I have noticed that there is no clearance where the spring fits into the mag follower.
The spring can get cocked under the follower and blocks the seventh round!
This is what I now believe anyway.
To get around this, I insert the spring into the bottom of the follower and
while holding the mag vertically I insert the follower and spring into the mag
as a unit. Then when you compress the spring into the mag, the spring
stays inside the follower.
FunFlyer's idea of beveling the inside sharp edges of the follower also helps.
Blackie
Interesting Blackie. I have never noticed that before. Then again, I have never seemed to have that problem with my mags. I wonder if I just got lucky putting them back together or if I just glossed over it. Will have to pay more attention next time.
Yep, the entire spring has to compress inside the follower when there's 7 rounds loaded. Initially one of my mags hung up on the last round until I took the excessive twist out of the spring. Worked fine but got even smoother once I beveled the inside edge of the followers. Just because things work good doesn't mean we shouldn't blueprint them so they'll work even better.
I may go down to The range in Killeen that is inside and see how these mods to the
mags #6 & 7 work.
Getting tired of this arctic whatever the Media calls it this week.
Blackie
Quote from: 1911SHOOTER on January 13, 2018, 03:31:04 PM
I may go down to The range in Killeen that is inside and see how these mods to the
mags #6 & 7 work.
Getting tired of this arctic whatever the Media calls it this week.
Blackie
Blackie, its global warming. It isn't cold it's the product of the earth heating up! ;D
Are there photos or video available to illustrate the mag changes people are making?
Quote from: R51Fan2017 on January 13, 2018, 05:39:29 PM
Quote from: 1911SHOOTER on January 13, 2018, 03:31:04 PM
I may go down to The range in Killeen that is inside and see how these mods to the
mags #6 & 7 work.
Getting tired of this arctic whatever the Media calls it this week.
Blackie
Blackie, its global warming. It isn't cold it's the product of the earth heating up! ;D
Yeah, warm snow in all 50 states!
Idiots!
No, I guess they think we are the idiots!
GrandpaX12, there are a few pics around, but most of it is pretty well described.
You have me beat, I am grandpa and even great grandpa, but it barely surpasses 12 when I add up both of them!
Whoopie!
Temp in the low '70s tomorrow, gonna go out and shoot Smokey. Also gonna
eval all 8 mags and keep logs on them. Each mag has different mods on them.
My last mag #8, I got from Big Green has no mods at all. Gonna try it in Smokey first,
then Blackie.
Blackie
Quote from: 1911SHOOTER on January 21, 2018, 05:16:32 PM
Whoopie!
Temp in the low '70s tomorrow, gonna go out and shoot Smokey. Also gonna
eval all 8 mags and keep logs on them. Each mag has different mods on them.
My last mag #8, I got from Big Green has no mods at all. Gonna try it in Smokey first,
then Blackie.
Blackie
Can't wait for a range report on Smokey.
Looking forward to the range report, too. I've modded my magazines as described in these posts, beveling follower legs, trimmed a couple of springs a little to get the 7th round in, and straightened the lip on the front of the mag. Now if I can just get some range time, too!
There it is!
The "haste makes waste" mentality.
Who ever said to "bevel" the follower legs?
And "snipping" spring loops when the problem is more likely the recess in the follower not letting the compressing spring to enter smoothly?
I am a firm believer in doing nothing, until a particular magazine fails to perfom well.
And then, and only then, very carefully try to figure out just what might be causing that particular problem.
Modifying just on account someone else had a problem with theirs is asking for worse problems.
It appears that there is any given number of DIFFERENT problems and just modifying helter skelter may do more damage than good.
I surely hope you had particular reasons to make the said alterations.
And good luck, whatever.
Jug,
I made the modifications to my magazines as symptoms arose. Not each mag
required the same mods. I just got back from a trip to the range, and all 8 of
my mags ran like "Man O' War" in both Smokey and Blackie. I and several others
on this forum have proven out our theories on our own mags.
Blackie
Quote from: R51Fan2017 on January 21, 2018, 06:17:31 PM
Quote from: 1911SHOOTER on January 21, 2018, 05:16:32 PM
Whoopie!
Temp in the low '70s tomorrow, gonna go out and shoot Smokey. Also gonna
eval all 8 mags and keep logs on them. Each mag has different mods on them.
My last mag #8, I got from Big Green has no mods at all. Gonna try it in Smokey first,
then Blackie.
Blackie
Can't wait for a range report on Smokey.
Range Report on Smokey.
