Controlled feed vs push feed?

I've owned both and in 36 years have never had a problem with either. I think the push feed is under appreciated. There is nothing wrong with a push feed.

Rather then worry about the feed I'd be more concerned with the fit of the rifle and how well it was made.
 
I don't claim to be any sort of gun expert. No engineering training at all. So I rely on those who are experts...like Peter and Paul Mauser.

I believe back in 1898 they designed the perfect bolt action rifle. The design has not been significantly improved since its inception. All newer designs that deviate from the 1898 original do so in the interest of manufacturing shortcuts to save money, not to make the rifle better. They deemed the controlled feed as the best way to go. Who am I to argue?

I don't see how it gets any better than this...

standard.jpg
 
I think it's hard to say push feed actions are under appreciated when God knows how may Remington 700s have been made through the years lol. I think it may be a bit more accurate to say push feed's 'issues' are oversold for the most part. That being said a good rule of thumb is if it might kill you you might really consider a CRF system.
 
in three hunting trips to africa i have shot dikker to cape buffalo(13 different species) with both types, push-crf and i,m still here and going back to africa next year. use a double rifle if you think you will need a super fast second shot. and with hunting deadly game there will be at least a armed PH or two with you as insurence in case things go south in a hurry. eastbank.
 
I don't know if this has been brought up, but a push feed action can leave a round in the chamber if the bolt isn't dropped fully to pop the extractor over the rim. The feed only shoves the round in, and with a controlled feed, no matter what, pulling back the bolt, the round will extract. A man I knew racked the bolt to his rifle back and forth, not knowing that there was one last round in his magazine, and the rim was not pushed over the extractor. After ejecting that "last" fired case, he simply ran the bolt in and out without dropping the handle, found that no round was ejected, shut the bolt, and "dry fired."

That resulted in an unintended discharge. His other rifles all had claw extractors. He was not well familiarized with his new firearm.
 
and how was that the fault of the rifle? the best defence against AD,s is sitting on top of your shoulders. eastbank.
 
I never blamed it on the rifle. The guy was used to one system and switched to another, and assumed that the thing he had would function as a controlled feed. Someone who has been used to claw extractors may make this same mistake when switching off. The accident happened when he used a borrowed 700.

in any case, a claw extractor is a better system in my opinion. I don't care for a bolt that sort of "tosses" the cartridge into the breech.
 
http://thefiringline.com/forums/showpost.php?p=6143829&postcount=9

In the heyday of the bolt action military rifle, what countries used push feed rifles in WW1 (and WW2 for most)?

Zero. You wouldn't have liked a push feed rifle in those muddy trenches.

It was said that in WW1 the Americans had the best target rifle (Springfield), the Germans had the best hunting rifle (Mauser), and the British had the best military fighting rifle (SMLE).

If you are going to just hunt deer on the weekend push feed will work fine, I've never seen one fail. Dangerous game you really should have controlled round feed.
 
The key reason that I prefer controlled feed is that the cartridge goes directly into the chamber without any serious contact with the chamber. I've had push feed rimfires jam. Tilting a bolt rifle upwards to run the bolt has caused problems.

In my opinion, it's not about whether it poses a genuine risk or problem, it's all about the more subtle, and admittedly obsessive desire for the action to have the most perfect design and function as possible. The only push feed rifle I have is a 700 in 243. It has NEVER failed me, but neither have the others, and it's just a matter of personal distaste that makes me avoid a rifle that doesn't grab onto the rim and guide it completely into place.

Just a matter of personal paranoia, it might even be said.

On another hand, there was a story I read written by a WWII vet. He wound up in a nighttime firefight with limited backup, carrying a springfield. every time he fired, he was targeted. and he rolled away from the incoming fire. an empty magazine, incoming rounds, roll, and reload. He later realized that he was firing tracer rounds with every fifth round, and he was alerting the gunners to his position. In a fit of rage, he later smashed his springfield, and took a garand that had been misplaced.

He blamed the rifle because the ammo was equipped with tracers. It happens all the time, people grab onto simple, even unreasonable prejudices and hold them forever.
 
if you ever have a burst case head you will want a push feed. look at a pre-64 win barrel and a springfield o3,o3a3 barrel, the large extractor cut in the rear of the chamber will allow the gas to wreck your rifle and may hurt the shooter. eastbank.
 
