rham48

I have a 1978 Browning HiPower and have removed the magazine disconnect. I've discovered that Browning mags will drop out of the pistol without issue, however, MecGar mags usually do not - they seem to be a little different somehow. Does anyone know a fix for this or know what the issue is? I've used MecGar in many other pistols I own without issues. Thx.

retDAC

Does it matter whether the MecGars are loaded or empty?
Have you checked to see whether there are any rub marks on the MecGars vs Brownings?
Can you see even a slight protrusion into mag well, such as a grip screw?
Failing both, smoke the MecGars with, perhaps, a candle flame and see where the rub marks are after insertion.

rham48

This is with empty mags (new). It seems like they fit slightly tighter but the Browning mag feels tight too (going in). The Browning mag ejects right out - most of the Mec Gar mags don't move when the mag release is pressed. Pretty sure they drop out if loaded. I'll look more carefully for protrusions - I can see some rub marks on a couple of the more used MecGar mags. Maybe their dimensions are off slightly? This sucks because the Browning mags (steel) of course cost double-triple what the MecGar mags cost - never had this issue with any of their other mags. I just bought three more thinking maybe it was a fluke with one of the older ones.

rham48

Just measured all the dimensions of both mags with a digital caliper - they are identical.

rham48

For anyone interested I discovered the problems. 1) I have Hogue rubber finger grips on the pistol. I found two very small excess rubber "protuberances" barely sticking into the mag well that I cut off with a razor blade and 2) several of the nickel plated Mec Gar magazines needed sanding on the front and rear of the magazines as evidenced by rub marks there. After they were sanded and polished in those locations they dropped right out. Maybe the plating was too thick?

Good call retDAC! I checked what you said more carefully with a good headlamp and felt the inside of the grips after removing them, locating the anomalies. None of it was readily apparent, just needed to look more carefully. I almost said to hell with it and ordered new magazines, instead I saved myself about $150-$200. Thanks!

Superzuki

Are the followers the same? Maybe the magazine spring is helping the Browning mags and the follower is just enough different that the spring doesn't push against the magazine release.

rham48

I had to sand some material off the front and rear of some mags and then polish them. Now they drop out normally. Followers are the same.

retDAC

You're welcome. Glad you found the problem. Perhaps the plating was just enough thicker and/or the mag well is on the tight end of spec. So much more satisfying to fix something yourself.

Now should you have nothing better to do, here is a pathetic writeup of a much stranger problem: http://pistolsmith.com/workshop/2526...-sa-22mag.html