cutting springs on Wilson 47D mags

[shootin-blanks]

After shooting my SS 40's for the last couple years, I decided to shoot BIG holes the other day.. (45ACP)... I found myself dropping more mags then shooting them..

I have to BEAT them in the gun, on a slide-lock reload.. now my hand hurts, or BANG_FU%K.. and the fall to the ground.

I'm using old reliable, always works, Wilson 47D mags. With 7 rounds in the mag, reload are not an issue, but with fully loaded, they are stupid hard.

I have found that cutting one coil from the spring, makes life GOOD again.. I haven't shot them under the timer yet, I'm thinking, when then get grimmy, (sugar sand and dirt), the lighter spring pressure might show its ugly face..

whats the consensuses? Anybody remove a coil to aid in slide forward reloads? don't really feel like buying 300$ worth of brand X mags..

Edited February 14, 2015 by shootin-blanks

[Youngeyes]

I had the same issue with the ETM Wilson mags. I took off the base plate and dremeled the inside it down about .003". Smoothed it right up. Now it loads as easy as a 7rd.

[mike cyrwus]

WHat do the springs have to do with inserting them in the gun with the slide locked back???

[Youngeyes]

Point. I didn't read so good. My issues are with slide forward.

[shootin-blanks]

WHat do the springs have to do with inserting them in the gun with the slide locked back???

My mistake,, I meant slide forward reloads.. they FALL in, slide locked back..

[M109R]

That the very reason I have cobra mags

[jcc7x7]

I've cut my 9mm etm mags springs with no problems for over a year, ( time to replace those now that I've said that out loud)

BUT

I've not had any problems with the 45acp 47D mags

try it with one mag and get some extra springs in case!

[mach1soldier]

How many did you have to cut off your 9mm springs to get them easy to seat with 10 rounds and slide forward? I cut one coil and it's still hard.

[zzt]

47D mags are a problem in pistols that hold the mag higher than GI spec. Cobra II mags sit too low in my pistol and won't feed the first round from slide lock.

I use Wilson ETMs and have no problem with slide closed reloads. Yes you have to give them a little tap to be sure they are seated, but that is all. If you have to slam them home, something is wrong. Their mag springs are lighter than most, and you can depress the top round of a fully loaded mag by about 1/2 round worth.

Wilson 47D 10-round mags used to be a constant irritant. So much so that I would run the pistol dry before reload. The convex follower shape is the problem. I switched them out for Cobra II followers and the problem disappeared. Note: do not use the Cobra II mag spring or you will turn it into a 9-round mag. This switch may work with the -round 47D mags as well. I don't have any to try.

For a little money you can experiment with mag catches. Dawson makes catches that hold the mag .010" higher or lower than mil spec, and EGW makes one that hold .020" higher. I suspect lower might help the OP, or try replacing the followers with the Tripp Cobra II followers. They are quite inexpensive.