Mag adjustments - FTF, nosediving

[lroy]

I've picked up some used STI mags with gram sprints/followers and its been kind of a nightmare. I get enough FTF that I'm starting to wish I stuck with a CZ.

 

I just have constant issues with rounds failing to feed and getting caught on the ramp. I'm loading to 1.18 as recommended by the manufacturer. Should I load longer?

 

I've been watching some Atlas vids on adjusting mags and I think it might be the width of the mag body? I'm getting a a gap between the first and second round that seems like it could be responsible for this. I've ordered new springs hoping it helps resolve this issue. It looks like I may need to get a vise and narrow the tubes down some?

 

Sorry for the rant. 2011s have been such a headache.

 

Edited October 23, 2020 by lroy

[ChuckS]

Your tubes need to be tuned in the double to single column transition region. With that gap between the first and second round, feeding is a crap shoot.

[lroy]

That would what hes doing in this video?

 

 

I don't really have any of the tools to do this. Are there mags that just work? I'd rather not spend a ton of time just trying to get the equipment to function properly.

 

I have 7 of them and apparently not a single one are in spec. FML

Edited October 23, 2020 by lroy

[blasterboy]

I had FTF headaches when I fist got an Edge 5 years ago.  I read the pinned post above on tuning SVI mags and followed the instructions as best I could.  I also loaded long. 1.180"  I really can't complain after that.  Looking at your picture, is the 2nd round rubbing the tube?  I see you load to 1.180", should be lots of room.  I haven't measured feed lips again, everything is working fine.  The lips are opened up enough that the follower almost falls out the top.  Notice the first and 2nd rounds are perfectly parallel to each other.  Take note of the angle of the follower on empty, is yours the same? 

 

Edited October 24, 2020 by blasterboy

[djcsmith]

I shot a Limited for a while, in my case an original Para 16-40 made in Canada

 

1/ Bullet profile made the biggest difference in feeding reliability.

My pistol hated truncated cone bullets, and ran perfect with traditional round-nose 180's.

 

2/ Load long, mine were 1.19OAL with round-nose

 

3/ Examine your mags for cracks behind the feed lips, on top flat side of the mag tube.

 

4/ Do a search on-line, and there are lots of info on feed lip dimension, and mag tuning.

 

Remember, 1911's were never really meant to run short cartridges like the .40 S&W & 9mm

In a perfect world, we would still be shooting .45 ACP, 38 Super, and 10 mm.

[muncie21]

OP- get your bullets to stack like the picture that blasterboy provided and you'll be fine.  I run old school STI gen1 mags with bullets loaded to 1.15 OAL and have never had a failure to feed.  For grins I loaded a few rounds the other day and compared to your and blaster's pics.  Mine we stacked neatly  like blasters with no gap between the top and next round.  Get your mags tuned and you'll be golden. 

 

BTW, having shot over 20K rounds through my mags, they have never had to have the bodies adjusted.  Now I don't drop them on concrete, only dirt mind you.

[lroy]

You guys were spot on. Adjusted the transition from single to double stack on my mags. 

 

1500 rounds later, not a single malfunction.

 

Thanks!