Browning A-Bolt 243WSSM--What a disappointment

johnnyboy1948

Gentlemen,

I just bought my first Browning rifle. What a disappointment.

I just bought a new 243WSSM. I can load a cartridge directly into the loading port (without pushing it down into the magazine) and push the bolt closed (with ease), and then open the bolt and eject the cartridge. All is well there.

But, if I load the magazine with 3 cartridges (or even just one), and try to close the bolt, the bolt experiences hard resistance against the back of the top cartridge's head. If I were to force the bolt closed, I am sure it would jam the bullet against hard steel near the entrance to the chamber. It appears that the top cartridge in the magazine is not being positioned high enough to allow the bolt to push it forward into the chamber without hitting steel at the front part of the receiver. I checked the magzine and it is labeled "243WSSM". It does not say "Browning" on it. By the way, I have been using dummy loads sized and seated to SAAMI length to try to solve this problem. I am afraid to put a live cartridge in this beast.

Anybody had this problem? Any help is appreciated.

Thanks,
John

Snellstrom

Johnny,
you need to get in touch with Browning about this trouble. I don't have their phone number handy now but you should be able to Google search it up. Browning/ Winchester have been very good to deal with in my experience, well let me re-phrase that, when I've needed parts you talk to the folks in Utah and they are great to deal with, the folks you need to talk to are in Connecticut I believe and they are a bunch of jerks with that east coast attitude that I just have a hard time dealing with.
The Winchester/ Browning products are good, too good too be disappointed in. Please get ahold of them and make them fix it [;)]

johnnyboy1948

Followup information on the 243 WSSM:

I have had two gunsmiths examine the gun. Both say there is a serious problem. The last gunsmith is a Browning-certified gunsmith. He is going to contact Browning.

I cannot believe that I am the only owner with this problem, as I have personally held 3 of these rifles. Two of them would not chamber a round from the magazine. They all look the same. I don't see how any of these rifles can chamber a round from the magazine. Quite frankly, these guns should be recalled.

John
[:D]

D.S.COLE

The A-bolt has a detachable magazine. Ive used several of the same model you have with no problem. You probably just have a bad magazine. It doesnt seem likely that a bad receiver , or ramp would occur, but this day and time anything is possible. I do know that the extra short action these are made on is borderline too short. I reloaded some brass for a customer and you have to seat the bullet abnormally deep to get it to work.The loading data is very "wimpy" and I had to go beyond the max load in the manual to get it up to regular 243 velocity.The only good news I have on it is ,most everyone reports very good accuracy.
Good luck in getting it straightened out.

mrbruce

Before you deep 6 it, try another magazine in it.
If thats not the problem, you can bet Browning will correct the real problem.

Gun control is hitting what your aiming at.