Mosin Nagant question-magazine

[John Powera]

I have a Mosin carbine, M44 and a 1891 long rifle. My question to you Mosin gurus is this: the magazine follower spring seems pretty weak on both rifles. When you have one rould in it, it is loose and sort of rattles around. It doesn't seem to want to push the round up high enought to allow the bolt to catch it an chamber the round. Is this normal or is there a fix for it?
John Powers

[Andy/CA]

Are you pushing past the magazine/cartridge interrupter? If so, then cycle the action, and it should pop up after that.

http://7.62x54r.net/MosinID/MosinVideo.htm

[John Powera]

That may be what I was doing. The single round still fits loosely but it chambers. It seems like you have to have the rims arranged just so as well. Thanks.
John

[Andy/CA]

I've heard that the reason for the interrupter is that it allows the round to be stripped off the top of the mag regardless of how the rims are arranged. That being said, I've always staggered them, and have had no issues. AIMSurplus has 7.62Russian on clips... if you look at the pics, you can see how they staggered them in the 50's. Top round is horizontal, bottom round (because of the staggering of the above rounds) is at an angle.

HtH,
-Andy

[Art]

The reason for the interrupter is indeed to allow stripping of the top cartridge regardless of how the cartridges are arranged in the magazine. That, I understand, is also the reason for the bevel on the rim of 7.62x54r military ammo.

[sop2510]

I wonder why the British didn't adopt this feature for the Lee-Enfield? My No. 4 Mk. 1 is very tempermental if the cartridges aren't staggered. It's usually the second charger that causes the problem. How'd the troops overcome this in the field when reloading in the dark?