Odd Magazine Problem Just Cropped Up

[Jorah Lavin]

Good day.

I just picked up a second-had Mec-Gar magazine for my Kimber Pro Carry. The magazine looks basically new... no wear is evident, nor any "beaten up" marks.

I get the mag home and try to put it into the Kimber. No go.

Slide it out... looks fine. Try again with a _little_ more force. Nope. I got into some bright light and looked down the mag well through the locked-back slide... okay, it is hanging up on the mag release. Yup. I try pushing in on the mag release stud while sliding the magazine in, and everything is fine.

Next I go back to my usual magazine... Oops... same problem. Now, neither the original factory mag nor a Wilson Combat mag will go in without depressing the mag release stud.

Before I strip the gun down, can anyone tell me what to look for here? What could I possibly have done to make all of the mags problematic?

Thanks in advance for your kind help.

-Moss

 

[Stephen A. Camp]

Hello. Sounds like the mag release is a tad too long. Remove it and keep the shape on the end that holds the magazine about the same contour and profile. File it down very slowly. Put it back in the frame and then try the magazine. As soon a magazine will go, you are done. You might compare the shape of the mag release to another that works or to a diagram to see if it's properly shaped to begin with. Best.

 

[hksigwalther]

Sounds like the mag release (the portion that extends into the mag well) got nicked as the aftermarket mag was being shoved in (when it wouldn't go in) and is hanging up the mags as they go in.

 

[James K]

Hi, Moss,

I agree that the new mag nicked and burred the mag catch, and a little file work should fix it fine. But I wonder about how hard the parts in that gun are if the mag catch is so easily nicked. You might want to consider replacing it with something that is hard enough to resist that kind of damage.

Jim