McCormick Shooting Stars in my Colt Defender .45

[TheReeves]

Ordered a couple of Chip McCormick Shooting Star magazines for less reloading at the range. They wouldn't feed correctly after putting them in the Defender for the first time. I tried several times to rack full magazines through using both FMJ and JHP ammo. Then I switched the springs from both McCormicks and both factory Colt magazines and the feed problems pretty much stopped, but now the slide won't lock back after the last round is ejected. Should I return the springs to their original magazines and take them to the range to see if the feed problems work themselves out? Or leave them like they are and work on the slide issue? Or, should I send the Stars back and get something else?

 

[sholling]

I'm surprised. Nothing works better in my Kimber Ultra Carry which is about the same size pistol. I'd call McCormick and chat with them. About the only other quality choice is Wilson. How many rounds have gone through your defender?

 

[ubermensch]

The Colt Defender requires a differently shaped follower to lock the slide back on an empty magazine--try swapping the followers if you can.

 

[10X]

The Shooting Stars may have different feed lip shape.
The ones I have, have a "wadcutter" feed lip then an abrupt opening.
They won't feed reliably in a finicky(sp?) Colt that I have.

Colt 7 round magazines have hybrid feed lips. Tapered to a less abrupt widening. These feed well even in finicky 1911s.

 

[The Lone Haranguer]

The "Chip" often fails to feed the next to last or last round in my Colt Combat Commander and SIG Revolution Carry, FWIW.

 

[TheReeves]

sholling - I'd guess around 2000 rounds so far, and that is probably lowballing it. The only feed issues it had before were with Speer Gold Dots, and I think that was because of the short cartridge.

ubermensch - I have to say I'm not sure what a "follower" is or how to swap it out.

10X - When visually comparing the two magazines (Colt/Star), they are exactly the same. I don't mean glancing at them, I'm talking having a stare down with the magazines. They look absolutely identical. The only visible difference, and forgive my technical language here, is the plate that sits between the bullet and the spring. The Chips have a slightly larger gap.

The Lone Haranguer - Thanks for the info, guess it may not be an isolated incident.

One other thing I forgot to mention, when the magazine is at the full capacity of 7 rounds, it is very hard to get it to lock into the gun. Same for releasing it, it won't drop out without some finagling. With 6 rounds in the magazine, it works normal. I'm really hoping I can make them work, I don't want to buy Colt mags, but I will if I have to.

Thanks for all the help!

Ryan

 

[AndyC]

The follower is "the plate which sits between the bullet and the spring"

 

[TheReeves]

Right on, thanks! New technical term learned!!

 

[TheReeves]

Which, by the way, is the only difference, so is it the extra gap on the Chips causing the issues? Can they be bent to close that gap?

 

[TheReeves]

Update - Since the McCormick mags were fairly cheap, I decided to tear into one last night and see if I could figure out what was wrong. The first thing I noticed is how the follower movement is just nowhere near as smooth as the Colts. By the way, the Stars are blued while the Colts are stainless. I closed the gap in the Star follower till it matched the gap of the Colt, then I sanded the sides of the follower to thin it out a bit (but not too much!). Then I polished the top of the follower. This helped tremendously, but it did not solve all the problems. When comparing the springs, I noticed the Star was an extra coil longer than the Colt. Not Knowing if the tension strength was different, I decided to cut the Star to the Colt length anyway. This also seemed to help the problem, but I am still jamming after what always seems to be the third bullet through the slide. The bullet seems to be nosing into the bottom of the ramp and sticking there. Both JHP and FMJ ammo does this and it does not happen with the Colt mags. The biggest problem I can see is the follower movement just being "gritty". Any suggestions now?

Ryan

 

[AndyC]

Here's my guess: not enough spring-tension to push the round up, especially in a gritty magazine (spring is too weak or the follower is being held back by grit). The slide hits the case-rim on the way forward, but the upward pressure of the spring isn't consistent, allowing a nose-dive.

Load up both makes of mags to full capacity and tap the bullets (the projectile itself, not the entire case) and see if they are held firmly in place or if they're able to "wiggle" up and down a bit.

Edit: It could also be the follower itself doing a nose-dive.

 

[TheReeves]

Ok, that seems like what is happening, only I think it is the follower doing the nose dive. That is where the "gritty" part comes in, almost like the follower is being held in the nose dive from the rough surface of the mag insides. Am I wasting my time here? Should I suck it up and buy Colt mags or can I fix these things?

 

[AndyC]

If your finger can fit in there, polish the inside gently and get rid of any rough surfaces. Of course, it might not even be worth your time - most people just ditch the mags and keep the parts as spares, or send them back to the manufacturer for replacement - I'd try the latter option first

 

[texagun]

Chip McCormick mags in a Defender or any gun with a alloy feed ramp is a BAD idea. The dremel follower will slip forward under recoil and gouge the feed ramp. Use something with a captured follower.

 

[TheReeves]

Ok, now you gotta explain "captured follower" and which magazines have it? Thanks for the info about the gouging, definitely not worth risking!

 

[texagun]

Take a look at Tripp Research for their mag upgrade kits...they include a captured follower (one that is "captured" by the mag tube and can't move forward to scratch your feed ramp).

http://www.trippresearch.com/CVS/products/1911/1911.html

Novak/ACT mags also have captured followers, as do some of the Mecgar mags. I highly recommend you avoid Chip McCormicks with the devel follower in your Colt Defender.

 

[TheReeves]

Hmm, never seen these before. Do you suggest the whole upgrade kit or would just a follower be fine? I don't know if it would be worth trying to upgrade the McCormicks since I really feel like the gritty surface has a lot to do with things.

 

[texagun]

I think you have to buy the whole kit and replace the springs too. I don't think you can buy the followers separately but it would be worth a phone call to see. I sold all my Chip McCormicks after they failed to respond to several inquiries about this problem...I didn't even get a reply from them. Now I use primarily Checkmate Magazines with the hyrid lips, Metalforms, and a few Wilson 47D's for various guns. The Wilsons have a captured follower but don't think they have any available for the Defender.

 

[SouthpawShootr]

The Wilsons have a captured follower but don't think they have any available for the Defender.

Wouldn't Wilson Officer's ACP mags work? I have several for my Officer's (and a Para-Ord CCW).

 

[TheReeves]

I would think so, they are the same size frame. I just ordered four followers from Tripp. If they don't help with the McCormicks, I'll put them in a couple new Colt magazines.

 

[texagun]

I think so too but I would call them first to make sure before I ordered any.

 

[TheReeves]

*Update*

Replaced the followers in my Colt Magazines and the Chip McCormicks and they seem to make both magazines flow much smoother and may have completely fixed the Shooting Stars. Won't know till I shoot them, but I like them already. Thanks to Texagun for showing me the light.