22a magazine issue

[highstick44]

New to the forum. Just bought my first gun. Have not had a chance to shoot it yet, but it just familiarizing myself with it I seem to have noticed an issue. When trying to load an empty magazine, I do not hear a click letting me know it is in place. I have a large wooded grip on the gun, so I checked to see if the screws are tight, which they are. I am using enough force to push the magazine up, but it just hangs there. I can pull it out without pressing the magazine release. I haven't tried to load the mag and try it that way yet. Is this normal? Any ideas?

 

[What the]

Assuming your mags are correct......push harder......... Bye the bye, welcome to the forum.

 

[highstick44]

ive pushed hard. No matter what I do, both mags, i cannot get them to sit flush with the bottom of the frame. I can literally pull out the mag with one finger. It wont fall out now, but when I actually fire the gun, if it will fire a round the mag will surely fall out.

 

[litenlarry]

Lock the slide to the rear and try...
Is the pistol new or used ?
Can you look up the magazine well and see if the mag catch is moving when you depress the mag release ?

 

[highstick44]

i have tried it both with the slide locked back and with it close. Looking up the magazine well I can see that the mag release button is moving when pressed. If the magazine is resting up in there and I press the release button it falls out. This is a brand new gun never been fired. I am just trying to avoid sending it back right after I bought it.

 

[litenlarry]

Insert the mag until you feel a little resistance, then depress and hold the mag release while pushing up on the mag, when mag is flush , release mag release..

 

[highstick44]

i just took a quick video of what is happening.

IMG 0026 - YouTube

 

[litenlarry]

Hum, I am not familiar with the wooden grips you are using..It's evident the mag catch is not making full contact with the mag slot..Have you tried it without the grips?.
I have not had a 22a for sometime, maybe those with the same configuration will chime in..Good Luck..

 

[joestacey06]

On my 22A I slide the magazine in and give it a firm hit with my hand to seat it. Otherwise they do what yours is doing. With those grips you may not be able to do that though.

 

[The Assembler]

Them grips suck,trust me I know.You have to push up harder than what you are doing in the video to get the mag to lock in place.

 

[310Pilot]

I agree with The Assembler, you're not applying adequate force to the magazine on insertion. As the old saying goes - Try harder. If that doesn't work, call S&W for a return shipping label and send it in, it's under warranty. Yes, it is disappointing to have to return a new gun, and it will take some time, but they will put it right. I didn't have that problem with my first 22A, but had more severe problems, the factory couldn't get it fixed after 3 attempts, and replaced the gun. Good luck.

 

[highstick44]

thanks for all the replies I will give it one more shot before sending it back.

- edit finally got it to work needed to really stick my finger up into the wood grip and slam it to get it to click.

 

[wrench]

Highstick, I've got a buddy with that exact pistol, with the big wooden grips.
You really do have to stick your finger up there and bang the mag in to get it to engage.
Be nice to find some extended base plates for those mags...

 

[Barrie]

Put a few drops of lube on the catch which may help it slide into position easier and remember its new so it will have to be broken in. I would try this and push harder as the other members have suggested as well. My 22A did this also for a short time when it was new but broke in fairly quickly.

 

[bolewine]

Ok here's your fix. Get 1/2inch aluminum square stock cut and shape to the size of the mag. Base plate glue the shaped bar stock to the base plate and drill and tap the alum. And plastic base plate and install a cap screw. Now the mag. Should be about 3/8" outside the wood grips. When fully seated. Now you can seat the mag firmly with the palm of your hand. If you search 22a slide racker you will see a picture of my Talo 22a with a slide racker and mag ext. installed. I shoot this gun in my local steel matches. Good luck!