prreed10 Posted October 17, 2011 Share Posted October 17, 2011 Shot a sanctioned IDPA match Saturday and had several instances where the mags would not drop free. I had to shake the gun to get them out. Ate up no telling how much time doing so over 12 stages. The gun is a 3rd Gen unmodified G21 purchased in '05 and the mags are a mix of 10 & 13 rounders. I'm not using a magwell or aftermarket basepads. Anybody have this issue? I'm pretty sure my mags are drop free, but I'm going to check again tonight when I get home. Thanks! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Braxton1 Posted October 17, 2011 Share Posted October 17, 2011 If this occurs, usually it's where the thumbrest indentions impinge into the magwell. Put something on the mag like talcum powder and see if that is the area that's rubbing. Judicious use of a Dremel can relieve that area enough to make the mags fall free. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SirLoin Posted October 17, 2011 Share Posted October 17, 2011 Happens to me at every match, at most stages. (I look like I'm salt-shaking the magazine out.) I've been told to depress the magazine release button harder on my Gen4 G35, but I don't encounter any problems when I practice my reloads at home and apply the same amount of pressure... Would love to find out if anyone has diagnosed a fix (whether technique or mechanical) for this... Shot a sanctioned IDPA match Saturday and had several instances where the mags would not drop free. I had to shake the gun to get them out. Ate up no telling how much time doing so over 12 stages. The gun is a 3rd Gen unmodified G21 purchased in '05 and the mags are a mix of 10 & 13 rounders. I'm not using a magwell or aftermarket basepads. Anybody have this issue? I'm pretty sure my mags are drop free, but I'm going to check again tonight when I get home. Thanks! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SirLoin Posted October 17, 2011 Share Posted October 17, 2011 Stupid question, but do you dremel the magazine or the inside of the frame? If this occurs, usually it's where the thumbrest indentions impinge into the magwell. Put something on the mag like talcum powder and see if that is the area that's rubbing. Judicious use of a Dremel can relieve that area enough to make the mags fall free. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Duane Thomas Posted October 17, 2011 Share Posted October 17, 2011 I have three thoughts: (1) If it doesn't happen during practice sessions at home, and it does happen at matches, then perhaps the problem is not the gun, you are doing something different at the matches. I'd look at your technique as possibly being the problem. (2) If you did want to look at a hardware fix for the problem, I would try something like an extended magazine release button before I started Dremeling on my gun's frame. Having said that.... (3) Are you loading your mags with dummy rounds during your practice sessions at home? Is it possible that the problem is your mags are swelling when loaded with rounds at the match - yes, I know that non-drop free mags aren't supposed to do this - but they're not during your practice sessions at home if you're dry firing with completely empty mags? You might try loading your mags with dummy ammo at home and see if you still get the problem. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
67 LS1 Camaro Posted October 18, 2011 Share Posted October 18, 2011 Do you use Pro Grip ? It happens if I don't clean off that white stuff off the mags after every match. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dirty whiteboy Posted October 18, 2011 Share Posted October 18, 2011 (edited) Make sure there are no burrs where the mag catch enters the mag notch. Use a nail file to remove. Edited October 18, 2011 by dirty whiteboy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sweetback Posted October 18, 2011 Share Posted October 18, 2011 (edited) Shot a sanctioned IDPA match Saturday and had several instances where the mags would not drop free. I had to shake the gun to get them out. Ate up no telling how much time doing so over 12 stages. The gun is a 3rd Gen unmodified G21 purchased in '05 and the mags are a mix of 10 & 13 rounders. I'm not using a magwell or aftermarket basepads. Anybody have this issue? I'm pretty sure my mags are drop free, but I'm going to check again tonight when I get home. Thanks! This works for me. Take some skate board tape and apply to one side of magazine left or right side.Remove magazine release button.Insert/force mag into frame in and out about 10 times. Remove tape from that side and apply to other side and do the same.When finished take some fine emery paper #320 to both sides to smooth down the inside of frame. A few passes is all you need. Then all your mags will drop free. Loaded or not. Edited October 18, 2011 by sweetback Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SirLoin Posted October 18, 2011 Share Posted October 18, 2011 Thanks Duane. 