Racking with a full mag

[Texas-Mark]

The Browning 1911-380 is by far one of the best .380 guns I have ever owned. You can literally rack it with two fingers. Recoil is almost non existent and it is very light due to the polymer frame.

Now I did have an issue with the mags (all of them), but found that closing up the feed lips a few thousandths solved the problem. 

[1911SHOOTER]

The Browning 1911-380 is by far one of the best .380 guns I have ever owned. You can literally rack it with two fingers. Recoil is almost non existent and it is very light due to the polymer frame.

Now I did have an issue with the mags (all of them), but found that closing up the feed lips a few thousandths solved the problem.

Tex.
My Baby Rock has a stiff slide, but if it doesn't loosen up, I may sent it back to Ivan to adjust the return spring. Otherwise,
it is a keeper, like your Browning.


Blackie

[JimBonfanti]

Same experience here with breaking in the mags.

Does anyone know how to take apart the magazine?

[lklawson]

Same experience here with breaking in the mags.

Does anyone know how to take apart the magazine?

https://www.remington.com/sites/default/files/documents/R51_MANUAL_REV_12-2015_FINAL_sm.pdf

Pages 21-23.

Peace favor your sword,
Kirk

[JimBonfanti]

Thanks. Somehow I missed that.

[DanOh]

In that other thread, I showed the wood block I use to make disassembly and assembly easier. So far it has been working fine for me. But if I had the tools and patience, I would make something shaped like this made out of polymer. It would fit into the chamber and the top would rest on the slide like my wood block (needs to let the breech block move freely). Having it in the chamber would result in less chance of it slipping out like the wood block can do if you are not careful. Once the slide is on, you just pull the slide back and dump it out. It would also be the right length to have the take down lever lined up.

Sorry for the poor drawing as I never claimed to be an artist. 

That looks like a loaded chamber indicator.  Wouldn't it be nice to find one that could be modified to fit as you described?  I'm going to start looking.

[JimBonfanti]

You are spot on Texas-Mark. If you load it with some zip a full mag isn't a problem. You can't be bashful or it will jam. I'm going to also try your tip on polishing the breech block. I've had mine for a few months and haven't had any issues.

[Rog54]

I must be one of the lucky ones.  I have one mag modified,  the mod someone posted here.  And one not.  I have had virtually no problems either way but I do concur you must be positive with the racking to the extent of occasionally helping it forward.  However, the other way mentioned on this forum works great, starting with the slide back.  I also tap my full mags on the table top to make sure the bullets are to the back causing them to orient properly, especially that first round the if ignored may try to nose dive. 
Rog

[sirbrian]

I'll chime in once more. Mine could not rack with a full mag. I removed the spring and loaded the mag and it still would not rack all the way back. the bullets filled up the mag too close to the top. I cut 2 tenths of an inch off the bottom of the follower and that did the trick. I checked the spring and it was very much mashed too tight with a full mag. I removed two coils. My coils were over twice the length of the mag. It now racks and works great through over 500 rounds, no fails. A properly designed spring has a linear operating region and squashing it too much is actually damaging it. Springs don't need breaking in when used properly. They do eventually wear out from use. My opinion is that these mags were designed improperly.

[Texas-Mark]

. Springs don't need breaking in when used properly. They do eventually wear out from use. My opinion is that these mags were designed improperly.

And I'll chime in again too that I own MANY guns and nearly all have very stiff mag springs when new until they take a set. This is a well known fact in the gun community. So far you are the only person here who has needed to cut the mag springs. Some have trimmed the follower a bit which is fine. But unless you had the wrong springs to begin with or installed then wrong,  all you have done is caused your mag to be less reliable in the long term. And 500 rounds is nothing. I often shoot that many in one day. If cutting the spring works for you, that fine. But I urge others to be more patient, as this is not the way to fix the problem (if there even is a problem).

And once again here it the link to my unmodified mags. Sort of hard to say they were designed wrong when they work just fine.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D7exqqu7piA&app=desktop

[1911SHOOTER]

. Springs don't need breaking in when used properly. They do eventually wear out from use. My opinion is that these mags were designed improperly.

And I'll chime in again too that I own MANY guns and nearly all have very stiff mag springs when new until they take a set. This is a well known fact in the gun community. So far you are the only person here who has needed to cut the mag springs. Some have trimmed the follower a bit which is fine. But unless you had the wrong springs to begin with or installed then wrong,  all you have done is caused your mag to be less reliable in the long term. And 500 rounds is nothing. I often shoot that many in one day. If cutting the spring works for you, that fine. But I urge others to be more patient, as this is not the way to fix the problem (if there even is a problem).

Tex,
      I have seen several posts on here from shooters who took a loop or two off the mag springs  I have three mags, and trimmed the spring on one of them as a test.   I also trimmed the followers.
So far my R51 is going great guns (pun intended). 
Blackie

[Texas-Mark]

Tex,
      I have seen several posts on here from shooters who took a loop or two off the mag springs 

I just did a search, and those were all posted by the same person (except for the one you mentioned you did as a test)

[1911SHOOTER]

Tex,
      I have seen several posts on here from shooters who took a loop or two off the mag springs 

I just did a search, and those were all posted by the same person (except for the one you mentioned you did as a test)

Tex,
     I stand corrected.
Blackie