Tactial Sports Not Feeding w/ New Base Pads & Springs

[spencerhut]

My bone stock Tactical Sports .40S&W had been working great for some time now. I started to get feed problems and diagnosed it to be bad magazine springs, pretty easy since 4 of the 6 magazine the springs were mangled and rounds were sticking down in the tubes.

Not one to muck about I ordered 6 new springs and the extended base pads from Angus. Cleaned the tubes (as I always do) inspected followers and put the new springs and base pads in. Loaded up 18 to 20 rounds in all 6 magazines. Unloaded and reloaded by hand a few times until all 6 took 20 rounds. I then let them sit loaded for several days. When I loaded and unloaded them again they were smoother and easier to load. When I used them I was getting many severe nose dives. Basically turned my gun into a single shot. Bang, jam, slap, rack, bang, jam etc.

My load is a Montana Gold Bullets 180g JHP @ 1.135OAL

Help

(Yeah I posted over on the CZ Ask Angus section but someone that does not own a TS keeps trying to give me internet "expert" advise.

[noypi916]

IIRC, I have the same issue on what you having right now and I change my OAL to 1.160 and the problem when away. I'm using Zero 180grn JHP.

[eerw]

When I had a TS..using Angus's basepad and springs..I had no issues..

using a moly 180gr bullet loaded to 1.150

see if a longer round will help feeding..otherwise some tweaks you might be able to do to allow the mag to release the round differently.

it is surprising how just a little added length can affect how the spring and mag feed the round.

does it jam on every round..or is there a spot where the rounds begin to feed??

exp. if you have 20 rounds in the mag..does it start feeding at 18rnds in the mag?? what happens if you only load to that point and try it??

Edited April 6, 2009 by eerw

[spencerhut]

I measured three different brands of factory ammo 1.114 to 1.125 for JHP and TC. My ammo is 1.135, light crimp removing bell only. I'll try the factory ammo and if work any better I'll shorten my loads. Funny that the advise I got on another forum (CZ Forum Angus) was to use shorter rounds, 1.1 to 1.120.

Cleaned the mags spotless and put some Remington Dry Film Lube in the tubes and reassembled them.

Loaded the mags with 20 rounds factory ammo and noticed they would feed the first several rounds okay and then they would start to hang up the case mouth on the front edge of the magazine body, not lifting enough at the front of the round. Acted the same with factory and my reloads. One magazine had the follower sick way down in the mag. Follower came shooting up when I thumped it. I'll order some more springs I guess and try this again.

Grrrr

Edited April 8, 2009 by spencerhut

[Albert]

When I started with my Tactical Sports, I had the same problem with failure to feed rounds. This was before the aluminum CZ base pads were out and I was using Taylor freelance basepads and trying different springs along with modifying followers to try and get 19, 20 or even 21 rounds to work.

I've been consistently using the CZ aluminum basepads and their longer springs but have cut a little off the back of the legs of the follower and smoothed them out so the follower does not roll. Check to see if any of the springs seem to have been twisted as I've had trouble with springs that are not as straight.

I also have had better luck with rounds that are 1.12 - 1.14 OAL using a Montana Gold 180 gr bullet. I was just discussing the profile of that bullet with a friend the other day and we agreed that it appears to be a faster bullet with certain load recipes compared to other brands.

I also keep the magazines very clean especially if it's really muddy or sandy and the new basepads make it easier to disassemble and clean. I would not put anything down the tube unless you want to clean and then polish. I usually try to remember and clean my magazines before a match and make sure they are dry along with the coils and the follower.

I had one double feed this last weekend shooting limited and other than that my magazines with 180gr Montana Gold CMJs loaded out to 1.145 worked fine.

I think your statement that your stock gun worked fine sparked others to mention that you should only change one thing at a time and I'm in agreement with that as I've had a plethora of trouble changing multiple things on my Tactical Sports.

[Shay1911]

- Internet Advice -

I load my TS at 1.17, the max length I can fit in the mag. I also make sure I case gauge every round.

If the brass is glocked, it will hang on the back of the mag lips and nose dive. Make sure the case is straight and the mag lips fit it nicely.

Also, make sure that your load fits your recoil spring. Too light of a load = not enough slide travel. Too light of a spring plus too light of a load and the gun gets lazy.

My favorite are the MG 165 CMJs loaded slightly hot. Makes the gun sing:))

Hope this helps.

[Stuck in C]

I have the same problem-with both TF and Angus's aluminum extended base pads. Also it doesn't matter what mag springs I use-the original CZ, Angus's extended, or Grams springs/followers. It also occurs with Winchester whitebox factory ammo. The round nosedives and catches on the front of the mag body (not on the feedramp). I only shot a few dozen rounds with the original factory basepads and springs and only with factory ammo; it didn't occur then but it might not have been a large enough sample. I was going to fool with COL but due to financial concerns it's on the back burner for now-I'm shooting 9mm Production most of this season. I hope someone comes up with a definitive answer. The TS is cool pistol when it works.

[Neomet]

Since what you changed was the basepads that is where I would look first. I would first be sure that the top of the basepad is not hitting the frame. Two of mine had to be dressed so the mags hung free in the frame. Both were hanging on the rear edge of the basepad. Mr. Dremel resolved that problem. Another way to check would be to take the Angus basepad off of a mag and see if your feed problem goes away. Not a solution but certainly points you to where the problem probably lies.

My Angus mags have run like butter with 20 in the tube since I have had them. (Once I did a little custom fitting.)

[Middle Man]

The OAL in the TS is pretty sensitive, there's not a lot of margin there...

I've had issues like that with my TS and factory ball from TS basepad mags, as well as, Angus' basepads. When it does that type of jam consistently for several rounds, it has been resolved with a new recoil spring and a good cleaning.

And the rear corners of the base pads do usually need some "dressing" with a file or Dremel to seat properly.

[spencerhut]

And the rear corners of the base pads do usually need some "dressing" with a file or Dremel to seat properly.

Have any pictures of this? I don't want to re-invent the wheel if I do not have to.

I tested again with WWB and got the exact same results. Nose dives anywhere from first to last round in the magazine, all six magazines. I have another new set of springs for the magazines to replace the month old springs in them.

May as well replace the recoil springs too I guess.

[spencerhut]

I experimented with smoothing out the follower on the front and rear portions that touch the mag body, seems to have worked . All the mags a now working 100% with 19 rounds.

[THM7]

I have the TS in both 9mm and .40 S/W. They have been pretty much 100%...I do change out the mag springs every year or so....OAL of the .40S/W is 1.110.