There are plenty of CRF guns that won't actually CRF properly, fumbling to be neither push or CRF. I'll take push feed any day, just for it's predictability. The Sako extractor is a good one, but the Remington clip extractor design is better for it's stronger bolt body.

Best not to be laying on your back though when you chamber a round.

-SS-
 
a remington action is fine. just the fact that it has an enormous gas port and a solidly built breech and bolt face will contain all but the very worst gas leak. I never expect an ordinary gas leak from a 700 bolt to come blasting out of the firing pin hole or anywhere else. You see a lot of bolts with three vents, or at least they used to be around, and I think that the three vent was just for show.
 
Use both. I see the beauty of both. I'm vehemently ambivalent.
If I were in a trench in 1917, I'd be biased towards CF.
 
if you ever have a burst case head you will want a push feed. look at a pre-64 win barrel and a springfield o3,o3a3 barrel, the large extractor cut in the rear of the chamber will allow the gas to wreck your rifle and may hurt the shooter. eastbank.

I am the only one that measures case head protrusion, the 03 and 03A3 (and the M1917) has less case head protrusion than the Mauser by .020". Then there is case head thickness from the cup above the web to the case head.

I know, when there is a failure there is a rush to blame something and somebody, it is impossible to protect someone from one self.

F, Guffey
 
Then there is the strongest:) receiver in the world, has anyone measured the gap on one of those:eek:.

Forgive, I know, I am the only one.

F. Guffey
 
I can think of a lot of things that could be in the running for your claim of strongest receiver, for example, the 700 t rex is totally supported for ever square milimeter of the brass. Even the primer is against steel.

My guess as to the strongest would be the naval artillery guns.

I seriously want an answer, i'm not just winding you up.
 
if you ever have a burst case head you will want a push feed.

I seriously want an answer, I'm not just winding you up.

My standard response to the story below is "FANTASTIC!"

On another hand, there was a story I read written by a WWII vet. He wound up in a nighttime firefight with limited backup, carrying a springfield. every time he fired, he was targeted. and he rolled away from the incoming fire. an empty magazine, incoming rounds, roll, and reload. He later realized that he was firing tracer rounds with every fifth round, and he was alerting the gunners to his position. In a fit of rage, he later smashed his springfield, and took a garand that had been misplaced.

He blamed the rifle because the ammo was equipped with tracers. It happens all the time, people grab onto simple, even unreasonable prejudices and hold them forever.

When making an attempt to discern fact from fiction and truth from nonsense when I get to the 'every 5th round' I have to think he was using a machine gun. Complete with tracers and armor piercing rounds that were linked. If he was using a Springfield the tracer could have been the first and or last round fired.

F. Guffey
 
Last edited:
When making an attempt to discern fact from fiction and truth from nonsense when I get to the 'every 5th round' I have to think he was using a machine gun. Complete with tracers and armor piercing rounds that were linked. If he was using a Springfield the tracer could have been the first and or last round fired.

fact or fiction, first or last, five or whatever, that is all irrelevant to the point. whatever the reality of the situation, if there is any reality at all, this soldier chose to destroy a bolt rifle and assume ownership of a garand that he wasn't issued, and the reason he gave for hating springfields was that firefight, where the "rifle let him down and nearly got him killed."

So far as I know, it was entirely made up. The important thing to remember is that people actually do think that way, that even the most nonsensical ideas are often given the status as orders from God. Most people would have just figured out that tracer bullets are a bad idea.

My father in law was a dodge man, every inch of the way, birth to death, and never, ever a deviation. But, the one most important thing in his dislike of all other brands was his absolute, passionate, overwhelming hatred of Mercury.

Why did he hate Mercury? Because he was once run off the road by a guy in a Mercury, and his car got banged up.

Conversion of our feelings into irrational beliefs is a common thing. My cousin won't allow coke in his house because his ex wife drank it.
 
So far as I know, it was entirely made up.

I read through the story as told then said "FANTASTIC".

I have 03 clips with 5 rounds each, the clip is not directional, as in top or bottom, meaning the first round could be a tracer, or the last round could be a tracer. I have belt of 30/06 ammo, every 5th round is a tracer or AP. I have clips for M1 Garands with 8 rounds of armor piercing. And blanks, I have blanks in belts and clips.

And I have a box that held 20 rounds of AP. I have heard the rational "Why would they do that?", I do not know but if they did they would paint the front of the box with blue and orange stripes.

F. Guffey

Then there are pull down bullets, tracer and armor piercing, The powder is gone and the cases became used.
 
Back
Top