Loose mag fit

[NativeTexan]

Ordered my VZ2008 at the end of April. After wanting one for quite awhile, the Stars lined up and there was one in stock when I had funds. I was a little worried about the Century name but I've not had anything but fun with it, more than 260 rds thru it so far with no problems..., till the other day. I've always thought the mag had quite a bit of play between the fully seated mag and the catch allowing quite a bit of rocking movement. Never really thought too much about it thinking that, after all it was a semi-auto version of a military rifle and expected some tolerances. While shooting, I had my elbow on my hip resting the 30 rnd mag in the palm of my hand. The bolt-hold-open failed and allowed the bolt to close. With all the slack in the mag movement, pressing forward on the mag allowed the bolt stop to not rise enough to catch the bolt. Any suggestions on the best way to lengthen the catch to tighten the mag/well fit? Thanks

[gwvt]

Congrats - read this, starting near the bottom: http://www.czfirearms.us/index.php?topic=65724.0

[NativeTexan]

Thanks gwvt. I've already seen that one but it's not my fix. I have five mags and the follower goes all the way to the top in all five, by looking at the tab that engages the bolt stop it travels all the way up. By the rough way of measuring with a tape measure, total play at the back of the magazine is 1/8". Even without tension on the mag by pressing forward on it, the bolt stop just barely engages the bolt. How far do y'all's rise into the receiver?

Thanks

[TJNewton]

Not trying to outright criticize your shooting technique -- you're likely to be more accurate than I -- but cradling the magazine in the palm of your hand seems to be begging for problems, especially in a military-type rifle with loose tolerances.  All the mags in all my VZ's are rattle-loose, but none have yet failed.

If you're touching shots on paper at 100 yards and you ignore the above, you might want to try adding some material to the end of the bolt release that touches the magazine follower, then shape it to the extent that it drives the bolt release pin further up into the receiver.  Of course, be sure that it completely retracts into the receiver under spring pressure when the follower is not applying pressure.  That mod wouldn't be subject to a lot of stress, so something like JB Weld may work. 

It may also be that you need a new bolt release.  With and the mix-and-match done on these rifles with parts kits manufactured miles and decades apart, there may be tolerance issues easily corrected with a replacement part.

I've also heard about people welding metal to the inside of the receiver to tighten mag fit, mostly on AK's.  For AR's, I've read about the installation of one side of velcro tape.  I have no experience with either.  The welded metal mod should probably be the last resort.

[Brasky]

I had the same exact problem with my 2008. Added a tactical bolt release and haven't had the problem yet, but will have to try the remaining magazines to find out first

[gwvt]

I was out the other day and had one magazine fail to hold the bolt back. I cycle them as I use them and I'm assuming it was one that I had adjusted earlier and didn't quite expand it enough and with use it went back out of spec. I adjusted it again and it seems to work fine.

I agree with TJ that holding it by the mag might not be the best practice. I've seen a couple videos, one recently here, where the shooter was holding it by the mag and it was malfunctioning repeatedly. I'm not saying that's necessarily what was happening in those instances but it's a possibility. The only time either of my VZ-2008 had any sort of malfunction was when I stupidly experimented with resting the mag on a log when I was shooting and it jammed - as I recall it was a failure to feed.

[NativeTexan]

Yeah, you guys are right. Probably not the best manner to support this type of rifle. I was just trying different ways to go at it. This is the first military styled rifle I've had. I sold a Rem 700 30-06 to get into it and haven't had a moments regret. I've already put more rounds thru the 2008 in just 3 months or so than I did in the nearly 30 years with the 30-06. Way more fun to shoot, doesn't kick near so bad, accurate enough to hit what I'm capable of shooting, and an availability of cheap shells to make it affordable to have fun with. The cartridge will do anything I ask of it, and the gun as well.
I've been just kinda hanging back and soaking in as much as I could (my girls would call it 'creeping') since I found this forum. I put a CNC railed upper and a red dot reflex as a nod to my aging eyes.

Thank y'all