TDean Posted May 27, 2003 Share Posted May 27, 2003 During several stages on Sunday, my STI mags were falling out of my STI frame. This happened with all magazines, with varying round-count still in them. I don't think I'm hitting the release as I've shot a few matches with this gun already and it's never happened before. I don't think my grip suddenly changed overnight. The only "variable" I can see here is the mag catch spring. The one in there is pretty light, like 3.5# on the RCBS trigger pull guage. A friend gave me a stock government spring that I cut about 4 coils off to get to about 5.5# Everything seemed to work ok after that, but I only fired it 20 times with the new spring. What weight mag-catch spring is the most logical? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shred Posted May 27, 2003 Share Posted May 27, 2003 BSeevers let me (and everybody else that read it) on his trick of using a GI mag-catch spring. I've tried it and it's been working well for me, especially in Steel matches where I'd occasionally smack the button whilst surrender-drawing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Singlestack Posted May 27, 2003 Share Posted May 27, 2003 I don't think my grip suddenly changed overnight. Mine did. I shot my SV for 4 or 5 months with no problem. All of the sudden, at the Alabama State match last year, I started dropping mags. Are you using an extended mag release button? I can't use them. I now use a light spring and NO button. I Have not dropped one since and I have not looked back. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EricW Posted May 27, 2003 Share Posted May 27, 2003 With the newfangled, super-gi-huge-ic mag relases I don't see how you could *NOT* accidentally hit them occasionally. I'm pretty partial to the small, aluminum knob that's screwd on top of my release button. Subtle, but effective. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kurtm Posted May 27, 2003 Share Posted May 27, 2003 TDEAN: Carefully check where the detent pin goes into the slot in the mag catch. Some are very close tolerance and some have burrs. by cleaning up this area and LIGHTLY beveling the corner of the T slot on the right hand side of the mag catch you should have no more problems. I had one that drove me nuts untill I figured this out. This one would usually retain a mag but when you did a fast speed load it would just drop back out, and very occasionaly it would drop a mag at the draw even though I knew I locked the mag in real well. KURT Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
warpspeed Posted May 28, 2003 Share Posted May 28, 2003 TDean: On my Steel Challenge gun, I use a Wolff Extra Power Magazine Catch Spring. Since I don't usually have to do a reload in the middle of a run, I want the mag to stay put. I had a similar problem on my IPSC Open gun and it was due to a LoPro button on the release. I use a standard weight spring on this gun w/ no problems once the button was removed. BTW, All the mags have been tuned by Bevin @ Grams Eng. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Detlef Posted May 28, 2003 Share Posted May 28, 2003 yes, Tom, most likely you just need a stronger spring. I had exactly the same happen to me 2 y ago. I standard 1911-strength spring solved the problem. Another potential cause of this problem is of course a worn-out mag catch. Since most of us file material off the catch when it first gets put into the gun, it really doesn't take much wear to make it not function reliably any more.... --Detlef Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TDean Posted May 28, 2003 Author Share Posted May 28, 2003 Thanks for the responses gents. Yes I'm using extended style buttons. I tried two that day, an STI paddle and the Brazos "cyclone" round lo-pro style. With both installed, the mags dropped whilst shooting. So Shred, what's the trick? Just installing the GI or......... Kurt, the catch "detent" area looked good, but I'll check again for burrs. Thanks for the tip. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
megaman Posted May 28, 2003 Share Posted May 28, 2003 may i suggest the dawson's tactical spring. i had the same problems with my extended mag release button . unwilling to get rid of the button i spent the bucks to buy instead i bought a stronger spring, and after some shopping arround i found that dawson's tactical spring is cheaper than the gi one at brownells (and then add my 5% off with the shooters club discount...) . since the switch my mags don't come out unless i want them too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Singlestack Posted May 28, 2003 Share Posted May 28, 2003 TDean, Do they fall out w/out the extended button? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ErikW Posted May 28, 2003 Share Posted May 28, 2003 Get a stiffer spring and lose the button. Every match I see people picking their guns off tables and having the magazines fall out. Or they fall out just from their grip. Don't be one of those goobers with an emotional attachment to a stupid big button! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PaulW Posted May 28, 2003 Share Posted May 28, 2003 That stupid little button helps me out greatly. Actually I use an EGW paddle that I sanded sown pretty slim. I also use a Dawson Ice magwell and I mag the button short enough that there is plenty of clearence between the button and say a table (starting with gun on table). I no longer have to adjust my strong hand at all when doing a mag change. Big help. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TDean Posted May 28, 2003 Author Share Posted May 28, 2003 Ya, that extended button helps me keep my index after the reload since I don't need to rotate the grip within my hand. The Brazos "cyclone" won't depress enough to release the mag when on a table. Singlestank, I didn't try it without the button...I should'a don'dat at the last match! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lynn jones Posted May 28, 2003 Share Posted May 28, 2003 LOSE THE MAG BUTTON. YOU WILL NO LONGER HAVE THE MAG DROPPING OUT PROBLEM. TAKE IT FROM EXPERIENCE. LYNN JONES ps i have several for sale if anyone needs one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
megaman Posted May 28, 2003 Share Posted May 28, 2003 as i mentioned in my previous post, "MY MAGS DON'T COME OUT UNLESS I WANT THEM TOO!" my thinking is such: if i get a hang nail, i don't chop off my finger tip! spending 2 dollars to make something work better, is smarter than having a 12-25 dollar piece of metal and giving up on something i have them on both my limited and open blaster. and no, they don't fall out when picking them up from tables. and no, they don't fall out when transitioning from strong hand to weak hand, or vice versa. bottom line: they work for me. and yes, i am emotionally attached to my blasters, and i don't think that theres anything wrong with that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TDean Posted May 29, 2003 Author Share Posted May 29, 2003 I think megaman REALLY likes his button! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eric nielsen Posted May 31, 2003 Share Posted May 31, 2003 Just to stir up trouble, I'd add: Lose the ambi-safeties on those guns unless you're left-handed. There's a guy who lost the Bianchi Cup because of that. Same guy had ambi problems, on my squad, at an Area match... Having trouble with mag buttons, ambi-safeties, and grip safeties says nothing about your shooting skill. But it knocks you out of match contention anyway. I've seen it happen to many, many shooters. dvc - eric - a28026 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RLSMITH Posted June 1, 2003 Share Posted June 1, 2003 OK GUYS, I'm having the same problem with a couple of my SV mags. During strings of fire they just fall out. They do this in both of my guns (1-new STI, 1 SV). So it is my thinking that it is something wrong with the mags and not the mag catch. Any suggestions? THANKS!!!!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TONY BARONE Posted June 1, 2003 Share Posted June 1, 2003 IF YOU ARE CONFIDENT THAT YOUR HAND IS NOT DEPRESSING THE MAG BUTTON WHILE SHOOTING BUY A WOLFF MAG CATCH SPRING PAK AND PICK THE ONE THAT WILL WORK FOR YOU. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TDean Posted June 2, 2003 Author Share Posted June 2, 2003 The clipped govn't model spring (5.5#) worked well this weekend. NO mags falling prematurely with extended button installed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RLSMITH Posted June 3, 2003 Share Posted June 3, 2003 Tdean, Could you elaborate more on this "clipped spring"? Thanks......... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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