1) Yeah, this was the first thing that occurred to me. Thing is, reloads and draws are the two things that I tend to be the most consistent with, as those are the only two things I regularly practice at both at home and at the range, so I was thinking it probably wasn't technique. With that being said, I'm still open to that being the case. I had my girlfriend videotape me during a match a few weeks ago, and I didn't see anything inconsistent with my reload techniques, but the magazines would sometimes drop cleanly and sometimes stick, requiring me to shake them out. 2) Thanks! 3) I load my mags with a couple of snap caps at home instead of stuffing them full with dummy rounds. I figured mags drop more easily when full, so I try to practice with just a couple of snap caps in them. I'll try filling them up and see if it changes anything. Thanks! I have three thoughts: (1) If it doesn't happen during practice sessions at home, and it does happen at matches, then perhaps the problem is not the gun, you are doing something different at the matches. I'd look at your technique as possibly being the problem. (2) If you did want to look at a hardware fix for the problem, I would try something like an extended magazine release button before I started Dremeling on my gun's frame. Having said that.... (3) Are you loading your mags with dummy rounds during your practice sessions at home? Is it possible that the problem is your mags are swelling when loaded with rounds at the match - yes, I know that non-drop free mags aren't supposed to do this - but they're not during your practice sessions at home if you're dry firing with completely empty mags? You might try loading your mags with dummy ammo at home and see if you still get the problem. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Glockman1000 Posted October 18, 2011 Share Posted October 18, 2011 My 21 only has this hang up with 10 round mags, the 13 rounders drop free no problem. Does this happen to every mag? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
waktasz Posted October 18, 2011 Share Posted October 18, 2011 Mine does this with one of my mags. Sanding the mag down has helped, I need to do just a bit more and then it will be perfect. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sarge Posted October 18, 2011 Share Posted October 18, 2011 Are they drop free mags? You sure? Got the metal lining? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alpha-charlie Posted October 18, 2011 Share Posted October 18, 2011 (edited) Happens to me at every match, at most stages. (I look like I'm salt-shaking the magazine out.) I've been told to depress the magazine release button harder on my Gen4 G35, but I don't encounter any problems when I practice my reloads at home and apply the same amount of pressure... Would love to find out if anyone has diagnosed a fix (whether technique or mechanical) for this... I've had this same problem of the mags dropping free during practice and then hanging up at matches. I too thought it was a mechanical problem but it wasn't. I'd get so amped up during a match that I'd hit the mag release as I would turn the magwell in for the next magazine. I was turning the gun too much before pressing the mag release. The mag would drop out about half way and hang up. Poor execution of the fundamentals on my part. Solution for my problem, practice perfect reloads more. Edited October 18, 2011 by alpha-charlie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
prreed10 Posted October 18, 2011 Author Share Posted October 18, 2011 (edited) I pulled all of my mags out and they are all drop free. If I lay the pistol in my left hand and press the magazine release, the mags drop every time. If I hold the pistol in my shooting grip, only 2 drop free. The rest drop about half an inch or less and then require to be pulled out. I took each magazine and slowly inserted each into te pistol. All meet resistance and feel tight with about an inch of the magazine sticking out. I think an extended release would help. I am currently using the factory release. I use this gun for IDPA CDP, so my options are limited when it comes to an extended release. Edited October 18, 2011 by prreed10 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CDPMatt Posted October 18, 2011 Share Posted October 18, 2011 It's the mag release.... mine did the same thing till I took a dremel to it. I can show you if you want or you can try my release in your gun next match. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Master-blaster Posted October 19, 2015 Share Posted October 19, 2015 I have experienced the similar situation. I solved this problem by polishing down some material on the internals of magazine release by nail file. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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