How to Make Your Custom Rifle Feed with the Backlight Chassis

The challenge is that your rifle's action, magazine, cartridge, and chassis all need to work together. With more than 80 common cartridges and numerous magazine and action combinations, even properly manufactured components don't always work perfectly together right out of the box.

Here's how to troubleshoot feeding problems with your Backlight Chassis.

Step 1: Make Sure You're Using the Recommended Magazine

This is the most important step and solves more than 80% of feeding problems in our experience.

We've tested different combinations of cartridges, actions, and magazines to identify which magazines work best with the Backlight Chassis.

Before troubleshooting anything else, look up your rifle in our Backlight Chassis Magazine Fitment Sheet.

Make sure you're using the recommended magazine for your specific cartridge and rifle action.

Even if your current magazine fits into the chassis, that doesn't necessarily mean it will feed reliably.

Step 2: Check That the Magazine Seats Properly

Insert your magazine into the chassis and check two things:

1. Does the magazine click into place? It should lock securely into the magazine well and stay in place.

2. Does the bolt engage the back of the cartridge? When checking the feeding mechanism with appropriate inert dummy cartridges, the bolt face should contact the rear of the cartridge so it can push it forward.

If the magazine locks securely and the bolt properly engages the cartridge, the chassis is generally doing its job.

If the bolt passes over the cartridge without catching it, contact Backfire so we can help identify the fitment problem.

If the bolt catches the cartridge but it gets stuck while feeding, the issue may involve compatibility between the magazine, cartridge, and rifle action.

Step 3: Check for Magazine Spring or Feed Lip Issues

Pay attention to whether the feeding problem happens with every cartridge or only certain rounds in the magazine.

For example, you might notice that the first two cartridges feed correctly, but the third one doesn't.

This can indicate a magazine spring or feed lip issue.

Magazine spring: A spring that doesn't provide adequate upward pressure can cause inconsistent feeding as the magazine empties.

Feed lips: The feed lips at the top of the magazine help control the position and release of each cartridge. If the cartridge sits too high or too low, feeding problems can occur.

For some cartridge combinations, we specifically recommend metal magazines because their feed lips can be adjusted. If adjustment is necessary, have a qualified gunsmith check the magazine or follow the magazine manufacturer's guidance.

That doesn't mean metal magazines are always better. In fact, polymer magazines often feed extremely reliably. We only recommend metal magazines for certain combinations where adjustability can be helpful.

Step 4: Try a Different Magazine

If you're still having feeding problems, try another magazine brand that's compatible with your cartridge, action, and chassis.

Small manufacturing differences between magazines can make a surprisingly big difference in feeding reliability.

Even two magazines of the same model may perform slightly differently.

Testing another recommended magazine can help determine whether the problem is specific to the magazine you're using.

Step 5: Don't Worry About a Little Magazine Wobble

One of the most common questions we get about the Backlight Chassis is whether a small amount of magazine movement is normal.

Yes. A little magazine wobble is normal and doesn't necessarily indicate a problem.

When designing the Backlight Chassis, we could make the magazine well fit an individual magazine with virtually zero movement.

But there's a catch: magazines from different manufacturers aren't all exactly the same dimensions.

Some are metal, others are polymer, and manufacturing tolerances vary from one brand or model to another.

If we designed the magazine well to fit one magazine with absolutely no movement, other compatible magazines might not fit at all.

That's why we've designed the Backlight Chassis with enough clearance to accommodate a wide variety of magazines.

A small amount of play can actually help certain magazine and rifle combinations function more reliably.

The important questions aren't whether your magazine moves slightly. They're whether it locks securely into place and feeds correctly.

Step 6: Contact Backfire If You're Still Having Trouble

If you've tried these troubleshooting steps and your rifle still isn't feeding correctly, we're happy to help.

We have extensive experience testing different rifle actions, cartridges, and magazines with the Backlight Chassis.

Although our manufacturing process maintains extremely tight tolerances, manufacturing errors are still possible. If there's a problem with your chassis, we'll work with you to make it right.

Our goal is to help you get your rifle functioning reliably.

Quick Feeding Troubleshooting Checklist

Before contacting us, run through these steps:

• Check the Backlight Chassis Magazine Fitment Sheet.

• Confirm you're using a recommended magazine.

• Make sure the magazine clicks securely into place.

• Check whether the bolt properly engages the rear of the cartridge.

• Consider whether the magazine spring or feed lips may be causing inconsistent cartridge positioning.

• Try another compatible magazine brand or model.

• Remember that a small amount of magazine wobble is normal.

Safety note: Always unload your firearm before inspecting components, follow the firearm manufacturer's safety instructions, and use appropriate inert dummy cartridges for feeding checks. Don't attempt to fire a rifle that is malfunctioning until the issue is resolved.

Most feeding problems come down to magazine compatibility or cartridge positioning rather than a defect in the chassis itself.

Start with our magazine fitment sheet, work through the checklist, and reach out to Backfire if you need additional help.

Thanks for choosing Backfire, and happy shooting!