MBX mags struggling to feed rounds, fixes?

[Obvious]

So I've noticed this in dry fire and messing with my mags, when I push rounds out of them the next round feeds up but slowly. In my most recent competition this bit me in the ass because I pulled the trigger, got no bang, and thought there was a different problem and instinctively went to reload instead of TRB to get another round into the chamber. I'm using the 141.25mm mags for a 40 RIA 1911. Stock guts, im thinking about ordering another set of springs and their competition followers for hopefully 20 rounds reloadable (i have the slide lock version and only get 18) however I'm wondering what causes the bullets to rise so slowly, and if the followers/springs are salvageable to use as backups or if they're just trashed after ~5 competitions. Any other followers/spring combos reccomended that dont need any mods to work fine? 

[jcc7x7]

Not a mbx fan for Several Reasons but lot of guys I know use grams guys, followers and springs FWIW

[Furrly]

All I use are mbx mags. Check the dimensions of the feed lips make sure they are open according to specs.. Definitely go with grams springs and followers.. 

There is a great vid on YouTube on how to properly adjust the feedlips. Easy fix 

[EEH]

I’ve used them for years, out of the box run perfect factory spring ,follower in 40 and 9mm .

[36873687]

I run Mbx with grams s an f

[motosapiens]

tti springs can be easily modified to fit the mbx followers and suck less.. We found the mbx springs to be pretty short-lived. maybe we just got a bad batch but they weakened after a couple weeks and mbx declined to do anything about it.

 

other things that may help: toss your springs into your brass tumbler overnight and get them polished up, clean the mags more carefully (i use a dry rag followed by a very lightly oiled rag), and change the springs twice a year.

[texasdawg]

Put grams springs and followers in, clean and spray with silicone every 2 or 3k, and the mbx's should cadillac,,, mine do.

[Obvious]

18 minutes ago, texasdawg said:

Put grams springs and followers in, clean and spray with silicone every 2 or 3k, and the mbx's should cadillac,,, mine do.

I checked grams website and all I saw under the STI and para options were springs and followers for 9mm. Am I missing something? 

[texasdawg]

Sometimes you have to check the various gun parts suppliers to find what you need. Lots  of people shoot grams and they are hard to find sometimes. Sometimes one has to mix and match for custom combinations,,,

[zzt]

Sounds like the followers are binding.  Check to see that you have the correct gen followers for you mags.

 

I've had zero problems with my MBX 40 and 9mm mags.  I've never changed springs or followers.  I did have to adjust the angle of the followers on two of the gen 2 9mm 155 mags.

[UpYoursPal]

You say you're having these issues after only 5 matches?  That's odd.  Have you cleaned your mags at all?  Is it possible that they got dirt in them and it's causing the follower to drag?

[Obvious]

1 hour ago, UpYoursPal said:

You say you're having these issues after only 5 matches?  That's odd.  Have you cleaned your mags at all?  Is it possible that they got dirt in them and it's causing the follower to drag?

two matches ago was a classifier in the mud and gunk got in them, but ive taken them apart and cleaned them since then. 

[zzt]

Did you condition the mag springs per instructions?

[Obvious]

7 hours ago, zzt said:

Did you condition the mag springs per instructions?

I dont believe so, I don't remember getting any sort of instructions on how to condition them. 

[Obvious]

9 hours ago, zzt said:

Sounds like the followers are binding.  Check to see that you have the correct gen followers for you mags.

 

I've had zero problems with my MBX 40 and 9mm mags.  I've never changed springs or followers.  I did have to adjust the angle of the followers on two of the gen 2 9mm 155 mags.

where can I find which is the correct gen follower? 

[Bakerjd]

7 hours ago, Obvious said:

where can I find which is the correct gen follower? 

Right on MBX website. 

 

As for proper break in ita right on the pamphlet in the bag the mag comes in. It has nothing to do with the issue you are having. It's to get the follower to sit slightly lower in the mag so the slide doesnt hit it when you have one or no rounds in the mag. 

 

The issue you are having probably a combination of two things. The stock MBX followers usually have rough edges, sand them down and that will probably fix the issue. If not either get new MBX springs or go with grams guts. Personally I just change the MBX springs twice a year. I havent messed with the non competition MBX mags at all so I'm not sure how tight they are but for the non competition ones I can get 19 reloadable the first 4 or 5 times I load them and then 20 after that. I never did run them when I had a RIA 40 pro as I cut the frame to fit normal 2011 mags and just used gen 2 STI mags with grams guts and TTI 4g base pads. Some of the RIA double stack guns I've seen co.e through the shop didnt need anything and ran 2011 mags just fine. Mine was good with most mahs but every so often the feed lips would be slightly to wide. 

[Obvious]

1 hour ago, Bakerjd said:

Right on MBX website. 

 

As for proper break in ita right on the pamphlet in the bag the mag comes in. It has nothing to do with the issue you are having. It's to get the follower to sit slightly lower in the mag so the slide doesnt hit it when you have one or no rounds in the mag. 

