Model 59/Mec-Gar magazines

[JWM]

I purchased a used model 59 9mm pistol several weeks ago. I dated it to 1976 manufacture. It only came with one original S&W factory magazine, so I bought two Mec Gar mags on line. After I got the mags, I noticed two things right away. First they hold 17 rounds, and second the magazine spring has much more tension when inserting rounds than the S&W factory mag. Off to the range I went a couple of days ago to sight it in with 100 rds of Winchester white box. First the good news. This pistol is very accurate as I kept 95 % of my rounds in the 4" by 6" oval of the B-27 target at 25 yards. Should make a good PPC match gun for the duty gun events. The original 14-shot S&W magazine worked flawless to full capacity. Now the bad news: The MecGar mags would jam every time I loaded more than 7-8 rounds in them. Six rounds or less; no problems. I noticed that the top round in the mag woud nose dive to the 12 o'clock position over the chamber. Anybody got any advice on how to fix this ?

 

[max]

MecGar magazines have a very good reputation. However, Smith mags are inexpensive and easy to find. You might check CDNN.

 

[sniper47]

I have never had a Mec Gar foul up like that. Can you return them? I'd get two more and see if it was just those two. Maybe look at the factory follower and compare it to the Mec Gar.

 

[bwh]

Sounds like a magazine follower issue. Try this - disassemble the S&W and one of the Mec-Gar magazines. Put the magazine follower from the S&W magazine into the Mec-Gar. Reassemble and give this 'switchup' a try. If the problem goes away then contact S&W buy two Model 59 magazine followers.

Generally, Mec-Gars are excellent magazines (they are OEM suppliers to a number of high quality manufacturers, like Beretta and CZ), but I have found their followers to sometimes be problematic.

 

[growr]

bwh has a great idea in switching out followers. I have never had a problem with any mec-gar magazine in 30 years of owning them. I have able to find many original S&W 59 magazines and they never fail me. Keep an eye out for originals at CDNN. Gunbroker, etc. Hope that helps you out somehow.

Randy

PS. any 5900 series magazine should work, even magazines for the Marlin camp rifle are one in the same.

 

[shawn mccarver]

MecGars, McCormick, Wilson and ACT-Mag are the only aftermarket mags I trust. MecGar generally work very well. They used to make the mags for S&W, at least some of the models, although I am not sure which models MecGar currently makes for S&W.

 

[Bear-1]

I have always used S&W mags in my Mod 59, and never have any problems, George.

 

[goldenlight]

I have owned a number of Mec-Gar magazines, and I have never had a problem with any of them. I have used their 'extra capacity' magazines in a number of my semiauto pistols.

Two of them are 17 round magazines for my 5906.

Mec-Gar Magazines have a lifetime warranty, even if the spring gets weakened from use over time.

bwh made a very good suggestion.

If you put a S&W follower in the 17 round Mec-Gar magazine, you may lose one round of capacity, but it may identify your problem

Mec-Gar stands behind their products. If you contact them, I am sure they will do everything possible to solve this problem.

When the S&W Model 59 was made, Mec-Gar made the 'factory' S&W magazines for it. They make the 'factory' magazines for Sig, as well.

Good luck.

 

[tpd223]

When we carried the 3rd gen S&W 9mms at work I bought a bunch of extra mags over the nearly 20 years we carried those guns, I had some issues with S&W mags but I never had a problem with the Mec Gar magazines, either the 15round, the 17 round, or the 20 round mags.

This sounds like something is out of spec. I'd contact Mec Gar. In my experience as an armorer in dealing with gun and accessory companies, they want to know when something is screwed up so that can have a chance to fix it.

 

[TSQUARED]

I have not expereinced any failures with the MecGar mags for my S&W 59. The MecGar mags for my PO18-9 and PO16-40 fed reliably but would not hold the slide open after firing the last round.

 

[SPEEDGUNNER]

MecGar mags are usually very reliable. As with what some of the other members have stated, they are the only aftermarket mags I trust. I have several for my 5903 (17rds) and a few for my Beretta 92. Never any issues.

+1 on the follower swap idea.

Good luck.

 

[Racer X]

the top of the spring on the 17 rd S&W mags is tapered and fits up into the follower, which is hollow. The springs and followers have to work as a pair. A Smith follower on top of a Mecgar 17 rd spring probably will be worse. A MecGar 17 rd hollow follower on top of a factory Smith spring will wobble horribly. It relies on the spring being up inside it to hold it upright. It has no legs like a standard follower.

 

[PinkGunsRSilly]

Hit up the next gun show in your area. there are always MAG sellers that offer great prices on factory mags...

 

[JWM]

Thanks for all the great replies. I'm going to try a few different brands of ammo/bullet weights to see if that makes a difference. What do you think of clipping a coil off the magazine spring (MecGar) ? Maybe less tension will prevent jams ? If that does not work, I guess I'll be shopping around for period factory mags.

 

[Racer X]

Do NOT clip a coil off of a 17 rd MecGar spring. They are tapered, and won't fit right anymore.