M1A magazine round nose-diving issue

[XenopusTex]

I've got a collection of SA and Checkmate branded (all Checkmate as far as I know) mags for my M1A. Most are 20 rounders, a couple are 25 rounders.

I'd say probably 75%+ of them allow some of the rounds in the stack to nose-dive.

Happens with various types of ammunition, so it's not a long cartridge length issue. Bog standard mil-surp, 150 grain Sirocco loads, Hornady ELD, doesn't really matter. Fortunately, it isn't my fecal matter impacting a rotating air circulation device long-gun, but it is my favorite of my semi-auto rifles.

Took one of the 25 rounders apart and noticed some burrs on the follower and some corresponding marks on the inside of the mag's body. Follower travel is iffy in many, and wondering about quality control. Not sure if that is an issue that is now plaguing Checkmate or not. Got the mags a couple of years back before the SARS-CoV2 mess, and hadn't really played with them until recently. Is it standard practice to have to disassemble and finish what should have been finished before it left the factory these days? Would graphite dry lubricant help with easing the follower's travel? Am I missing something?

 

[bfoosh006]

I'd Burnish the various surfaces on the follower, and the interior of the mag.

For burnishing, Quad ought steelwool ( 0000 ) very, very fine and a good gun oil might help.

Clean thoroughly after burnishing, ( steel wool "fibers" will rust )

Then relube.

 

[Charlie98]

I would be looking at the rifle more than the magazines. The fact that you say 75% of them allow nose dive is telling you it's not the magazines, unless there is something consistently wrong with that exact portion of your magazines. I've found my M1a and magazines to give me absolutely zero feeding issues, and my mag well is so sloppy, I can actually pull the front of the magazine down away from the front mag catch... and they still cycle.

I would find someone familiar with the M1a platform to have a look at your rifle...

 

[Robert]

When you say nose diving in the mag, do you mean the stack is tilting before the round reaches the top for the bolt to strip, or the top round is being stripped off the mag but nose dives into the receiver?