S & W 9mm Magazine Problems

[RA40]

It is an M & P 9mm standard size

Steve and Beck- in other words load it from the bottom up. Put in 10 rounds, insert the spring and follower and see how far I get?

Yes, but just the follower. This will show what visible space is left for the spring to compress within.

Edit:
I jut did this with a Browning HP 9mm standard mag and the bottom of the follower where the spring would sit and to the bottom of the magazine tube there is 5/8"/.62" of space for the spring to compress within.

Roughly calculating the thickness of each coil is .035" and there are 11, plus a bit for the retainer plate. My estimate is that this spring comes in at about .40" fully compressed with each coil touching. The .62" of free space is easily enough for this particular magazine.

 

[Steve762us]

It is an M & P 9mm standard size

Steve and Beck- in other words load it from the bottom up. Put in 10 rounds, insert the spring and follower and see how far I get?

No, from top, like normal.

With the floorplate off, lay mag flat on tabletop. Use one hand to *lightly* press mag spring into tube--just enough pressure to
keep the follower in proper alignment, and to keep rounds in good stack (not wobbling loose).

With other hand, press in each round, just as you normally would load mag.

Maintain just enough pressure on the spring, to keep the round stack tight. The spring will get pushed further and further
out as you load more rounds, let it go.

This will let you see if ten rounds and the follower can even fit in the mag tube, without the follower poking out beyond the
lower edge of tube.

It gives you a baseline to work from, without trying to deal with how much space the mag spring needs
("solid length", when coils stack on each other and no further compression is possible).

Magazines tend to be fairly unforgiving, in terms of modifications. It's best to be sure the "factor" you're trying to deal with,
is the one that's actually the cause of the problem.

 

[drobs]

Try a 40sw magazine. As mentioned during the AW Ban 40sw mags were used in 9mm pistols to get a few more rounds of capacity.

Do you live in a state that restricts you to 10rd magazines?

 

[gifbohane]

Try a 40sw magazine. As mentioned during the AW Ban 40sw mags were used in 9mm pistols to get a few more rounds of capacity.

Do you live in a state that restricts you to 10rd magazines?

Very sadly-YES