Need Help: Shadow Mags Not Dropping

[ardo]

Last year I bought a new Shadow - a so-called "Canadian Edition". Here's the problem: some mags do not drop when the gun is in slide-lock. This only happens if the mag's top-front (near the follower) profile has rectangular corners. If the corners are rounded, making this profile match the follower's sides - there is no issue. Those 'bad' mags would drop if I pull the slide further back just slightly. Obviously, this is not something I want to do in a match.

All three mags that came with this pistol had rectangular corners, and none of them would drop freely - until a gunsmith has hammered and filed the mag corners to round them.

My first Shadow that I got in 2009 has no issues with either kind of mags, and drops them every time I press mag release, slide-lock or not. Trying the 2009's slide release on the Canadian Edition made no difference.

Short of taking all of my remaining mags to a smith, can someone suggest another solution? TIA.

[kneelingatlas]

Do the Canadian Edition mags have long tubes with a dimple or short tubes with a big plastic base like the US ten rounders?

[ardo]

No dimples, all of my mags are 10-rounders.

I have a mix: some came with my CZ's, some with a Jericho, others were after-market EAA mags I got from Midway.

[burningsquirrels]

When the slide locks back, it's the follower that pushes up on the slide lock. Perhaps that back corner is angled in some way that somehow grabs or clings onto the slide lock. I've modified followers before, you can hit it with some medium grit sandpaper just slightly to see if it helps. You can insert both mags and rack the slide to see how the rounded versus squared corners of the followers are touching the slide lock to see how much adjustment needs to be made.

[ardo]

Thanks. I checked the followers: they all look the same, their corners are the same. It is the mag body: when you look at it from the top, the bad ones have square corners, good ones have rounded corners.I see no other difference.

[Czhase]

Remove the slide, slide stop, and grips. Then try to drop the mags, with all of those parts off you might be able to see where they are catching.

[ardo]

There is no catching when the slide is removed. Even the slightest movement of the slide back from the the slide-lock position allows the mag to drop.

[Czhase]

Take the mag apart and see if just the mag tube will drop free in slide lock. If it will then the follower is the issue. If it still gets stuck you know it something with those tubes.

[CeeZer]

Post pix of the mags. I came across mags that acted same on another guy's gun. They were NOT CZ mags.

Either mags have to be replaced or trigger bow filed on inside as it's 'too tight' for those mags.

[ardo]

Well, I feel kinda stupid...

I kept looking at the mag profile, thinking that's where the problem is (bad on the left, good on the right):

- until I compared the mag length from the mag release opening to the top:

Bad ones (right) are about 2mm longer than good ones (left). In addition the bad ones have a cut-out on the side - the CZ mag doesn't:

Oddly enough, all of these work fine in a standard Shadow - it's the Canadian Edition that seems to be fussy about it.

Oh well, I guess it's time to get more genuine mags from CZ.

Guys, thanks for helping!