Fired my Ljungman

[Justintoxicated]

Made some hand loads using H4895 hoping to not have extraction issues that faster burning powders used to cause in this gun when it was in service.

It shot well, I didn't have to lubricate the rounds, and the brass still looked good too, less damaged than my garand does to my brass.

It did however have some trouble extracting rounds from the magazine. I was loading 5, and every single time the 3rd round failed to chamber. I guess it would be caused by a magazine issue?

[Mustang]

I've loaded Rounds for my Ljungmann using Varget and IMR 4064 (around 35 grains) with good results. I've not had any feeding issues, but have had a few extraction issues.

The thing I like about the faster burning powders is that the extraction sequence seems to be much less violent than with Swedish surplus or commercial ammo.

[Justintoxicated]

I've loaded Rounds for my Ljungmann using Varget and IMR 4064 (around 35 grains) with good results. I've not had any feeding issues, but have had a few extraction issues.

The thing I like about the faster burning powders is that the extraction sequence seems to be much less violent than with Swedish surplus or commercial ammo.

You should try some H4895

Can you measure the height of the feed-lips on the back of the magazine for me? It would be greatly appreciated.

[Mustang]

You should try some H4895

Can you measure the height of the feed-lips on the back of the magazine for me? It would be greatly appreciated.

I'm not sure what you mean.

[Justintoxicated]

I'm not sure what you are you mean.

I'll take a picture tonight.

[justin4fun]

I took mine out on Saturday also. I put through 100 privy without a hitch. I have heard its best to reload for them but needed some brass and TRAP to finish cleaning off his reloading bench so I can get some rolled up. I think I like it a bit more than my hakim. Extraction was good and sent them about 5 feet out at about 3 oclock. good luck getting her fixed up and running smooth again.

[Mustang]

I took mine out on Saturday also. I put through 100 privy without a hitch. I have heard its best to reload for them but needed some brass and TRAP to finish cleaning off his reloading bench so I can get some rolled up. I think I like it a bit more than my hakim. Extraction was good and sent them about 5 feet out at about 3 oclock. good luck getting her fixed up and running smooth again.

Mine sends Prvi brass about 40 feet @ 2 o'clock. Chews the hell out of the rim also.

The reloads, with a medium burning powder, are more like 10 feet @ 2 o'clock, and much easier on the case.

[pro-nra]

Them Ljungman bolts are the guillotine of firearms and much worse than the Garand especially if you single load for matches. Just imagine if you leave your thumb/fingers in the breech area when the bolt goes into battery. Mine is utterly reliable with 4064.

[Justintoxicated]

Them Ljungman bolts are the guillotine of firearms and much worse than the Garand especially if you single load for matches. Just imagine if you leave your thumb/fingers in the breech area when the bolt goes into battery. Mine is utterly reliable with 4064.

But the design is what makes them so cool!


So I couldn't figure out how to measure the feed lips on the magazine either so those pics are not coming. The feed problem MUST be a magazine issue though right?

Is the magazine supposed to have these nails in it?

ljungman magazine by Glamisduner, on Flickr


ljungman magazine by Glamisduner, on Flickr

Not sure how to solve this feed issue. Should I bend the feed lips up?

[TRAP55]

It did however have some trouble extracting rounds from the magazine. I was loading 5, and every single time the 3rd round failed to chamber. I guess it would be caused by a magazine issue?

Was the bolt closing on an empty chamber?
If it was, is it always missing the 3rd round, from the same side of the mag?
Or, was the bolt catching a round from the mag, and not completing the cycle from a misfeed?

[Justintoxicated]

Was the bolt closing on an empty chamber?
If it was, is it always missing the 3rd round, from the same side of the mag?
Or, was the bolt catching a round from the mag, and not completing the cycle from a misfeed?

I had both problems. I wish I could have spent some more time figuring out the issue.

So I would load 5, the first round would always chamber, most of the time the second would, but I did have a couple misfeeds. I tried loading using hornady amax and I think the tips are too long and caused some issues. However, whether using Hornady amax or HPBT, the bolt would fail to extract the 3rd round from the magazine. So yes it would always be the same side of the magazine. The bolt would simply pass over the round. If I pushed it forward with my finger (or actually I used a pen since the bolt scares me haha) then it would catch and chamber the 3rd round. There was a little excess grease on the bolt right there when I cleaned it but I don't think it would be enough to blame the problem on that alone.

