Para 16.40 Mag Problem

[p3ordie]

Hello,

After sifting through all the Para mag posts I'm still not sure what to try. I had 3 brand new OEM Para 16rd. mags that worked flawless, no malfunctions. I purchased 3 Dawson mag pads. All 3 feed perfect. Out of the 3 mags only 1 will go into slide lock after the mag is empty, the other 2 won't.

This is only a guess but does the lip on the follower push up on the slide lock after the last round was fired? Are my mags failing because there is now less tension on the spring due to the longer tube? I have seen quite a few posts swearing by the Para mag tube, spring, follower, Dawson pad combo. Any suggestions would be great.

Thanks,

Mark

[benny hill]

Not enough spring pressure. Put in new ISMI springs & problem fixed.

[hopalong]

Benny is correct, You have 3 options.....I would opt for 2 or 3......3 prefferably

1 purchase new OEM springs and install.

2 purchase new ISMI springs and install.

3 pruchase new grams springs and follwers and install.

Im not sure but the way ISMI springs and Grams springs work....they may be one and the same.

Beven (grams) also trims his followers to make them take up minimal space in the tubes, thus allowing that 21st bullet to fit and still have a little "wiggle room" so you can actually reload into the 21 rounds(when using the +2 dawson base pads)

Good luck with them and have fun.

Hopalong

[p3ordie]

Thanks guys! I'm hoping to get this gun working before the next match Grams is showing out of stock for the follower/spring kit, they do have just the spring and ISMI springs are in stock.

Thanks!

Mark

[JFD]

I ground the "steps" off my Para followers. With new springs they would all lock the slide back prior to the attack of the dremel.

My advice is to stick with Para springs.

[p3ordie]

JFD, Sorry for my lack of knowledge on the magazine but which part of the follower is the "steps". I guess I would still consider my mag springs to be new, I probably have a little less then 1k rds. through them. One thing I noticed on my Para springs is a dark black rough coating, is this coating supposed to be cleaned/sanded off? On the very end of the spring I used a scotchbrite pad in a small area, it left it shinny and a whole lot smoother!

[JFD]

The step is the part that contacts the slide stop, pushing it up (not always in your case) and locking the slide back.

There's at least one thread here going related to disabling slide stops. You may want to check that out before worrying about whether your slide locks back or not.

With 21/22 rounds in the gun, the only time you "should" ever go to slide lock would be a calculated decision based on the requirements of a stage, or you screwed up really bad. With the former, you will know the gun is empty and can rack the slide after the reload, and with the latter, you're screwed anyway for running the gun dry.

Of course you may just want it to function as intended, and that's a valid choice as well.