mike g35 Posted August 7, 2013 Share Posted August 7, 2013 I'm having issues with one of my STI's. mags aren't dropping free, they're sticking. They don't do this in my other STI. Would a new mag catch fix this issue? Anything I should check before starting to put in new parts? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cecil Posted August 7, 2013 Share Posted August 7, 2013 is that the only mag that hangs up ?? i would think if its only one mag... its NOT the gun... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mike g35 Posted August 7, 2013 Author Share Posted August 7, 2013 is that the only mag that hangs up ?? i would think if its only one mag... its NOT the gun...No, it's multiple mags. They do drop every once in a while but they usually hang. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wes777 Posted August 7, 2013 Share Posted August 7, 2013 Could be grip bushings or frame is contacting them. Then again, it could be your mag catch. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mike g35 Posted August 7, 2013 Author Share Posted August 7, 2013 Could be grip bushings or frame is contacting them. Then again, it could be your mag catch.Thanks. My fiend (Bobby Carver) is sending me a JP mag catch. Not sure if it'll fix my issue but its worth a try (especially when it's free). Probably wouldn't hurt me to clean and lube the mags too. They're not really dirty but they definitely could use a cleaning. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DownUnder Posted August 7, 2013 Share Posted August 7, 2013 When the catch is depressed the side closest to the release button can bind on the magazine, trapping the mag in place. I had this happen with a new STI. A few minutes with a dremel solved the problem. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BrianATL Posted August 7, 2013 Share Posted August 7, 2013 I'm having issues with one of my STI's. mags aren't dropping free, they're sticking. They don't do this in my other STI. Would a new mag catch fix this issue? Anything I should check before starting to put in new parts? Have you tried the known good mag catch in the gun that's having the issue? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mike g35 Posted August 7, 2013 Author Share Posted August 7, 2013 I'm having issues with one of my STI's. mags aren't dropping free, they're sticking. They don't do this in my other STI. Would a new mag catch fix this issue? Anything I should check before starting to put in new parts?Have you tried the known good mag catch in the gun that's having the issue?Just did that. It's apparently not the mag catch. When I insert the mag I hear 2 clicks. Where as with the gun that's working I only hear 1 (unless the other just isn't is clearly audible). Don't know if that has any bearing on anything but it seems like you'd only hear one click, the insertion of the mag catch into the notch on the mag. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GuildSF4 Posted August 7, 2013 Share Posted August 7, 2013 STI grip? Crack in the grip can cause this and other issues. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mike g35 Posted August 7, 2013 Author Share Posted August 7, 2013 STI grip? Crack in the grip can cause this and other issues. It is an STI grip. Brand new, stippled and undercut, no cracks. I think it's my mags. I can put dummy rounds (tried 1-5) in them and the drop like a champ. I think the front of my follower is hanging up somehow. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mike g35 Posted August 7, 2013 Author Share Posted August 7, 2013 I've been reading a little online about the mag "over inserting". My followers are way up on my feed ramp. That would lead me to think that could be the issue. I'm gonna buy a Dawson posilock mag catch and play with tuning the followers. I already dremeled one on the front a bit and the mag is dropping free pretty consistently. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mike g35 Posted August 7, 2013 Author Share Posted August 7, 2013 I figured it out. First off there was a little bit if debris in the gun that was making mags stick. So I cleaned the gun (inside and out) and my mags. That helped but there are two mags that are still giving me fits. That said I believe I'm just gonna have to tune the mags. I'm still changing to a DP Posi-lock mag catch, just because I believe they're better quality than what I have now. When I get home from work I'm going to measure the mags with my caliper and attempt to make the necessary adjustments. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Feegee Dean Matlock Posted August 7, 2013 Share Posted August 7, 2013 I had this problem with my Glock, and I know it's not a STI, but when we stippled and narrowed the grip it got to hot and the mags would not drop. I am not saying that is what your problem is, but you might want to look at it. We stuck some grip tape on one side of the mag then inserted it into the gun about 10 or 15 times then did the other side the same, and it made it a lot better. Good luck Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kingman Posted August 8, 2013 Share Posted August 8, 2013 Also check slide stop. If its sticking into the frame far enough the follower can drag on them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jid2 Posted August 8, 2013 Share Posted August 8, 2013 (edited) The trigger can also cause a mag drop problem. If the metal box section that goes around the mag has a leg that has a slight bow in it, there will be some rubbing on the mag. You should be marking up the mag with a sharpie and looking for the rub spots where it's hanging up. Edited August 8, 2013 by jid2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Foxbat Posted August 9, 2013 Share Posted August 9, 2013 Also check slide stop. If its sticking into the frame far enough the follower can drag on them. That is my guess too, I have seen it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RocketCity1911 Posted August 9, 2013 Share Posted August 9, 2013 The Dawson mag tuning kit addresses this. The mag can be squeezed in a vise until the front to back measures a bit under 1 3/8". I don't remember the exact number Dave recommended, but work slowly and test as you go until the mag falls out like butter. I did this to my mags a few years ago and it made a big difference. The mags are mass produced and the tolerances are fairly sloppy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StraightUp_OG Posted August 10, 2013 Share Posted August 10, 2013 (edited) +1 for the vise squeeze. Take out your mag release and insert the suspect mags in the gun. If they stick they need the big squeeze. Few seconds in the vise and problem solved but go slow and gentle. Edited August 10, 2013 by StraightUp_OG Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AWLAZS Posted August 10, 2013 Share Posted August 10, 2013 I take the mag catch out and stick sandpaper to the front of the mag and work it into the grip. If the mags work in the other gun its not the mags. The new grip might be a little tight in the front corners. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lvipscshooter Posted August 23, 2013 Share Posted August 23, 2013 I had this happen once with big sticks only and it was the oddest thing. My magwell was slughtly out of shape and was "tweaking" the grip. Mags would drop fine without the magwell. As soon as I mounted it, 140's would drop but 170's would hang. Pulled another magwell out of my parts bin, and have not had another issue. Odd huh? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
40S&W Posted August 23, 2013 Share Posted August 23, 2013 Just my two cents, magwell or grip just a bit tight. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scuba31 Posted May 11, 2015 Share Posted May 11, 2015 (edited) I recently found another odd thing: one of my mags is not dropping free when I try to reload. What I found is this: when I press the mag catch, I hold the gun a bit tighter; apparently tight enough to squeeze the grip (STI plastic) a tiny bit which is enough not to let the mag drop free. If I hold the gun in left hand on the frame, not the grip, and press the mag release: voila, it will drop free ... First I thought it is the mag catch, because when I looked down the grip inside, I could see a tiny bit of the mag release poking into the grip. I filed this down until I was positive that it was not the mag catch. With all the try and error, I found that the flexing grip is the culprit. Edited May 11, 2015 by scuba31 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigboy69 Posted May 12, 2015 Share Posted May 12, 2015 Did you try it w/o the mag catch in?? Use dry erase markers when marking up your mags. I'm having a problem with two of mine now. A 140 and a 170. It seems when I'm inserting the mag, when I get towards where it locks in the mag catch, it starts binding up, with or w/o the mag catch in the gun. It is an STI stippled and DBL undercut. I have 4 other mags that work perfectly. I never thought of the magwell, I'll have to try that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tagacali Posted May 15, 2015 Share Posted May 15, 2015 Try shaving off some pieces from you mag catch. I had that issue before. Now all my mags drops freely even without a round in it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trent1k1 Posted June 20, 2015 Share Posted June 20, 2015 Love this forum. I hadn't had any mag dropping problems until a few days ago after doing a complete teardown and cleaning. Last night I could barely get the mags to come out of the gun. For me, it was the magwell. Took that off, and all of a sudden my mags were dropping perfectly again. Put the magwell back on being careful to keep everything aligned and no more issues. I've shot STI guns for 3 years and never had this problem. If it shows up again I know the first thing i'll be checking. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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