Took the Smokey to the range today and ran all 8 mags through it 3 times. Only one failure to feed, and that
was due to my dumb thumb on Blackie Which I also ran all mags through twice. .
In all, 168 rounds through Smokey, and 112 through Blackie.
Oh! And lost one screw and O-ring from Smokey. Guess I need to contact Remington.
All in all, both guns ran like "Man-O-War"!
Blackie
Glad Smokey ran well Blackie! Irritating loosing the grip screw however. Oh, well, at least she didn't blow up. That would have been worse. Loctite should solve your problem though.
Quote from: Chokejug on January 22, 2018, 01:41:51 PM
There it is!
The "haste makes waste" mentality.
Who ever said to "bevel" the follower legs?
And "snipping" spring loops when the problem is more likely the recess in the follower not letting the compressing spring to enter smoothly?
I am a firm believer in doing nothing, until a particular magazine fails to perfom well.
And then, and only then, very carefully try to figure out just what might be causing that particular problem.
Modifying just on account someone else had a problem with theirs is asking for worse problems.
It appears that there is any given number of DIFFERENT problems and just modifying helter skelter may do more damage than good.
I surely hope you had particular reasons to make the said alterations.
And good luck, whatever.
Chokejug,
I didn't do all the modifications at once. Trimming the follower has worked for lot of people both in and outside this forum. When I still couldn't get the 7th round in, I resorted to trimming the spring.
The front lip bend was to alleviate the nosedive I got with all the mags. They are working better when I'm using snap caps.
I don't get to the range very often, so I do the best I can in the workshop trying to get everything working for my trips to the range, then try again after the range. These weren't helter skelter changes.
What Crosstrains said!!!
We are not playing tiddly winks here, we determine a problem with a magazine,
we research it, and then try to fix it. I proved out my research today, as I
fired 8 mags fully loaded 5 times. 280 shots. No FUBARs or SNAFUs!
A couple of us have the smarts to redesign small parts that have caused
problems. Something that Big Green does not seem to want to do.
Blackie
My mags work fine, now that I straightened out that lip on the front and trimmed my legs down (OUCH!!! :o) ...........errrrr that's my follower's legs!
Blackie,
That's excellent to hear, 8 reliable mags 8)
I don't think that trimming and beveling the followers is ever going to do any harm as far as function goes and has already proven to help. I still need to call Rem to see what they'll do about my one mag that stovepipes the last round as it is getting worse.
Todd,
I think you may need a new spring in that magazine. Did you
clip the spring on that mag?
If so it may be to weak .\
I found a website that explains gun springs. I will start a new comment.
Blackie
Sorry crosstrains, when I first read your post I was afraid that you did make those mods, helter-skelter.
Relief to realize that you didnt.
Rereading, I think the lack of a comma between the beveling of the follower pocket and triming the legs threw me off.
Sorry again and good job!
Now, nice day here, going to modify the one mag that still gives me problems with getting 7 cartridges into it. Going to bevel the pocket edges and possibly even enlarge the pocket slightly.
And then go put some lead down range in the back yard.
Will likely also try out the 9mm bbl on the RIA 9mm X .22 TCM 1911!
Sorry again!
Jug
No worries, Jug.
We're all here for basically the same reason - to get the most out of our R51's and make them the best machines they can be (at least I think most of us are). It's the open dialogue and interaction that makes it work.
Good luck with your mods to the last mag. And I'm jealous you can put some lead down range in your back yard.
Crosstrains
Oh boy!
Todays range session didnt go so well!
That mag was old #1, from the very first gun and had been deffect free as far as shooting went.
Only problem was spring snapping while loading and about half the time would only hold 6 rounds.
The problem that was still left that needed fixing was in the spring compressing. The follower legs had been shortened and it was working fine in #1 gun. So today before going out, I beveled the shoulders so the spring wouldnt bind entering the follower pocket. Was able to bare hand load 7 rounds with no problem at all after mod.
Well, tried it in #2 with white box BULK Winchester.
Nose dives that would not quit on top rounds 1 & 2!
Even straightened that front flange slightly without disassembling the mag.
Ran over 80 rounds through it, just a big PITA!
Back to START!
Try it again in #1 pistol.
Even less bend in lip.
Flip spring, as that is something else I did today.
(Appeared to fit better flipped 180°.)
Mags are fussy SOB's!
Quote from: Chokejug on January 25, 2018, 11:57:09 PMWell, tried it in #2 with white box BULK Winchester.
Nose dives that would not quit on top rounds 1 & 2!
