1911 Tuner-dimpled follower question

[DBR]

I have about 20 pcs of Metalform flat dimpled followers made about two years ago. The dimple has a round top and is impressed into the follower so far it has cylindrical sides. The Last round hangs on the side of the dimple and stops the slide. I can fix this with a dremel but it doesn't seem right.

I have a couple of original GI issue followers and the dimple is cone shaped and the rounds feed off the dimple without hanging. What has been your experience with the Metalform followers? Are mine a fluke or has Metalform "improved" the GI design?

 

[1911Tuner]

Big Dimple

Hmmmm...Sounds like those Metalform followers got over-dimped. All mine...and all I've ever gotten from Metalform...have a small dimple and nothing like you've described. Try filing the top off to about the same height
as the ones on the GI followers and polish with the Dremel and a buffing head.
Easy does it. The dimple's function is to stop the forward movement of the last round by grabbing the case rim. Make it too short or too slick and it won't do it.

 

[DBR]

Tuner,
Thanks for the reply. I think my first move will be to return them to Metalform for an exchange. In the past they have been very good about things like this. I spoke with the Company President about a year an a half ago and he said they were retooling the Mag line but he didn't say exactly what they were updating. Hopefully the follower problem got fixed.

 

[SACOLT]

Don't the Mec-Gar have dimple follwers?

 

[1911Tuner]

Mec-Gar

SACOLT...Nope.

 

[1911Tuner]

Test

SACOLT...Before ya talk to Metalform, do a quick test.

Remove the recoil sysyem from the gun and replace the top end...bushing in place. Load one round into a mag and lock it in the gun. Draw the slide to the rear and push it briskly into battery. If the round hangs up on the dimple, remove the extractor and try it again. If it feeds without the extractor, there's your bug. Clean the channel with solvent and a pipe cleaner. Repeat the test. If it still hangs, take just a little tension off the extractor.

Most of the time, a last only round failure to go to battery is excessive extractor tension. It looks like the round hangs on the dimple, but the real reason is that the extractor doesn't cam open to let the rim under it. Since the dimple's other function is to time the release of the last round, when the round hangs up in the extractor, it only seems like the dimple stopped it.

Standin' by...

 

[DBR]

Tuner,
I will do the test you suggest, probably tomorrow.

FYI, if I load only one round in the mag I cannot push it out with my thumb without taking a chip out of the case rim unless I tilt the nose of the bullet up about 1/4" to allow the rim to "climb" over the dimple. Also, this problem happens in four different 1911s and with several mags. All guns have recently fit and tensioned extractors that pass the "shake" test and are within the suggested tension range using the Weigand guage.

I will send you one to check out if you wish. PM me.

 

[1911Tuner]

Dimped too Much

Yeah...If it's doin' that, it sounds like they screwed up the dimples on those.
Call Ginny and see what she suggests.

 

[DBR]

Tuner,
We concur, I will let you know what happens. Thanks much for your advice.