&H
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Joined: Dec 2011
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Campfire Greenhorn
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Campfire Greenhorn
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Hey, thanks for measuring! My follower measures .826", so I don't think the follower is the problem (it's much wider than the opening of the guide rails in the receiver. The problem as I see it is the inside dimensions of the receiver BELOW the guide rails (.925"). That wide area allows the follower to bump around side-to-side, which allows the follower's left rear edge to pop up and out of the "hole" between the guide rails and up into the action.
So, it's not the width of the guide rails in question, or even the follower itself (it's the exact size of the follower in my Husqvarna small ring Mauser) - I think it's too much roominess below the rails. There's a lot of slop there.
Last edited by sonvolt; 01/29/14.
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Joined: Jun 2007
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Campfire Tracker
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Is it possible the spring is in backwards? Or needs tweaked?
JOC was right. The 270 Winchester on a Model 70 is a great combination as is the 30/06 and 375 H&H
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Joined: Dec 2011
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Campfire Greenhorn
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Campfire Greenhorn
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No, the spring seems brand new (albeit 30 years old). By way of contrast, using the measurements of my Husqvarna, the follower measures .830" wide; the area below the guide rails measures .840"
On the Whitworth, the follower measures .826"; the area below the guide rails measures .912".
Comparatively, thats enough side-to-side slop to be causing the problem. More than simply poking at it with a finger, I realized if you just snap the bolt back quickly on an empty magazine, that's enough to cause the follower to pop up into the action. That's not good, of course.
Last edited by sonvolt; 01/30/14.
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Joined: Apr 2007
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Campfire Greenhorn
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Campfire Greenhorn
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My whitworth 375 had a short follower (think it's a 300 win mag length). the rifle fed fine, but I got a 375 length follower, but it needed to be machined on one side to work, to same width as original. Lucky to have a friend with a machine shop in the family. My guess is that they all came with short followers.
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Campfire Tracker
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Not a smith by any means but like the caliber and that rifle so been reading this. You got a great deal. Compare it to getting a Zastava and then having the stock re-done and having a gunsmith regrind and polish the entire action to be comparable to the Whitworth.
Keep it and get the replacement follower and turn it over to a gun smith for final fit and polish. Something I would want to do for any rifle that might see dangerous game use. Cheep insurance and you should end up with flawless feeding. Have them tune and polish the extractor while they are at it for chambered round feeding.
"When you disarm the people, you commence to offend them and show that you distrust them either through cowardice or lack of confidence, and both of these opinions generate hatred." Niccolo Machiavelli
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