[TRAP55]

In hand, I'd have it figured out in 10 minutes. From a keyboard, it's doable, but a PITA, so bare with me.
Cartridge length has to be within specs, there's not much room for error there.
With that suspect eliminated, there's several reasons the bolt will fail to pick up a round.
1) The bolt is short cycling.
Cause: Dirt in the bolt assembly, plugged or fouled gas system, or too low chamber pressure reloads
Fix: Clean and lube, find a load that duplicates factory chamber pressure
2) Weak magazine spring
Cause: Old spring and/or left fully loaded over a long period of time
Fix; new spring
3) Follower hangs inside the mag body
Cause: Dirt/rust, dings, burrs on the follower
Fix: Clean and "lightly" lube, de-burr follower and inside of mag body so follower moves freely
4) Magazine not fully seated in mag well
Cause: Worn mag catch, mag not fitted properly, mag feed lips too high interfering with proper seating
Fix: Replace catch, fit mag, adjust feed lips
5) Mag feed lips bent down too far in the rear, not enough gap between mag lips for the cartridge rim to come up for the bolt to catch it
Fix: Usually find this on aftermarket mags. Usual fix is filing the lips to a wider gap. failing to feed from one side is usually the lip on that side.

Mag lips are the last thing to mess with.
One of those "nails" on the bottom of the mag should be a floorplate release to disassemble the mag for cleaning. Push in on it, and slide the floorplate over and off of it. Pay attention to how the parts come out, and re-install the same way.
Clean, lube, check for burrs and free movement.
Get a pic from the top, of a typical misfeed in your rifle, that will show me what's going on. Another pic, same area, closeup, with empty mag fully seated.

[Justintoxicated]

In hand, I'd have it figured out in 10 minutes. From a keyboard, it's doable, but a PITA, so bare with me.
Cartridge length has to be within specs, there's not much room for error there.
With that suspect eliminated, there's several reasons the bolt will fail to pick up a round.
1) The bolt is short cycling.
Cause: Dirt in the bolt assembly, plugged or fouled gas system, or too low chamber pressure reloads
Fix: Clean and lube, find a load that duplicates factory chamber pressure
2) Weak magazine spring
Cause: Old spring and/or left fully loaded over a long period of time
Fix; new spring
3) Follower hangs inside the mag body
Cause: Dirt/rust, dings, burrs on the follower
Fix: Clean and "lightly" lube, de-burr follower and inside of mag body so follower moves freely
4) Magazine not fully seated in mag well
Cause: Worn mag catch, mag not fitted properly, mag feed lips too high interfering with proper seating
Fix: Replace catch, fit mag, adjust feed lips
5) Mag feed lips bent down too far in the rear, not enough gap between mag lips for the cartridge rim to come up for the bolt to catch it
Fix: Usually find this on aftermarket mags. Usual fix is filing the lips to a wider gap. failing to feed from one side is usually the lip on that side.

Mag lips are the last thing to mess with.
One of those "nails" on the bottom of the mag should be a floorplate release to disassemble the mag for cleaning. Push in on it, and slide the floorplate over and off of it. Pay attention to how the parts come out, and re-install the same way.
Clean, lube, check for burrs and free movement.
Get a pic from the top, of a typical misfeed in your rifle, that will show me what's going on. Another pic, same area, closeup, with empty mag fully seated.

I don't think it is the reloads because it will not even pickup the 3rd round when I cycle the bolt by hand. Mag not being seated was the first thing I checked, it was certainly seated. When it failed to feed I took the magazine out, moved moved the rounds and follower up and down, re-seated the mag, and it still failed to extract the round.

I'll try taking the magazine apart as that is one part I did not clean.

I have a feeling it may be a worn magazine catch though

[TRAP55]

The mag should lock up tight when seated. If it's loose, next time you shoot it standing, support the front of the gun with the mag. If it functions, there's your problem.
It may be the mag, the catch, or both. The newer style mags have an additional catch on the front and lock up tight.

[justin4fun]

My mag looks completely different. I think your mag may not have been updated to the B model? I don't know a lot about these except mine is fun to shoot. Here's some pics of my mag.