Metalform Mags Won't Drop From Sti Singlestack

[BigDave]

I just received me 6 new Metalform .40 S&W mags for my 5" STI Trojan singlestack. When they are fully loaded, they will drop, but empty they will not. As I slowly insert them, it seems as though the mag catch is putting quite a bit of pressure on the mag tube. Any ideas?

FWIW - I have one Wilson/Rogers 8 rd 45 mag (w/ new cut that works for 40) that drops just fine, as well as the one Mec-Gar mag that was supplied with the pistol.

[kindlyoldcoach]

Might be the engagement notch on the mags, the magazine catch itself, or something else.

Step 1: Unload the pistol. Remove the slide and the magazine catch. Now re-test all the mags, empty and full. Make a note of where the engagement slots appear, and compare their locations to that of your Wilson/Rogers tube. If all the magazines go in and out freely of the catchless frame, add the magazine catch, and repeat.

Step 2: Assuming the magazine catch is the suspected culprit, borrow the mag catch from another (any other) single stack 1911 and repeat the test.

I did this experiment last week with some new 9mm Mec-Gars that weren't dropping reliably; turned out it was their slightly over-wide bases hanging up in my unblended S&A funnel. Five minutes with a #2 file fixed it.

[tightloop]

Big D

I would back it up one step further and put your calipers on the new mags and compare the measurement to those that give you no problems.

If they are the same, then start looking at the mag cut and mag catch. I would do everything else I could think of before I put a file on anything.

Just my thoughts.

[bountyhunter]

Take the mag release out of the frame and see if the mags slide in and out freely. FWIW: one of the mag releases I got for my Trojan won't drop the mags free somtimes because it depresses too far in and acts like a mag brake (releases the shell cut but drags aganst the other side of the shell). I had to build up the lip of the release button to stop it from going too far in.

[Ross Carter]

Everything above plus you might contact Metalform, I talked to them this week and they said they were having some problems with 40 mags but I didn't find out exactly what.

[diehli]

bountyhunter. Brian has another idea for getting rid of that issue:

using the tip of a decapping pin (from your reloading press) and cutting it to the right length so that the release stops at the point necessary so that the mags will drop free and not be caught on the catch-side or button-side.

[bountyhunter]

bountyhunter. Brian has another idea for getting rid of that issue:

using the tip of a decapping pin (from your reloading press) and cutting it to the right length so that the release stops at the point necessary so that the mags will drop free and not be caught on the catch-side or button-side.

I feel like such a goober... I don't have a reloading press. I buy all my reloads and stimulate the livelihood of those who do the reloading. Severe arthritis, advancing years, and a wife who would not tolerate stocks of gunpowder in the abodal area rule that out (maybe my next marriage?)

FWIW: I though it would be no sweat to fix just by shortening the shaft of the release itself, where the oversized release button threads into it. That way the button would start out closer to the frame and I could dial in the "insertion depth" of the release shaft.

Then, I wore out two files on the end of that shaft and I didn't even get the bluing off. I kept checking the length with my micrometer and I swear it was growing on me! Finally just built up the under lip of the release button and ground that down until the mags dropped just right when I pressed the button all the way. I don't know what metal they made that release shaft out of but I am sure it came from the planet Krypton.

[BigDave]

Well, after some testing with other mags, another mag release and some calipers - I have come to the conclusion that it isn't a mag problem - its the gun. I think the hole for the mag release was drilled incorrectly - but I think I might have a way around that.

1) Can one remove 0.010 - 0.020" of material from the curved part (closest to the front of the mag) of the mag catch?

[Nick Weidhaas]

Big Dave,

I just went through this same thing with Metalform 9mm mags and I got it fixed. Here is the what I found/did:

1. Take the slide off or lock the slide to the rear and insert an empty mag. Watch the mag come up and see if the follower is jumping over the slide stop. I found that the slide stop I had in the gun was short (Wilson 9mm slide stop) and the follower was jumping over the slide stop instead of pushing it up. The mag would then hang on or be pinned in by the slide stop. I had to go to a Grieder (sp?) slide stop which was longer. The reason your mags are dropping out with bullets in them is because the bullets are holding the follower down so it can't jump over the slide stop. My 9mm mags were doing the same thing. Drop free when loaded and hang up when empty. Check the Slide Stop!!!

2. I also found that the Metalform mags have high spots. After I had a new slide stop fitted I then inserted all the mags. (2) would drop out and (2) would not. I could see a spot on the mag where it was hitting. I buffed this area and everything was fine.

3. If this does not fix your problem it is probably your mag catch like you thought. This 9mm gun I had built was for my son who is 10 and he needed a longer mag catch. When the smith switched the mag catches (small to large) the mags started hanging up. Because we had fixed the above and knew the other mag catch worked, the smith cut/buffed the new mag catch so it would allow the mags to drop free.

All set now. No problems.

Nope this helps.

Nick-

[sfinney]

I also had the same problems with my 9mm Metalforms..... or so I thought. When I'd pop in an empty mag, they would not drop free due to the above mentioned problems. But after shooting it, I couldn't duplicate the "hanging up" when I actually shot the mags dry. They dropped fine in actual action, just not when inserted empty in dry fire. Go figure.

[diehli]

Something similar happens in both my Glock 35 w/ full-caps and my STI. Inserted w/out ammo the follower jumps the slide stop and doesn't lock the gun back--in the Glock the mags hang up. With ammo and on firing the gun gets locked back in both guns.