 

The issue you are having probably a combination of two things. The stock MBX followers usually have rough edges, sand them down and that will probably fix the issue. If not either get new MBX springs or go with grams guts. Personally I just change the MBX springs twice a year. I havent messed with the non competition MBX mags at all so I'm not sure how tight they are but for the non competition ones I can get 19 reloadable the first 4 or 5 times I load them and then 20 after that. I never did run them when I had a RIA 40 pro as I cut the frame to fit normal 2011 mags and just used gen 2 STI mags with grams guts and TTI 4g base pads. Some of the RIA double stack guns I've seen co.e through the shop didnt need anything and ran 2011 mags just fine. Mine was good with most mahs but every so often the feed lips would be slightly to wide. 

Thanks for the info! I looked on the website and didn't see anything in regards to different generations of followers. For the RIA they only offer the 9 and 40 in slide lock and non slide lock configs. Nothing said about gen 1 or 2.  Really what I've been trying to determine is whether I can get away with just new followers, or if I need new springs too. I'll sand the edges of my followers a bit and see if that helps. Basically everyone here reccomended MBX mags as they are apparently no fuss and just run reliably. I currently beg to differ, but mine haven't needed any tuning yet like an STI mag, and the competition style followers don't lock the slide back without having to modify the slide stop, so I do like that. 

Edited July 24, 2021 by Obvious

[zzt]

Condition the springs by leaving them fully loaded for at least a week.   You can use them in the mean time but DO NOT go to empty until the are properly conditioned.  Too strong a spring can cause the problem you mention, but not the most likely.

 

Smooth the rough, if any, edges of the followers an bend them on the springs to the correct orientation.  When conditioned and aligned they should drop all the way into the mag with no resistance.

 

It is possible your mags were squeezed, or someone tried to condition them all a Atlas.  In one video he recommends squashing the mags.  Totally unnecessary.  Also in the video he shows how to correct an over squashed mag.  If one and don"t cure the problem, try three.

 

[Obvious]

1 hour ago, zzt said:

Condition the springs by leaving them fully loaded for at least a week.   You can use them in the mean time but DO NOT go to empty until the are properly conditioned.  Too strong a spring can cause the problem you mention, but not the most likely.

 

Smooth the rough, if any, edges of the followers an bend them on the springs to the correct orientation.  When conditioned and aligned they should drop all the way into the mag with no resistance.

 

It is possible your mags were squeezed, or someone tried to condition them all a Atlas.  In one video he recommends squashing the mags.  Totally unnecessary.  Also in the video he shows how to correct an over squashed mag.  If one and don"t cure the problem, try three.

 

mags were brand new (ordered straight from the website) so they shouldn't have been messed with. I'm going to sand the edges of the followers just a tad and leave em loaded for a while. Worst case scenario I'll just order some new springs/followers. 

[zzt]

6 hours ago, Obvious said:

mags were brand new (ordered straight from the website) so they shouldn't have been messed with. I'm going to sand the edges of the followers just a tad and leave em loaded for a while. Worst case scenario I'll just order some new springs/followers. 

 

Not necessary.  Once conditioned I ran my 40 mags for 2.5  seasons without changing anything.  Same with my 9mm mags.  I still have the original springs and followers I bought as spares.  I seriously doubt I'll ever use them.

[Obvious]

19 hours ago, zzt said:

 

Not necessary.  Once conditioned I ran my 40 mags for 2.5  seasons without changing anything.  Same with my 9mm mags.  I still have the original springs and followers I bought as spares.  I seriously doubt I'll ever use them.

We’ll just took one of them apart and the edges look awful considering I paid $150 per mag. The pictures are bigger than what’s allowed so here’s an Imgur link. 
 

https://imgur.com/a/tZPVelD

 

gonna run over the edges with a bit of sandpaper, clean the tubes again, and then recheck. 

[zzt]

Followers are 3d printed.  Don't know why some are perfect, and some not.  Guess I'm just lucky.

[Jim Watson]

My MBX 9mm 141.25s feed reliably in STI Eagle for lowly Lim Minor, but I occasionally get a round under the follower and once went full saltshaker with lots of ammo under the follower.  

It galls me to be told I have to "condition" a $140 magazine, or sand the follower, or completely replace it.

Especially since my STI Gen 2s Just Work.  So do my MBX .45s, for that matter, although .45 STI Gen 2s are just as good.   

[Obvious]

7 hours ago, Jim Watson said:

My MBX 9mm 141.25s feed reliably in STI Eagle for lowly Lim Minor, but I occasionally get a round under the follower and once went full saltshaker with lots of ammo under the follower.  

It galls me to be told I have to "condition" a $140 magazine, or sand the follower, or completely replace it.

Especially since my STI Gen 2s Just Work.  So do my MBX .45s, for that matter, although .45 STI Gen 2s are just as good.   

I'm glad I'm not the only one that thinks having to do extra work on an MBX mag to get it to be reliable is ridiculous for how much they cost. At this point I don't even want to really support the company anymore. Would it really be so hard for them to "condition" the mag themselves before they send it out, or check their damn followers to see if they're still rough. Don't think I'm going to be buying any more mags from them. 

[FALAR]

21 hours ago, Jim Watson said:

My MBX 9mm 141.25s feed reliably in STI Eagle for lowly Lim Minor, but I occasionally get a round under the follower and once went full saltshaker with lots of ammo under the follower.  

It galls me to be told I have to "condition" a $140 magazine, or sand the follower, or completely replace it.

Especially since my STI Gen 2s Just Work.  So do my MBX .45s, for that matter, although .45 STI Gen 2s are just as good.   

 

Don't the MBXs have a large capacity advantage in .45?