Model 81 Magazine Spring and Follower

[dennis53]

I have a Model 81 300 Savage date code June 1941. While shooting at the range, the follower and the 5 way spring came up through the open action and separated from the gun. What is the best way to ensure this does not happen again?

Thanks for any advice,

Dennis53

[81police]

Dennis,

Welcome to the Great 8 & 81 forums. I haven't heard of this happening before, but my first thought would be to check the side springs. I can't seem to think of any other reason why the follower could come up out of the magazine box like that. Hmmm...how does the follower look? Straight? Flat? Bent?

[dennis53]

Thanks for the welcome. The follower looks good-straight with smooth edges.

Dennis53

[dennis53]

Should the follower and spring stay in the magazine when the magazine is removed from the rifle?

Dennis53

[Wildgoose]

I have a Model 81 300 Savage date code June 1941. While shooting at the range, the follower and the 5 way spring came up through the open action and separated from the gun. What is the best way to ensure this does not happen again?

Thanks for any advice,

Dennis53

Hello Dennis,
I have an 81 in the same caliber. Had some feeding issues along with the follower coming out of the mag like yours. Found that the spring was installed backwards. Once properly assembled the problems stopped. No totally sure that this is your issue but its worth a check. Refrence the assembly drawings to determine the proper alignment for the spring.

[AKC]

Should the follower and spring stay in the magazine when the magazine is removed from the rifle?

Dennis53

Correct me if I'm wrong, but the mag shouldn't be removable unless we're talking about a police modified 81 here.

[dennis53]

The magazine is only removable when I do a complete take-down of the rifle. Isn't the follower and spring supposed to stay in the mag when I do the take-down?

[jack1653]

That's a Big 10-4. The side spring will fall off once the magazine is clear of the receiver. The follower and magazine spring should stay in the magazine. I have experienced the follower coming out on rare occassions and it was attributed to the fact that the "ears" on the top of the magazine had been slightly "straightened". I simply put a light bend back on the "ear" and the follower stayed in place. When replacing the spring back in the magzine, the ends of the spring should be pointing toward the stock and the center "point" of the spring pointing toward the muzzel. You will have to insert the follower on an angle to get it to go in the magazine. Make certain the taps on the back of the follower are pointing downward. Good Luck.

Regards,

jack1653

[dennis53]

Thanks for the great tips. I will try to put a slight bend on the top of the magazine. This place is great.

dennis53

[dennis53]

I put the slight bend on the lips on the top of the magazine and that cured the problem of the spring and follower coming up through. Thanks very much for the advice.

edit- I still was having trouble with shells from the magazine coming up through the action during the autoloading cycle. It seems the flat spring on top of the magazine indicator assembly was loose and/or weak. I tried several things to secure the spring but ended up putting epoxy into the joint between the spring and the main body of the indicator. I am off to try the gun today and will let you know how I made out.

Dennis53

[dennis53]

I got back from the range and everything worked great. Loaded five rounds each time with different ammo from remington factory stuff to 150 gr, 165 gr, and 180 gr handloads and everything worked great. 100%

I first tried clamping the spring tighter with no success, so I ended up using the slowest, strongest devcon I could find and let it cure a good week. (product # 62345; 2600 psi; 60min handling; 4-6 hrs set time; 16-24 hrs cure time)

Just to recap, I ended up with two problems: a too wide magazine that I fixed with hand pressure to close the gap; and a loose flat spring on the magazine indicator that I repaired with epoxy. Thanks for all the advice!

dennis53

[lornaroa9]

The Model 81's magazine spring and follower epitomize reliability and precision. Crafted with meticulous attention to detail, these components ensure seamless feeding and consistent performance.Whether in the field or on the range, their robust design underscores the firearm's reputation for durability and functionality, enhancing the overall shooting experience. top follow