7600 Jamming Issues

[emitch_NH]

I bought a used 1987 Remington 7600 30-06 carbine about a year ago --- I love the look and feel of the rifle (reminds me of my 870 Wingmaster), but it keeps jamming up and I can't figure it out. I want to love and trust this rifle to take in the woods, but the jamming issues are driving me insane.

I've taken the entire rifle apart and cleaned up all the gunk/excess oil the prior owner put down the action. I also invested a timney trigger and vortex scope with DNZ mount. Accuracy is OK (maybe 2.5MOA--- I was hoping for it to be a little better), but I the damn thing keeps jamming every so often. The overall condition of the rifle seems to be pretty good for its age; a few dings and scratches here and there, but overall it's in good shape.

I bought a new Remington factory magazine, to replace what looks like the original metal magazine, but this new one also jams. I'm shooting Barnes VORTX 150 gr. TTSX factory ammo; which typically I don't have issues with in other guns. My snap caps also jam in the action when I try practicing with it away from the range. The jamming seems to be less frequent when I rack one round in the chamber and then load only 3 rounds in the magazine (instead of 4), but it still occurs. It looks like 2 cartridges are loading into the chamber when the jamming occurs.

Once covid 19 quarantine is over I'm going to try some different factory ammo options to see if I get different results, but it's frustrating to have such a classic, high revered, rifle to do this. Any other suggestions to look into or try before taking to a gunsmith?

 

[longbow]

So, you put 4 rounds into the mag, firmly insert it into the mag well, until it clicks, rack the action, back and then forward, to cycle the first round into the chamber? Does all that work ok for you so far?

 

[mowbizz]

I didn’t realize pump actions could “jam”
How is it jamming? Shell getting stuck in the port?
Shell getting stuck going into chamber?
Bolt jamming while picking up a shell?
Same “jam” each time?
Obviously needs a gunsmith’s opinion but you’re not giving enough info.

 

[SportsmanNH]

There was a thread a while back about this same jamming problem with the 7600.
If I remember right it was the magazine. The one that claims it's good for multiple calibers.
That magazine might be good for newer 7600's but doesn't work so well in older guns.
The newer magazines like this have a plastic bottom section . The older ones are all steel and have only one caliber listed on the magazine
I ran into this same problem with a Rem 742 with one of those part plastic magazines.
I bought one as an extra spare and it didn't work for crap. Did the same thing your gun is doing.
But my all steel 3 originals all worked flawless so I knew it wasn't the gun.
Funny , I gave that magazine to a friend with a newer7400 and it worked fine in his gun.
The packaging claimed it was good for 740 742 and 7400 rifles

mowbizz brings up a good point. Not enough info. We dont know which part of the cycle it's jamming.
Is it doing it loading a shell , ejecting a shell , after you fired a shell , or doing it just cycling unfired shells .
Since this gun is new to you, are you cycling the action all the way back and forward.
You took the gun apart to clean it. Did you lock the slide bars back into place ?
Too many unknowns. Tell us more so we can try to pinpoint the problem

 

[longbow]

Sell it and put that new scope on a Browning BAR carbine! they don’t jam!

 

[mowbizz]

Sell it and put that new scope on a Browning BAR carbine! they don’t jam!

Yup! Just have to make sure the bolt slams shut or it might go "click"

 

[emitch_NH]

Wow --- thank you for all of the responses (so quickly!). So a little more explanation:

1. I load single cartridge into the rifle
2. I then load the magazine with 4 rounds (so now I'm 4+1 capacity)
3. First round fires - no problem.
4. I then pump the action backwards, and then forwards.
5. When I pumped forward two cartridges get caught in the action (1 cartridge fully leaves the magazine, the second one is sticking out maybe halfway out of the magazine --- the first one never makes it into the chamber and jams the action).
6. The magazine I have is a newer one --- it has the plastic bottom section and is for all long actions.

I'm not short cycling and the actions bars are locked.

When I'm 3+1 capacity, this problem definitely happens less, but I've still had it happen to me a couple times at the range. I like everything about this gun, but I'm not going to potentially miss out on a trophy buck over this.

Based on everything above, I have a feeling it might be the magainze. Maybe I'll try to find a used steel version. I've also read online on different forums that some users bent the sidebars of the magazine with pliers to hold the cartridges in place better. Maybe I might try that next unless anybody else has any other ideas.

