Slide not locking back on new 1911 mags

[Dryft]

Hey folks,

I just got a batch of MecGar 1911 magazines in for my Rock Island 10mm, and while the slide will lock back when an empty mag is inserted, it does not lock back when it is emptied through firing.

The follower is considerably different from the magazines that came with the gun, but aside from that, they're still 1911 magazines, right?

This is what drives me nuts about the 1911 platform - there are no "plug and play" solutions.

Any suggestions? (That aren't "Get different magazines"?)

 

[Ditchtiger]

First thought was cruddy mags till I saw they were MecGar.
Have had only good function with mine.
Take your mags apart to see if there is dirt or foreign matter inside them.
Clean them and spray the insides with a dry silicone spray.
Or got some dud rounds, snap-caps and cycle the slide and watch the slide lock on the last round.

 

[Creature]

I just got a batch of MecGar 1911 magazines in for my Rock Island 10mm

Is just one particular magazine in the batch causing you problems?...or all of them?

 

[Fremmer]

Have you checked the slide stop to ensure it is not damaged?

 

[ljnowell]

Isnt the Rock Island a ramped barrel in the 10mm? You dont have an issue with the magazine follower hitting the ramp on the barrel, do you? Long shot, probably not possible, but thought I would throw it out there.

 

[Walt Sherrill]

I picked up some Mec-Gar 1911 mags, a number of years ago, for a SIG 1911 -- from Numrich. They were new, and none of them would lock back the slide. They had a different style follower. Don't remember the details, but they were the ONLY Mec-Gar mags that ever gave me problems.

 

[Drail]

Your slide stop's engagement tab is a little short. It will work with some magazine followers but as you have seen, not all. Tolerance stacking at work. With slide removed insert an empty magazine and look carefully to see if the follower is engaging the slide stop lug and lifting it up enough. If it isn't check to see if the slide stop is free to move up and down. If it does not find out why. This can happen with any brand of magazine, even Wilsons. Magazines are not held rigidly in place, they rattle around in the frame. The slide stop lug has to be long enough to reach the follower. You have now seen first hand why many competition shooters modify their slide stops so the gun will never lock back on empty. It's nice when it works but if the gun can even possibly lock back with rounds still in the magazine it is not a useful feature.