#5 Versus #6 Followers In A Ltd Mag

[JFD]

I've got 10 new mags and while I can barely cram 20 rounds in them (Dawson extensions), functioning is questionable for the first shot with major ammo and it's a jam-o-matic with minor ammo. Same thing goes for +2 Glock extensions; I can only get 16 in the mags.

I bought 3 used LEO mags (deep PD engravings), 1 used non-engraved LEO mag, and 1 new LEO mag from CDNN. All mags have the #5 follower and the tubes look different than my new mags. All the used mags will more easily hold 20 rounds. When used with +2 extensions, they will very easily hold 17. The new LEO mag is no better than my new mags; 19 rounds max if I want the gun to function. Odd since it appears to be the same as the used mags. One of the used/engraved mags will not drop free, so it will be sidelined until I have more time to play with it. While the plastic around the feed lips on all the used mags looks kind of rough, the mag catch slot looks really good.

Right now I think it's safe to say the used mags will function with 20 rounds in them when using major ammo. Much less effort require to cycle the slide compared to the new style mags. I think it should work with minor ammo as well, but have to test this with live fire Sunday. My only concern is that I have at least 1 mag that will hold 20 rounds and functions perfectly with major or minor ammo. I think I'm there now. At any rate it's just a mental issue as 19+1 will work all day long in Limited.

My advice is to order a few used LEO mags from CDNN while they still have them. They cost 8.99, so it shouldn't break the bank.

I just got my order of NHO +1 followers (new style). At first glance they look like #5 followers. I'll see if they are worth the effort tonight.

I've got 15 full capacity mags now, so I think I'm done buying mags for awhile.

[JFD]

The +1 followers ARE modified #5 followers. As such, I found that even if they are marked "new style", they work better in the old LEO mags I bought. They want to hang up on the last round with new production mags. It's possible they would still feed the last round, and they did while I was testing them, but reliability is too important to mess around with them in my new mags.

Didn't matter anyway. The mags that will only function with 19 rounds still only function with 19 rounds using the +1 followers. The new, but old style LEO mag was a no-go too. Couldn't cram 20 rounds in that one with any of the followers.

I've got them in the old LEO mags I bought and will test them fully tomorrow.

[Flexmoney]

I don't know that I ever got a true +1 with the NHO followers, but I did get some extra wiggle room which allowed me to reload to it...well worth the investment.

But, that was with old pre-ban mags...I still don't know enough to comment on the new mags.

[rpmwfo]

As another data point, I just bought a bunch of new .40 mags with #6 followers. I ordered Arrendondo basepads. All but one will reliably load 20 rounds and function fine with factory ammo in my G35. I did need to swap out one of the supplied springs with an ISMI 140MM spring to get it to work reliably. The others worked fine.

[JFD]

I ended up with 3 mags that will work with major ammo @ 20+1. Only 1 will work with minor ammo. However 1 is all I really wanted.

One of the preban mags won't begin to hold 20 rounds, even with the NHO follower. Kind of odd, but it's 100% with 19 rounds.

I'm debating getting 4 Arrendondo extensions, or just getting Glock +2 extensions. Maybe a mixture of both. The +2 extensions CDNN sent me for free with an earlier order were worth just about what I paid for them. 2 had speed unloads before I ever got to the range.

[Trail3]

I changed my recoil spring weight to 14 lbs. Mags worked much, much better.

Still having some problems. Switched out 2 mags with the Arrendondo ext. pad with

the Novak new follower. Worked ok but the follower catches at the top of mag about 1/2 round down and will not go up all the way. One jam out of 6 runs.

Still had a problem with one mag with the # 6 follower. Other mag with #6 follower worked

fine.

Will still run some more test. Have not tried silicone rag in tubes.

[codyb]

I recently pickup up a G35. With my Limited mags with Arrendondo base pads and the #5 followers, the last round in the mag would regularly nose dive into the feed ramp. This occurs in both live fire and when I hand-cycle the slide.

I had the same problem with my G35 this week at the Ironman. I don't know how to tell what followers I have in my mags but it was the first time I had problems with them in the thousands of rounds they have cycled. They are standard factory mags. I tried them on my brother-in-laws G35 and they did the same thing (hung up on the last round).

As I looked at the difference in the mags that were working and those that were not I could see a metal edge that stuck up on the front of the trouble mags while the others appeared plastic throughout. It appears the case would catch on the metal lip as it is pushed forward by the slide. Just wondering if it is something I could fix with a file or not?

[chp5]

Coydb,

The followers have a # on them. Try some new mags with #6 followers and let us know if that fixes it.

[codyb]

I switched followers to the #6 and all seems to be well thanks for the advice. Cody

[Harmon]

i got a bunch of le marked mags that hold 20 rounds with Dawson pads...number 5 follower

number 6 follower mags hold 19-20...twenty is tight.

[JFD]

My biggest problem is I'm setting mags up for Minor PF and there isn't enough energy to cycle the slide over a 20 round mag unless everything is perfect. I've got 20 mags now and only 2 are solid at 20+1. By now I've got the tapered new mags, less tapered older mags with #5 followers, pretty darn square older mags with #5 followers, and even a mag with a #4 follower.

I've tried the +1 followers on all of the with no real improvement.

I'll be receiving a couple of the Arrendondo extensions this week to try, so maybe I'll have some luck with them.

My awareness that 20+1 isn't really a big deal keeps me pretty picky about sacrificing reliability, so mags that will hold 20 rounds will get rejected if the cycling effort is much above a standard 15 round mag. I've probably got 8 or 9 mags that would function with major loads (will test that next week).

Just a project to keep myself occupied.