Hard to insert full magazines

[lliden]

Hi Folks. Can you point me in the right direction regarding STI magazines? In both of my Limited Guns (.45ACP STI Edge, and a .40S&W Brazos Pro SC), I have great difficulty inserting full magazines. Instead of just inserting them into place, I have to whack them hard with the heel of my hand. Otherwise, they don't catch on the mag release and they tend to fall out. Normally I wouldn't complain, but I get terrible bruises on my left hand that get worse during a match. I notice that other shooters simply insert their magazines in their STIs with little difficulty.

I've tried stock mags, mags I've tuned myself, and even a few expensive (but reliable) tuned mags from Brazos with the Grams followers. But in every case, with the mag filled to capacity, it is tough to insert them and engage the mag catch.

What am I doing wrong? Do I have to limit myself to 19-round mags so they insert easier?

Thanks in advance...

[diehli]

Thems the breaks. Download the mags if you want 'em to be easier to insert. It's simple physics.

[John Dunn]

Definitely download the mags. The only time I use a mag stoked to 20 rounds is at LAMR, that gives me 21 rds to start. The mags on my belt typically have 18 rds loaded to make them easier to seat. That gives me 39 rds for a 32 rd long course, and usually that is enough. Usually.

[kimel]

Once your springs "break in" a bit you may find that reloading a full mag is easier. For now just download. Fumbling a reload is going to cost you a TON more time than that one extra round is going to gain you most of the time.

When it gets too easy and your feeding gets rough that means it is time to replace the mag catch and/or your mag springs.

[Loves2Shoot]

Definitely download the mags. The only time I use a mag stoked to 20 rounds is at LAMR, that gives me 21 rds to start. The mags on my belt typically have 18 rds loaded to make them easier to seat. That gives me 39 rds for a 32 rd long course, and usually that is enough. Usually.

ditto

[rhino]

ditto again

When I shoot my Para .45, I only use a "big stick" loaded to 18 at the start. There's not a prayer of getting one of those babies to seat in my gun on a reload with the slide down under the clock.

[lliden]

Thanks everyone. I'll give it a try with 19 rounds...

[TDean]

If you paid somebody to "tune" those .40 mags then they better be reloadable with 20rds in them.

How many coils do you have on your springs? With Grams "4mm" basepad and his "max-c" follower I'm getting reloadable 20 in all my magazines. None of my mags have been "tuned" other than me dimensioning the front of the feed lips to .395". I use Wolffe +10% springs with the top small coil cut off, then clip a few bottom coils off to make 10.5 coils total.

[TeamGE]

lliden,

I agree with TDean,

If the mag tube is correctly tuned, then a loadable, or reloadable 20 rounds should be the norm. If you are not getting an easy 20 rounds, then the tube needs more work.

From what TDean discribed, he is one of the lucky ones that only needed some feed lip tweaking to make run right. His tubes are not the norm to hold 20 rounds out of the box.

[TDean]

I was thinking I was just lucky, maybe I procured a few tubes that were right on. Then after the ban expired, I bought one more 140mm STI tube and I be damned.....with the same components I got a reloadable 20 again!!

I think I'll quit while I'm ahead.

[MoNsTeR]

I'm all the way at the other end of the luck spectrum. I have 5 STI tubes and 5 SV tubes, none of which will lock in with 20rds (Dawson pads, Grams spring/follower kits). I start 19+1 and reload with 18's.

[TDean]

I think you should try Beven's 4mm basepad. Find a shooter that has one and check to see if that helps. You are using the skeletonized follower, yes?

[MoNsTeR]

I'm using Beven's current production super-trick machined follower. I'll see if I can try one of his basepads, but that would really suck if it were the fix, 'cuz I really like the Dawson pads.

I think I may just go back to Lim-10

[Guest Larry Cazes]

The 4mm pad will indeed give just a little more room but it may also allow other bad things to happen when the magazine is fully loaded and the follower is down at the bottom of the tube. I have found that SV tubes, dawson +1 pads, and New grams followers and springs are a pretty sweet 20 round 100% reliable setup. 19 rounds though is easier to seat and I start a stage with 20+1 and download on my belt to 19 for a little insurance.