Could someone post information on how to tune 1911 magazines? I am talking about such things as adjusting the feed lips and followers and when to replace the springs. If this has already been covered then could someone point me to the location of the information. I recently bought a couple of GI surplus magazines that need the follower adjusted to hold the slide open after the last shot is fired. Thanks.
1911 Magazine Tuning and Care
- Thread starter GaryK
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GaryK: Welcome to THR!
Here's a link to a thread about slide stops and magazine followers. The link should take you to the last post by 1911Tuner.
Good luck!
Here's a link to a thread about slide stops and magazine followers. The link should take you to the last post by 1911Tuner.
Good luck!
Mag Link
Thanks Mark! I couldn't remember where that dang thread was. The ol'
gray matter just ain't what it used ta be...
I don't know if I covered the part about gettin' the follower to lift the slidestop, so I'll run through it again.
First..the shelf should be parallel to the top of the follower, and it helps to have the angle corrected to spec. Some aren't.
Looking down on top of the follower, the shelf should show a narrow
"V" as it departs to the left. If it's not there, you can bend it sideways carefully thusly:
With the front of the follower facing you, grasp the top with a pair of pliers
as close to the front as the bend in the shelf will allow. This is to keep the top from warping. Use the tip of a slot-type screwriver to lever the shelf
sideways S-L-I-G-H-T-L-Y. Easy does it...Too much pressure and the shelf will snap off. This also works to bend the shelf slightly up on the outside, which contacts the stop a little earlier, and tends to create a captive shelf that pulls the shelf toward the stop's lug instead of springing it away from it. This works well, though nothing can be 100% successful...but I've been able to correct the problem about 99 out of a hundred tries.
There's also the matter of the feed lips...If they've been damaged...bent inward...the follower can't rise to spec height, and the slidelock won't lift
as high or as positively as it will when the magazine is to spec. If the damage isn't too bad, and the magazine still feeds, you can narrow the
follower just a bit. File off the left side, taking as little as possible off the engagement portion of the shelf as you can. Again...no guarantees there.
It depends on how much the magazine is sprung out of spec width at the top. Sometimes, the only thing you can do is toss the mag and try another one. It'd be a shame not to try to save one, though...
Luck!
Tuner
Welcome aboard Gary! Pull off yer shoes and set a spell.
Thanks Mark! I couldn't remember where that dang thread was. The ol'
gray matter just ain't what it used ta be...
I don't know if I covered the part about gettin' the follower to lift the slidestop, so I'll run through it again.
First..the shelf should be parallel to the top of the follower, and it helps to have the angle corrected to spec. Some aren't.
Looking down on top of the follower, the shelf should show a narrow
"V" as it departs to the left. If it's not there, you can bend it sideways carefully thusly:
With the front of the follower facing you, grasp the top with a pair of pliers
as close to the front as the bend in the shelf will allow. This is to keep the top from warping. Use the tip of a slot-type screwriver to lever the shelf
sideways S-L-I-G-H-T-L-Y. Easy does it...Too much pressure and the shelf will snap off. This also works to bend the shelf slightly up on the outside, which contacts the stop a little earlier, and tends to create a captive shelf that pulls the shelf toward the stop's lug instead of springing it away from it. This works well, though nothing can be 100% successful...but I've been able to correct the problem about 99 out of a hundred tries.
There's also the matter of the feed lips...If they've been damaged...bent inward...the follower can't rise to spec height, and the slidelock won't lift
as high or as positively as it will when the magazine is to spec. If the damage isn't too bad, and the magazine still feeds, you can narrow the
follower just a bit. File off the left side, taking as little as possible off the engagement portion of the shelf as you can. Again...no guarantees there.
It depends on how much the magazine is sprung out of spec width at the top. Sometimes, the only thing you can do is toss the mag and try another one. It'd be a shame not to try to save one, though...
Luck!
Tuner
Welcome aboard Gary! Pull off yer shoes and set a spell.
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