[Spence]

I've just managed to buy some Hornady .35 Remington Leverevolution ammo and found an interesting statement on the box. It says that there can be a problem with the handling of the last cartridge in the tubular magazine because of the new shape of the ammo, and that it may be necessary to replace the magazine follower with a new type to cure the problem. Has anyone had this problem?

 

[MikeG]

I think that came up on the forum once already. Call Marlin; bet they will send you another follower.

Someone correct me if I'm wrong.

Good luck.

 

[Spence]

I haven't shot mine, yet, but I've cycled a few rounds through it, and it handles them without problems that I can see, including the last one.

Since this is a problem which has been recognized for quite a while, I was wondering if Marlin had made a design change to solve the problem in newer guns. Making a follower which would handle both the new flex tips and the round or flat nose ones doesn't seem that complicated.

If I have any trouble, I'll certainly give Marlin a call, MikeG.

Spence

 

[pisgah]

>Since this is a problem which has been recognized for quite a while, I was wondering if Marlin had made a design change to solve the problem in newer guns. Making a follower which would handle both the new flex tips and the round or flat nose ones doesn't seem that complicated.


I believe the redesigned follower has a "dimple" in the middle to corral the wiggly tips. One "fix", short of a new follower, is just to load an old-fashioned round up front in the tube.

 

[Spence]

If there is a problem with the old style follower handling the new pointy bullets, what is it that happens? Jam?

Spence

 

[StretchNM]

I've been shooting FTX (same as Leverevolution bullets) reloads in my 336C for a couple of months now (about 180 rounds now) and have yet to have a jam. Ejection is not always clean and authoritative, but no jams or even hinting at jamming.

Now, my 1894, well............. there's a jamming little rifle (probably my fault)

 

[pisgah]

If there is a problem with the old style follower handling the new pointy bullets, what is it that happens? Jam?

Spence

Rimmed cartridges do not line up precisely in the tube. They are each "cocked" slightly left or right, up or down. The point can wedge between the follower and the wall of the tube, jamming up the works. The modified followed holds the point closer to the center of the tube and keeps it from sliding in to the crack. This won't happen with every rifle, every time, but it can be troublesome in some rifles.

 

[nwtradegun]

mag follower

that was a problem with the 444 - 450 marlin rifles. i have had no problems with the 30-30 and 35 rem.

 

[Spence]

Rimmed cartridges do not line up precisely in the tube..

Sounds reasonable. But... my gun is .35 Remington, which I believe is classified as a rimless cartridge. Is the .30-30 a rimmed cartridge?

Spence

 

[jodum]

I have used them in all my Marlin lever actions without any problem. The only problem I have noticed with FTX ammo is if you leave it in the magazine tube very long, the plastic tip starts to distort.

 

[Spence]

The only problem I have noticed with FTX ammo is if you leave it in the magazine tube very long, the plastic tip starts to distort.

Interesting. There is a recommendation on the box not to leave them in the tube for "extended" time, but they don't indicate how long that is. What length of time have you found causes the distortion?

Spence

 

[StretchNM]

I haven't "tested" it, of course, but I would think they should be unloaded at the end of the day. If a fellow wanted to keep the rifle loaded, or at least the magazine, for say...defense purposes, then maybe load it with round nose, and keep the FTX for when you go back out hunting.

 

[slim 60]

yep jodium.. what you said is on my boxes of ammo now.. it says don t leave them in the gun ..when it not being used..slim

 

[jodum]

I left them in the my 338 magazine for approx one week while hunting in CO and the tips deformed in that amount of time. After removing the rounds from the gun, they did revert to their original shape after a few days. I guess I should have read the instructions on the box.