 

[longbow]

I never load my 7600's like that. I put 4 rounds into the mag., put the mag in the rifle, (with the action closed), then I rack the slide back and then forward firmly to chamber the round. Make sure the bolt picks up the round when you are firmly chambering the round and that it does not merely slide over the top of the cartridges. Make sure the mag is clicked in good before you chamber the round. I load the same way each time.
Try loading like this, then cycle all the rounds out without firing. It should go smoothly if the mag is suited for your rifle.
Some mags work better than others. I have a least a dozen and select two mags that work best in my the rifle.

 

[outdoorsman]

Look into adjusting the sheet metal of the upper magazine which hold the ammunition down. The magazine likely has a high amount of curl in the top which holds the cartridge more tightly than needed. This is why some magazines work better than others. It is simply each magazine has a slightly different amount of adjustment.

 

[Haystaddle]

I would look to see if the feed ramp is in order. Could be a slight gap there, a nick or other blemish that is holding the second shell up slightly allowing the third shell to start the double feed.

 

[802-603hunter]

I load mine the same way longbow does, no issues. I figured adding that extra bullet in there would create more problems than benefits over time. I did pick up a spare clip years ago, the ones with the plastic bottoms. It did not fit well and got stuck in the gun. When I was finally able to pry it out it went directly in the trash! I since was given an old-school all metal clip stamped 30-06 that fits fine. That one was found in the middle of a logging road by a friend of mine. Guessing someone set it on their truck and forgot about it before driving off.

 

[emitch_NH]

Thanks for all the feedback --- I'll try adjusting the magazine a little and see what happens.

 

[longbow]

Just a note: If you drop one in the chamber and then put the mag in and go hunting, how do you know the mag is in correctly and working? By putting the mag in and then racking the action you now know that the mag was seated correctly,(and it can be seated incorrectly!!), and that it successfully chambered the first round. Just my thinking on it. And I do watch the bolt pick up the shell as I move the slide forward and then slam it closed.

 

[longbow]

If you still have problems I have an older mag you can try. I'll send it to you in the mail.

 

[Vtbuck223]

I like the extra round and load mine exactly the way you described (4+1). It is pretty tight and I am very careful to make sure the magazine clicks in place and is seated right. I still use the original clip which came with the rifle when I bought it 16 years ago...never had any problems with jamming or not cycling properly...but it is probably safer as LB described.

 

[SportsmanNH]

I since was given an old-school all metal clip stamped 30-06 that fits fine. That one was found in the middle of a logging road by a friend of mine. Guessing someone set it on their truck and forgot about it before driving off.

So THATS where I left my clip !

 

[emitch_NH]

If you still have problems I have an older mag you can try. I'll send it to you in the mail.

Thanks Longbow --- I'll try a few of the suggestions on here and spend some more time with it at the range when it re-opens. Hopefully I can get it to work better. Always wanted a 7600 and would love to bag my next deer with it.

 

[mbVT]

It is definitely the mag. I have a bunch of all old metal mags that I picked up over the years, about half would work in my 760 and half wouldn't. One day for a project I went through and watch the ones that didn't work as I brought the action forward. I could see a variety of problems - sometimes it was the R side round that would get stuck, sometimes the left, sometimes two would come up (like you have). I managed to fix all of them with pliers and some gentle nudging of different parts of the metal fins on top. Those steer the rounds into place.
With two popping up in a 4+1 scenario, I'd guess the rear of the fin on the side of the first round (left I think) needs to be rolled in a bit, so the bolt only grabs one round.

 

[mowbizz]

It is definitely the mag. I have a bunch of all old metal mags that I picked up over the years, about half would work in my 760 and half wouldn't. One day for a project I went through and watch the ones that didn't work as I brought the action forward. I could see a variety of problems - sometimes it was the R side round that would get stuck, sometimes the left, sometimes two would come up (like you have). I managed to fix all of them with pliers and some gentle nudging of different parts of the metal fins on top. Those steer the rounds into place.
With two popping up in a 4+1 scenario, I'd guess the rear of the fin on the side of the first round (left I think) needs to be rolled in a bit, so the bolt only grabs one round.

Boy, those mags sure sound finicky!

 

[ihunt]

I know the 7400's jamming issues were primarily due to pointed ammunition. I switched to round nose bullets and the jamming never happened again.