using stripper clips in 1903A3

[smc51]

Has anyone had trouble with rounds not feeding properly into an 03A3 when using stripper clips?

[Prince Humperdink]

They've always worked fine in mine.

[jak]

Has anyone had trouble with rounds not feeding properly into an 03A3 when using stripper clips?

What kind of stripper clips are you using ?
Sometimes the ejector flops around and gets in the way. When loading, you have be sure to
get the stripper clip behind the ejector.

FYI, I use Swedish Mauser stripper clips instead of USGI clips

[30calflash]

No problem with US clips. Ive heard the Swedish clips work well as mentioned by jak. There are aftermarket clips by Clemsul that were popular when bolt guns in 308 ran in NRA high power. They'd be good also.

[smc51]

I have a box of 6.5mm laddram (Swedish) stripper clips. I recently filled up one with 5 rounds of HXP, placed the stripper clip into the stripper clip location and seated the rounds.
When I closed the bolt, no cartridge was stripped from the magazine into the chamber. I retried this several times, to no avail. What could I have done that prevented the rounds from chambering??
This is a rebuilt 03A3. When I have hand loaded the HXP every thing went smoothly: IE, rounds chambered and extracted as one would expect.

Steve

[jak]

I never had a problem like you described. It sounds like the rounds are not completely touching the top of the receiver.
Load the rounds using the stripper clip. Look at the top round. The entire length of the top round should be touching the
receiver along the right hand side. There should be no gap. It sounds like there is a small gap near the rear of the shell and
the receiver and the bolt is riding over the top of the shell.
Remove and reinstall the trigger guard and try loading the shells again.
Also try stretching the magazine spring a bit before you reinstall the trigger guard.

[smc51]

Ok, I'll give that a try.....Thank you for your input.

Steve

[cannonshooter]

I have a box of 6.5mm laddram (Swedish) stripper clips. I recently filled up one with 5 rounds of HXP, placed the stripper clip into the stripper clip location and seated the rounds.
When I closed the bolt, no cartridge was stripped from the magazine into the chamber. I retried this several times, to no avail. What could I have done that prevented the rounds from chambering??
This is a rebuilt 03A3. When I have hand loaded the HXP every thing went smoothly: IE, rounds chambered and extracted as one would expect.

Steve
I know on the the 03 there is a magazine cut off. I do not know if they continued with it on the 03a3 but if you have the magazine cut off engaged the rounds will do exactly what you are describing. The lever on the left side of the receiver should be positioned where the lever reads off for you to load out of the magazine. If it is off you are feeding single rounds and keeping the 5 rounds in reserve. Try flipping the lever to the opposite position it is in now. It is very possible the last time you took the bolt out you put the magazine cut off lever in the single shot position.
Mack

[cuppednlocked]

If the cut-off is engaged the bolt does not go all the way back. Would it not block the guide/prevent the rounds from loading?

[jak]

If the cut-off is engaged the bolt does not go all the way back. Would it not block the guide/prevent the rounds from loading?

Correct, With the magazine cutoff in the off/down position the bolt does not go back far enough to load the next round nor will it let you inset the stripper clip.

[cuppednlocked]

It had been a while since I shot my O3A3. It went to the match with me this morning and I looked at the cut-off.

[smc51]

Hey Mack, that is EXACTLY what happened! when I had the cut off switch in the OFF position, the rounds would not feed from the magazine. When I put the switch in the ON position, the rounds fed just fine. Should I take the bolt back out and switch the mag cut off switch to the OFF position?

Steve

[cannonshooter]

You do not have to take the bolt out to turn the magazine cut off on and off. Just make sure the bolt is in the closed position when you do it. Glad to be of assistance.
Mack