All Weather Hawkeye 300 Win Mag: Mag well too short!

[OMCHamlin]

So I recently bought and tested a Ruger All Weather Hawkeye in 300 Win Mag. It so happens that I have a decent quantity of match 300 Win Mag, loaded with Sierra 190 Grain Match Kings, BUT, they are too long to feed from the rifles internal magazine well.
Too tell the truth, the fact that I had this ammo was part of the reason I bought the rifle in that caliber. And the rifle is a very good shooter as well!
Does anyone know of a way to lengthen the internal magazine to accommodate these rounds? Seating them deeper is NOT an option.

 

[427mach1]

If they are Matchkings, I assume this is target/range ammo, not used for hunting. If that is the case, why not just use the rifle as a single-shot, loading each round individually? I have a 204 Savage model 12 that I use for target/varmint and I put a single-shot loading ramp from http://www.sharpshootersupply.com . Someone probably makes something similar for the Hawkeye. One advantage to single-shot is that there is less chance that the bullet is scraped/scratched as it enters straight into the chamber.

 

[OMCHamlin]

I hear you, but I kind of wanted full functionality from the rifle, including the ability to use the magazine as designed with factory ammo. I do have a heavier, Remington 700 with a Lilja match barrel and stock, but this was a plan for a lighter rifle.

 

[pisgah]

They say that all things in gunsmithing are possible with enough money. There are lessons to be learned every day...

 

[427mach1]

I hear you, but I kind of wanted full functionality from the rifle, including the ability to use the magazine as designed with factory ammo. I do have a heavier, Remington 700 with a Lilja match barrel and stock, but this was a plan for a lighter rifle.

Yeah, but for all of $11, you can have a single shot range rifle. It can be removed and returned to full-capacity fairly easily for hunting.

http://www.eabco.net/Bench-Rest-Magazine-Follower_p_13407.html

 

[mike7mm08]

Are they loaded to spec overall length. If they do not exceed max length for the cartridge call Ruger. I had a MKII in 350 mag that would not feed anything unless it was about .15 to .20 under max for the cartridge. I called Ruger they sent a me a shipping label. Sent the gun off had it back in two weeks. Gun is now the slickest feeding of any bolt action I own. I can even load over max length now. All on Rugers dime too.

 

[22/45 Fan]

Having loaded rounds beyond the magazine's length limit is a common problem with long, heavy match bullets loaded to nearly touch the rifling.

My Ruger American in .223 Rem has a magazine limit if 2.26" which is the SAAMI maximum. Loading Sierra 69gr TMK to .01" off the rifling makes the round too long (2.335") to fit in the magazine and they have to be single loaded.

My Ruger Gunsite Scout, also in .223 Rem, will magazine feed these rounds since the Accurate Mag it comes with will accept loaded rounds up to 2.350".

 

[kmoore]

Being a high power match shooter. That does happen. On match rifles you buy a custom thing called a sled. That holds the round it place as you chamber it. But, you still have a single shot rifle. Slow fire is timed at 1 minute a shot no big deal. A single shot load helps you slow down your rate of fire and cools barrel off. All better for the accurate shooter. Not so good if you need to kill zombies. So, figure out do you want a great accurate load at 1 round at a time or do you need a full mag to blast away.

 

[planetcat]

So I recently bought and tested a Ruger All Weather Hawkeye in 300 Win Mag. It so happens that I have a decent quantity of match 300 Win Mag, loaded with Sierra 190 Grain Match Kings, BUT, they are too long to feed from the rifles internal magazine well.
Too tell the truth, the fact that I had this ammo was part of the reason I bought the rifle in that caliber. And the rifle is a very good shooter as well!
Does anyone know of a way to lengthen the internal magazine to accommodate these rounds? Seating them deeper is NOT an option.

This would irritate me. I would think that any .300 win mag round loaded to factory specs up to 220 grains would feed without issue. It's not a cheap gun.

 

[pisgah]

This would irritate me. I would think that any .300 win mag round loaded to factory specs up to 220 grains would feed without issue. It's not a cheap gun.

Yeah, but IS it loaded to factory specs? I don't believe that's been made clear yet.

 

[22/45 Fan]

This would irritate me. I would think that any .300 win mag round loaded to factory specs up to 220 grains would feed without issue. It's not a cheap gun.

The 190 gr MK is a long bullet and if loaded to just miss the rifling, as is common for target ammo, the round's OAL may exceed both SAAMI specs and the magazines capacity. This si relatively common.

 

[OMCHamlin]

This would irritate me. I would think that any .300 win mag round loaded to factory specs up to 220 grains would feed without issue. It's not a cheap gun.

Yeah, but IS it loaded to factory specs? I don't believe that's been made clear yet.

Yes, they are basically factory Federal 300 WM Match ammo, in the box, loaded with Sierra Match Kings, 190 gr HPBT. I am literally ashamed that I haven't taken a COAL yet, but I just did so it's 3.460". And it IS factory ammo though.
Looking further, it seems that SAMMI says 3.340" is spec for COAL...

 

[pisgah]

Looking further, it seems that SAMMI says 3.340" is spec for COAL...

So, to get back to my original answer -- admittedly not all that useful -- almost anything in gunsmithing is possible with the application of enough money. But for those whose reaction is pique with Ruger -- well, it's hard to fault them for making a rifle that won't handle ammo loaded to out-of-SAAMI specs, especially in this case a rifle that is not a match rifle.

 

[kmoore]

Sorry I do not understand the comment they are basically factory rounds. I have factory rounds and hand loads none are basically one or the other they are factory rounds or hand loads. You likely know that the army is shooting the 220 and 190 Sierra match bullets in their M2010 Remingtion .300 win mag sniper rifles. I do not know those ammo COLs.

 

[huntsman22]

You don't have a sniper rifle with a detachable mag sized for the longer ammo. They do......

 

[OMCHamlin]

Okay, so the ammo I have is mil-spec, apparently, so it's NOT to SAMMI spec. I spoke with Ruger today, and frankly, there's nothing they can do about, nor should they. It'd be nice if they made their mag well a little longer, but it's within SAMMI spec, so that's that, can't blame them for that.
There is an outfit (CDI) that I have corresponded with that can convert this to a detachable (MagPul) magazine, which has an internal length of 3.5", so that is an (expensive) option. I don't know. Maybe. I'll go punch the bore out, and shoot it fresh and see if I am impressed enough with the guns accuracy to want to spend more on it to have it feed this stuff. The internal length is sooo close, apparently spec'ed to hold an overall length of 3.445", but too short is too short. Oh well, I'll post what I figure out, when I figure something out. I like this rifle though, I'd like to make it fully work for me, if I can.

 

[picketpin]

It happens all the time. I have #1s in 7mm STW. No problems. My cousin bought a new Winchester Model 70 when they were introduced. WE mentioned to the Winchester rep at the SHOT show that year that rounds loaded to anywhere near the lands would not fit the magazine. Poor accuracy. He called the plant . They were made to accept SAAMI ammo BUT they were really LONG throated. Not a good combination. It was the reverse with Remington 700s of the time. Mag was okay with SAAMI BUT predicated on the ogive of the bullet stuff loaded to SAAMI would have to force the bullet back to close the bolt. Not a good idea pressure wise in a 300 Win Mag Those in the immediate family now all shoot #1s and we had them all throated the same so I don't have to reload for 9 different lengths.

I've seen both issues in many factory guns over the last 50+ years of shooting/hunting.

Ross