How come my single stack mags stop dropping free?

[JWBaldree]

Okay, I'm using Wilson / Rogers mags in my Les Baer. For no reason in particular, a few formerly reliable mags no longer want to fall out of the mag well when there are three or less rounds remaining in the mag. Second time this has happened. The first time I sent two back to Wilson which they replaced at no charge. Getting ready to send two more back, but I would like to know is causing the problem. No visible damage, and the mags are clean. Nothing sticking out inside the mag well either. It seems like the mags just get mysteriously bulged after a while.

Thanks in advance,

Jim Baldree

Phoenix, AZ

[trevoro]

You might check the trigger bow on your pistol. If it is shaped incorrectly, your mags could be hanging on it.

[Hank Ellis]

Ran into that myself. Who knows why. Maybe all those impacts during mag changes tweaks the shape just a bit so the mag doesn't drop free.

For me it's typically the rear face has bowed a bit. My fix is to take a pair of duckbill pliers and gently tweak it back into shape. Occasionally the area just below the feed lips will bow. Again a tweak with the ducks will set it all straight.

If it makes a difference the mags in question are Chip McCormick 10 rounders.

[boz1911]

Compare the feed lip dimensions with a "good" mag and adjust them accordingly. When I used to shoot L-10 with the 10 round Wilsons I had to adjust the feed lips every few weeks.

[Steve J]

As Boz pointed out, the feed lips on the magazine may spread over time. Several brands definitely do. That will more than likely be the cause. The trigger bow/stirrup won't usually change dimensions unless you have physicaly damaged it outside of the gun.

After cleaning my magazines (and yes you should clean them regularly) I take each on and insert it sliding it up and down with the magazine catch fully depressed. If there is a problem, you will feel it dragging inside the frame. Stop and fix it then. Don't wait for problems to crop up on the range. Mr. Murphy is bad enough without us helping him out.

[RIIID]

Another thing to look at is, see if the top round in the mag is sliding forward and is dragging on the inside of the gun.

Rich

[adweisbe]

Yet another thing to check is the grips screws and grip screw bushings. If you have changed something with those they may be protruding into the mag well and slowing things down.

[Aircooled6racer]

Hello: Are they old/er type Wilson mags? If so they were made of thinner material and they did tend to spread overtime. The newer mags are thicker and tend not to bend as easily. I am talking about 47D mags. Check the feed lips as stated above. Thanks, Eric

[fred fague]

I use white primer (paint) to spray the mag, and look for rubbing. The primer cleans off with alcohol. Also check the if follower is rubbing on the slide release. Some slide releases have more metal than needed. McCormick mags have stronger metal and tend to not bend.

[slip knot]

A quick fix is to put them into a vice and squeze ever so slighley.

When you drop them, the do bend and need to re-sized.

[ChuckS]

A quick fix is to put them into a vice and squeze ever so slighley.

When you drop them, the do bend and need to re-sized.

A less elegant but proven method is to fill them up with dummy rounds and give them a few whacks on the sides with a plastic mallet. (This tip is rumored to have come from a Wilson tech.)

Later,

Chuck

Edited October 6, 2009 by ChuckS

[Singlestack]

A quick fix is to put them into a vice and squeze ever so slighley.

When you drop them, the do bend and need to re-sized.

A less elegant but proven method is to fill them up with dummy rounds and give them a few whacks on the sides with a plastic mallet. (This tip is rumored to have come from a Wilson tech.)

Later,

Chuck

I don't even bother finding a plastic mallet. A regular hammer works great. Just don't hit them hard. A few light taps around the top of the mag usually does the trick.

[Lee King]

Have you cleaned under the grips recently? Make sure the grip screws aren't poking out the back side of the bushings. OR have you replaced the grip bushings? I cleaned under the grips and ended up buggering up the grip screw bushings. When I replaced them the bushings were a tiny bit longer and stuck out inside the magazine well causing the mags to drag. I had to take the bushings out and file them just a tiny bit. It was weird because they wouldn't drag all the time. But they always managed to do it during a crucial reload at a major match.

[HRider]

Someone mentioned the top round moving forward and dragging on the ramp. This happened to me when I was using case lube while loading. The spray lube that I was using turned a little sticky on the brass and would cause the round under the one being pushed into the chamber to move forward. The gun ran fine but the mags wouldn't drop free(it was an intermittent problem). All of my mags are numbered and it wasn't always the same mag. I now use all Wilson mags, but I had even tried some old Chip McCormic mags and had the same problem (only sometimes with the Chip McCormic mags, on the last round the follower would get dragged out to the ramp and when I would pull the magazine out of the gun the follower and spring would fly out of the mag )

I too have had the feed lips spread after repeated drops (especially on concrete). As others have mentioned, parallel jaw pliers will put them back.

Hurley

[ima45dv8]

A quick fix is to put them into a vice and squeze ever so slighley.

When you drop them, the do bend and need to re-sized.

A less elegant but proven method is to fill them up with dummy rounds and give them a few whacks on the sides with a plastic mallet. (This tip is rumored to have come from a Wilson tech.)

Later,

Chuck

I don't even bother finding a plastic mallet. A regular hammer works great. Just don't hit them hard. A few light taps around the top of the mag usually does the trick.

I don't even bother finding a regular hammer.

Insert mag and lock slide back (you don't want that tiny amout of spring pressure holding the follower against the bottom of the slide to mask any problems). With the slide locked back, hit the mag release. If it doesn't eject fully, this is where the finesse part comes in.

Place the mag on a table (cable spool or whatever wooden structure is available in the safe area works fine).

Whack the mag near the top using the S&A magwell mounted on the gun (you have one, don't you?).

Verify mag now ejects properly.

Rinse and repeat for the remaining magazines.

[boz1911]

I don't even bother finding a regular hammer.

Insert mag and lock slide back (you don't want that tiny amout of spring pressure holding the follower against the bottom of the slide to mask any problems). With the slide locked back, hit the mag release. If it doesn't eject fully, this is where the finesse part comes in.

Place the mag on a table (cable spool or whatever wooden structure is available in the safe area works fine).

Whack the mag near the top using the S&A magwell mounted on the gun (you have one, don't you?).

Verify mag now ejects properly.

Rinse and repeat for the remaining magazines.

I knew it, I knew it, I knew it.......when I saw Mark had posted in this thread.

[ima45dv8]

Not very elegant, and it sort of removes the opportunity to get all intimate with your calipers and vise, but it works (and you know it!).

[HRider]

One other emergency technique is to put the magazine into the magwell about 1/2 to 3/4" and then pry it side to side to close the lips some.

Hurley

[Steven Cline]

I found that I could mash the mag release button far enough in that it actually trapped the mag. I had a bit of metal removed from the mag relase button and it hasn't happened since.