1911 Mag release/ mag catch problems

[creekman]

Just got Rock Island 1911...shot it twice. Each time, same problem. After shooting maybe a couple of mags, the mag will either not seat in mag well...just falls out - or will not eject using mag release. Range gun smith turned mag catch clockwise using thin bladed screwdriver....this fixed it -for time being. He says can't really tell what the problem is without tearing it down...and I don't want that with a new gun under warranty...but don't want to send it back in.

when I googled problem, one guy outlined removing mag catch and mag release.- reinstalling, etc. I'm not up for that- I don't think. Seemed several others on this thread had had this.

Seems to me mag catch is getting loose...maybe from reverberations from firing live ammo?

Anyone experienced this...and anyone have ideas to cure it?

 

[Ivan the Butcher]

I've built around 40 1911's. The #1 problem related to magazines is a poor mag! I gave each of my sons a 1911 for their 21st birthday, along with that a Wilson Combat magazine. You can get these from Midway Dillon or a host of other places! Costs between 30 and 40 dollars depending which grade you buy.

The problem and the RO's temp fix sound like the Mag Catch and the square hole in the mag don't line up properly. The problem could easily be either one. I had to take burrs off mag catches several times! (Jeweler's files are your friend! A Dermal Tool is your gun's worst enemy!)

Ivan

 

[stansdds]

Could be bad magazines, bad magazine catch, or the magazine catch screw might be bad. Without seeing it, it's really tough to accurately diagnose.

 

[Funflyer]

It's not uncommon for a magazine release, or it's lock, to require some stoning to remove machining burrs to allow it to operate smoothly, especially RIA.

Before you run out to buy a Wilson magazine, employ a Smith, or send it to RIA, try to break-in the release and magazine by simply operating it repeatedly. Put a drop of oil on the release and lock/unlock an empty magazine over and over. Then do the same thing again with a few rounds of ammo in the magazine to increase the tension on the release. You'll be surprised how well this works.

 

[WR Moore]

BTW, you don't have to pay Wilson prices for quality magazines for 1911s. Metalform makes excellent magazines at more reasonable prices.

 

[arjay]

Detail stripping and reassembling a 1911 is not hard.Check YouTube for videos on doing that and take a look at that mag release

 

[Funflyer]

BTW, you don't have to pay Wilson prices for quality magazines for 1911s. Metalform makes excellent magazines at more reasonable prices.

I was going to say the same thing but didn't want to step on the toes of any 1911 experts. You can buy two Metalform, or Mec-Gar magazines for the price of a Wilson. I have a pile of Metalform mags and every last one functions flawlessly.