Help Installing Dawson Ice Magwell

[Dan Mancini]

I need some help installing my Ice Magwell.

When I install the plug, you can't put the mag in the gun. The plug causes the back channel to swell into the grip frame so much that a mag won't go.

Now that I've filed the plug down to the correct size, the front of the magwell pulls off the grip, which prevents you from inserting the mag - again. I may have changed the angle of the plug by filing.

I'm not sure cutting on the gun is a good idea, seems like an all or nothing proposition.

Are other magwells like this?

Need some help please.

Dan

[TimWarner]

you have the slug bolted in, and the magwell bolted to the slug, right?

I don't know how it could pull off, and filing shouldn't change the mounting angle, unless you filed off the back of the slug, and not the front.

I had to file the front of my heavy slug to get it to fit, but I also had to modify my basepads to seat the mags.

Stock basepads won't work, Taylor pads need filing. I assume Dawson 140mm pads will work with no mods.

Try taking the plastic insert out, and seating a mag that way.

If you don't want to reshape your mag extensions, you could always reshape the plastic insert and smooth it out again.

I'm still waiting on a white insert for glocks as well. Anyone heard anything on a release time?

[rwmagnus]

I'm not familiar with the ICE but I did have to sand about 1/8" to properly fit the Novak Stainless Steel magwell. I installed the plug then dragged the grip across sand paper mantaining the correct angle. Cleaned up the threads and installed the magwell.

If the plug is expanding the magwell so magazines don't fit I'd suggest reducing the diameter of the plug first then reinstall so the magazines will fit. If you sand or file the grip pay attention to the angle of the grip.

[boo radley]

I have the Dawson ICE magwell on my Glock, and it installed very smoothly. Some older magazines I have do not drop free, because the brass plug slightly swells the grip.

This is not a problem with my modern 15-rnd magazines, so I didn't worry about filing anything.

This doesn't help you, I realize... Possibly you could contact Dawson, and see if you could get a replacement plug, and start over? Maybe don't do any -- or very little -- filing, this time?

BTW, my magwell works fine with Dawson extensions, Jentra "bumper pads", and a magazine with nothing on the baseplate -- just stock. You have to seat it with the heel of your hand, but it still works....

[rwmagnus]

BTW the reason I had to sand alittle off the grip was to give the magazine base more room to seat, otherwise I had to hit the magazine so hard to seat it it sometimes bruised the heel of my hand. The magwell always fit the grip.

I have heard of others having the same problem with the magwell popping off the front of the grip. Eventually they used hotmelt glue to attach it and a Sharpie to color match it. No more problems.

Everything in action shooting needs tweaking hear and there. Measure twice cut once!

Good luck

[splashdown]

Mine was the same way. I used a dremmel sanding drum and a coarse stone to reduce the size of the brass plug. I just took it a little at a time until I got it right. Works like a charm now. Do you have the magwell pressed onto the grip unti it touches all the way around? It sort of snaps over the front of the grip. If you've tried everyting, I'd call Dawson.

[Dan Mancini]

I did call Dawson, the response was send us the frame and we'll install it. Gee thanks.

Yes I have the magwell all the way on, when you tighten the screw, it pulls the front of the magwell off the grip. So it appears that the angle of the plug is not correct, otherwise it would tighten in a straight line up.

Mags are new 15 rounders with Dawson extensions on them. If I put the magwell on without tightening it down, it works great. Of course I couldn't leave it this way.

Thanks for the help.

Dan

[michaels]

Got my ICE today and it's not really what I expected...

It's not really any bigger than the brass one from THE, it only attaches with 1 screw not 2 like THE magwell and it's not huge like the ones on 1911's...mine came with a black insert, I ordered white...this is the 2nd one that I got, the first was not the heavy model as ordered, so I sent it back. Been looking at how to get the insert out, no instructions on that...I guess tomorrow I'll call and see what's up with the black insert, black really makes it look like dark hole in there, none of my mags work yet in it, but then I had to do a little work on THE magwell when I first got it...

michaels

[michaels]

Well, it's on...had to upgrade the screw to hold the brass plug to the frame, the threads in the brass plug were not cleaned up from being tapped...same with the one that holds the magwell to the plug. Deceided to modify the mags instead of the magwell, so a little dremel time was called for. They all seat and release just fine. When Dawson was contacted about why I got a black insert when I asked for white, they didn't offer any explanation, just a 'you can order up a white one for 19.95'...it only ships with black'....

I have the weight for the whole thing, now I need to pull off THE magwell and compare weights....I do look forward to not slamming my mags into the brass magwell now, will have to do a little practice tonight to see if it's gonna be better...

michaels