Rio Grande Magazine Follower question

[joec]

Well guys I got a notice that something was coming to me through USPS today from Beartooth Mercantile. Well since I bought the original magazine follower from them for the Marlin and it didn't work he didn't seem to be too interested in making any. Well even though I sent him the sizes any how he is also making them. Now they have a different front design that the others make. At any rate here is another now listed.

http://beartoothmercantile-2.myshopify. ... s-follower

[pricedo]

Well guys I got a notice that something was coming to me through USPS today from Beartooth Mercantile. Well since I bought the original magazine follower from them for the Marlin and it didn't work he didn't seem to be too interested in making any. Well even though I sent him the sizes any how he is also making them. Now they have a different front design that the others make. At any rate here is another now listed.

http://beartoothmercantile-2.myshopify. ... s-follower

Pretty hard to beat $12 as long as they work.
The SG followers are around $19.

[joec]

Well guys I got a notice that something was coming to me through USPS today from Beartooth Mercantile. Well since I bought the original magazine follower from them for the Marlin and it didn't work he didn't seem to be too interested in making any. Well even though I sent him the sizes any how he is also making them. Now they have a different front design that the others make. At any rate here is another now listed
http://beartoothmercantile-2.myshopify. ... s-follower

Pretty hard to beat $12 as long as they work.
The SG followers are around $19.

I agree that is why I bought his to try since I was only out $12 so no need to return it did not work, which it didn't. I emailed him with a PDF of the page filled out for sizing them and as I said just today I seem to be getting one for free since I actually paid $30 to have one made. Now as for the shape it was for the Marlins which I guess might in some cases have problems with the Hornady FTX Leverolution ammo when loading. I don't have any problem however in the RG loading it with the standard shaped type I had made. I will try it though and see what how it works.

[pricedo]

The metal magazine follower solution came as easy as pie for the 30-30 Rio Grande ...........one of Steve's Gunz stainless steel followers (44/45 cal) fit to a tee......haven't had a problem with mine.........handles FTX and conventional ammo without a hiccup.

On the other hand the problem of finding a functioning metal follower to fit the 45-70 version has been hanging on like a cheap wine hang-over.......no light at the end of the tunnel yet.

[Ranch Dog]

On the other hand the problem of finding a functioning metal follower to fit the 45-70 version has been hanging on like a cheap wine hang-over.......no light at the end of the tunnel yet.

Not so, The Smith Shop makes a RG4570 specific stainless steel follower that is $20 plus $3 shipping. This as a result of joec's efforts. This started as a limited run item for $27 but he has sold enough to run the price down to $20 each.

[joec]

Here is a picture of the one from http://beartoothmercantile-2.myshopify. ... -steel-357 which is $12 and also stainless. You can see the difference in design of the leading edge. I also sent Beartooth the measurements and mine should be delivered today replacing the one I got for the Marlin to try that didn't work.

rossi_rio_4570_follower_medium.jpg

[Pepe Ray]

Joe;
Observation and question here.
Isn't the concave surface ,thereby allowing a variety of boolet nose profiles, going to contribute
to feeding issues? Since the O/A length of a cartridge must fit within a restricted window of length, it
would seem to me that anyone using this design of follower must be on the lookout for changes in
feeding reliability. OR am I all wet?
Pepe Ray

[joec]

Joe;
Observation and question here.
Isn't the concave surface ,thereby allowing a variety of boolet nose profiles, going to contribute
to feeding issues? Since the O/A length of a cartridge must fit within a restricted window of length, it
would seem to me that anyone using this design of follower must be on the lookout for changes in
feeding reliability. OR am I all wet?
Pepe Ray

You have the shape right and I tried it today in my rifle with both gum tipped Hornady FTX rounds which this is meant to be fore but it also loaded my Cast RNFP 405 gr loaded bullets also. I had no feeding issues at all with it.

[pricedo]

Members with magazine loading/feeding problems should look at first things first.
The action & tube magazine of my 30-30 Rio Grande were full of crud when I first bought it like the gun had been warehoused in the bottom of a sewage lagoon.
When I stripped the gun I cleaned the mag tube out with a wire brush on the end of a cleaning rod and swabbed it with gun cleaning patches until it was clean.
Clean the burrs out of the throat of the mag tube at the receiver end and clean the burrs off the cartridge lifter.
This should all be done BEFORE switching out the plastic mag follower for the SS follower.
The most perfectly machined follower in the world won't fit down a filthy dirty tube.
Maybe the $12 followers that didn't work can be modified with judicious application of a 3 sided file.
You're likely not going to send the cheap follower back anyway cause the postage would be as much as the refund so you might as well give it a shot.

[joec]

Members with magazine loading/feeding problems should look at first things first.
The action & tube magazine of my 30-30 Rio Grande were full of crud when I first bought it like the gun had been warehoused in the bottom of a sewage lagoon.
When I stripped the gun I cleaned the mag tube out with a wire brush on the end of a cleaning rod and swabbed it with gun cleaning patches until it was clean.
Clean the burrs out of the throat of the mag tube at the receiver end and clean the burrs off the cartridge lifter.
This should all be done BEFORE switching out the plastic mag follower for the SS follower.
The most perfectly machined follower in the world won't fit down a filthy dirty tube.
Maybe the $12 followers that didn't work can be modified with judicious application of a 3 sided file.
You're likely not going to send the cheap follower back anyway cause the postage would be as much as the refund so you might as well give it a shot.

In the case of the 45-70 RG mag follower and the Marlin 45-70 mag follower there is a lot of difference starting with a larger diameter spring in the RG to the length of the follower itself being shorter in the RG than the marlin. It would take a bit more than filing and would require at least a drill press to increase the spring opening diameter. At any rate it worked as well as the one I got originally made. Just a bit different shape at the bullet head part. It loads both the FTX gummy tips and the old cast RNFN bullets just fine in the RG with either.

Oh and I do agree on cleaning the mag tube something I do every time I clean a rifle of mine.