AR Sponsor
Posted: 1/9/2004 3:16:31 AM EDT
|
This is a bit long winded so I'll ask the question first in case it's been discussed already. Am I just unlucky or is there a problem with these particular Colt mags? I purchased several 20-round magazines at a local gun show here in Dallas. All of them came in sealed plastic as is the 30-rounder shown in the bottom photo and were marked "COLT AR-15". The bottom-plate of the mags are stamped with Colt's info. Two out of four 20's have feed problems. In both of the bad ones, you can see a difference in the ears at the rear of the mag. CLARIFICATION - The mag in the left of the picture is bad, the one on the right is good. Both are Colt mags. In the picture of the top of the mags, note that the ears on the left mag appear to be slightly angled rather than parallel like the ones on the right mag. Also note the excessive wear on the rear of the right hand ear (left mage only). This particular mag fails to feed only the last round. The other rounds feed but the last one pops loose every time. One of the other mags mis-fed several times out of 20 rounds and you could see a difference in the seam at the back of the mag. I've tried these mags in my Bushmaster V-Match, Rock River 16-inch and Georgia Precisions 24-inch, all with the same results. http://www.varminthunters.com/john/coltmags1.jpg http://www.varminthunters.com/john/coltmags2.jpg |
|
First off, Colt does not make mags they have them made by other contractors so just because it says Colt on the bottom, don't pay extra for 'em. As to your mags shown, they need tweaking and they can be fixed, appears the right one not only need the lips tweaked but the rear as well. Suggest ya find a guy close via your hometown board and get them to show ya how to do the tweaking, betcha they'll be glad to help. BTW, how do like the Federal Nosler Ballistic tip ammo, shoots pretty well don't it? (atleast that's what they look like to me) Mike added: hey your a homeboy...., near Houston? heck I'll fix-em for ya or go to the Texas hometown and someother Texan'll fix ya right up! BTW, welcome to the site, [beer] |
|
Rather expected Colt contracted them out but also expected they would be up to standard. Silly me... An explanation of tweaking them would be appreciated. The rounds in the mag pictured are actually my loads. They are 50-grain Nosler Ballistic-tips loaded with 26.5 grains of H-335. The brass is from River Valley Ordnance (1000 pieces of Lake City, already primed for $75.00 delivered). I have tried the Black Hills 50 and 60's (ordered from Tommy at Georgia Precision) and they grouped extremely well, much better than I expected. I'm located in Allen, Texas on the northern edge of Dallas. |
|
They will take a good working mag for comparision and they will most likely utilize it in reforming (guess that's a good word) the feed lips back to as close to their original contours as possible. While there is something odd about the rear of the right mag, I can't quite see it well enough to determine what the problem is, they will essentially do the same for it. Compar it to a good one and attempt to conform the bad one into the same profile and shape. As you bought them new they may also be able to take a look at your rifles, incase the scratches and marks on the lips happened to be caused by one of them. They can adjust the mag release button in some cases which can affect funtioning and way mag sets in mag-well. Don't worry the mags are fairly robust and can take quite a bit of abuse, and at times get dinged and this is normal. It won't be a major process, probably just minor. I'll post your need for help for ya and one of the DFW guys will IM or e-mail ya [b]HOPEFULLY[/b] (hint, hint to the DFW guys), ya may even want to join them for a drinks and dinner thing as they meet up there at various places. Ther are some extremely competent fellars up there and I'm sure they can help ya out..... Mike |
|
Had you purchased these mags under the guise that they were new? Or was the finish wear present when you purchased them? It appears that their is a black paint(?) coating the follower on the left-side top mag. If it isn't paint, it's carbon build-up. Either way, I'd remove it. The entire follower should be the same color as the scratches that are present, a dull silver. ). This particular mag fails to feed only the last round. The other rounds feed but the last one pops loose every time. One of the other mags mis-fed several times out of 20 rounds and you could see a difference in the seam at the back of the mag. Usually when a feed lip is bent upward, or warn down such as yours appear to be, the round would jump out since the lips not only align for feeding but keep the round where it belongs in the mag before feeding. Note in the top picture, left side mag, the dimple in the follower (At the base of the "neck" of the faux casing). This dimple is caused by the bolt traveling over the follower after the last shot just before the bolt catch engages to lock the action open. Although your follower is aluminum alloy which is good, that mag, as well as the follower, has seen a lot of use. It's easy to spot a refinished 20 round magazine if it has an alloy follower. The body will look new, but that dimple is a tell tale sign of the mags use. (Although from your pictures, it does not appear your mags have been refinished other than the black on your follower) Also, you note that another one of your 20s had several failures to feed. It would be a good idea to disassemble your mags to ensure that the springs have not been installed backwards which results in a frustratingly unreliable magazine. It's a simple error to make, and just as simple to correct. Hope you can get em' back up to spec. Sly |
|
Hey PH - I think you got old mags. Someone deliberately or unknowningly deceived you. First off, your follower should be silver. Yours has been painted. Yours also have wear on the end of the follower where a bolt carrier has removed some of the metal. It will be hard for me to explain this... but what causes the last round not to feed it typically wear, on the very last part of the mag lip... the last edge to touch a round when feeding. On a new mag, there is no wear, the thickness of the feedlip is the same across the entire lip surface. On an old mag, this lip gets a "bevel" across the surface, growing much sharper towards the end of the lip. You can "tweak" them, but my experience has been that they dont usually last.... and are just near the end of their serviceable life. Mags dont last forever. However, you are in Allen, and I am in Plano. I have about 30 mag bodies over here from my refinishing days (see my article in the mag forum at the top) Want to get together, and I can swap out your mag bodies until you get a good set, with good followers? Be happy to do it, I got all the parts just laying around. |
|
FALARAK is exactly right. These were old, worn-out mags that someone "refinished". I can see that the feed lips are thin and the edges are rounded off with wear. If you look at the feedlips of a new or little-used mag, the edges of the feedlips have sharply squared edges and are much thicker looking than these mags. When the feedlips wear like you describe, the last round in the mag won't stay under the feedlip, and will pop out. Unfortunately, there's no fix for this problem other than to buy some newer mags. These mag bodies are worn beyond usability, and there is no source for replacement 20-round mag bodies, other than from complete pre-ban mags. Don't throw the hole mag away, though, whatever you do. Keep the alloy followers at the very least, as you might want them for other mags. There is definitely a market for Colt-marked floorplates (even though they have no inherent value, lots of people are brand whores) and the alloy followers. -Troy |
|
Thanks guys. I suspected as much. The mags didn't say "New" on them but the didn't say "Reconditioned" either. I should have guessed by the packaging. Still learning as the AR bug bit me several years back but it only recently became an addiction. Anyway, I've been keeping the bad magazine out in my reloading area to check cartridge length. Not planning to toss it. I need to read up on where I can get some good twenties'. |
AR Sponsor