Winchester White Box (WWB) has a pretty spotty reputation.
Peace favor your sword,
Kirk
Yep, but the box I started with only had about 20 left out of a hundred. The previous 80 or so had worked just fine in both this mag and others, in the other gun.
Started bad in this one, and kept right on bad with 50/60 out of another new box.
Thinking about it, this gun likely fired some of those missing from that partial box, with no problems previously.
Maybe get back to it this PM.
Choke,
Did you get to try your 9MM barrel on the TCM yet? Mine has not hiccuped at all
Although the first one I got, acted up with light strikes on the primer, and off center
strikes. Ivan sent me a paid FedEx label and I sent it back . They replaced it with a
new gun, and it works great. Hope you enjoy yours as much.
I carry mine with an OWB holster. In the summer I wear short sleeve untucked shirts
a size too large. Works fine! Besides, who is going to figure an 83 year old fart
is packing a honking big Hi-Cap 1911? :) :)
Blackie
Nope, still havent had the 9mm bbl in the gun as yet.
But the .22 TCM sure does well!
I will likely go OWB with mine as well.
But did flip the spring again on mag #1, plus completely straightened the front lip "bend".
Works perfect again.
Put 80 plus rounds through it this PM, both guns.
50 of the same box of Win white box bulk as yesterday, which worked fine previously.
Just not yesterday after I flipped that spring.
Put it back today, fine again!
Not a hint of a nose dive.
Well.....My reliable magazines became problematic. Nose dives, FTF, etc. Shortened the legs on the followers just so a round feeds a full mag with the slide closed. The bend.....did straighten one, then thought the better of it, bent it back. went out today shot 160 rounds with HP's and FMJ. Had one mag giving problems. FTF on last round. Then it stopped, fed everything...Don't know on that one. (no, it's not the straighten lip mag). But NO nose dives.The gun shoots, magazines seem the be an intermittent issue. I'm going out again this week if possible and test again. Really like the pistol and want it to be CCW ready.
Oldgunnman
Guys,
Every one of us need to bear down on Big Green, and let them know that we are
unhappy with the mag problem. On one particular day. Lets get together and pick
a day to email Big Green and blitz them. Tell them what we have to do to make our
pistols operate.
What say?
Blackie
Quote from: 1911SHOOTER on January 28, 2018, 08:34:24 PM
Guys,
Every one of us need to bear down on Big Green, and let them know that we are
unhappy with the mag problem. On one particular day. Lets get together and pick
a day to email Big Green and blitz them. Tell them what we have to do to make our
pistols operate.
What say?
Blackie
How bout calling them? Last time I emailed them, it took a week to get a response. I am game. Set a date, and let's hammer em!
Dang right! Lets do this guys.
Blackie
I agree. We definitely need to let them know our frustrations but I wonder just how many owners shoot enough to even worry about it.
I am in, set the date!
BTW Blackie, shot the 9mm bbl on the RIA 1911!
Nice! Ran perfect!
It thinks it's a 70 yard gun!
Jug
Lube seems to be pretty important too.
Previously I ran between 200 and 250 rounds of American Eagle through mine without any failures or cleaning. Then I cleaned the gun and was careful not to over-lube it, which is to say, it was probably under-lubed.
For the purpose of these range sessions, I am only putting 5 in the mag, so when the gun is running well I can use the slide lock lever to release the slide. With reduced pressure on the spring and proper lubrication, the slingshot method isn't necessary.
Last night, when the gun was a bit dry, there were plenty of instances where the slide would get hung up and need a bit of a boost to close when I was manipulating the slide lock lever. I also had 3 stovepipes out of 20 mags. The failure always occurred on the last round.
So I'll clean it again tonight, grease 'er up good, and let you know how it goes next week. Otherwise, my mags seem to be holding their own.
Quote from: SCurmudgeon on January 30, 2018, 04:00:17 PM
I also had 3 stovepipes out of 20 mags. The failure always occurred on the last round.
So I'll clean it again tonight, grease 'er up good, and let you know how it goes next week. Otherwise, my mags seem to be holding their own.
One of my mags has the same issue with stovepiping the last round and I believe it's caused by a weak spring. The problem mag's spring is 10oz weaker on the last round than the good mags spring. One way to check if it's a weak spring is to use a spent case under the bottom of the spring when you put the mag together then load 5 or 6 rounds to give it a test. I was going to do this today at the range but forgot to take the problem mag along. It was my 22lr day but took the R51 along anyway just to test the shorter front sight, which worked like a charm being .040" shorter by the way.