Question about basepads - single stack issue

[DD78]

I'm pretty much all geared up to shoot single stack but one of the issues I've been running into is mags not fully seating when I do a reload, even though I'm smacking the hell out of it.

I'm using Wilson 47de mags, and have about 15 of them so switching to a different mag isn't really an option.

I've read various forums posts on the interwebs that recommend loading the mags and letting them sit, which I've done and it hasn't seemed to help at all.

When I insert the mag, it seems like I'm less than 1/16th of an inch, probably close to 1/32nd to it actually seating. They will seat, but take entirely too much force for them to get in. Open slide reloads are no problem with the same mags.

Would something like the Dawson base pads give me a bit more room to work with? I wish I would've known about this issue before buying 15 of the mags, because I would've just bought Tripps or ETM's instead.

I don't mind muscling them a bit, but it's pretty ridiculous. It doesn't happen on all of them, but it does happen often enough to definitely be an issue when shooting a match.

Will those Dawson's help or are they just a waste of money?

Thanks in advance!

 

[Squid]

I have this same problem with my 9mm chip Mccormick mags. I usually just download one round. It would sure be nice to have a solution though.

 

[Scott Hearn]

Do you have the tall base pads? I had to order a set for my 47Ds. But beware, you may not fit the box. I had to mod mine just a little.

http://www.boomershooter.com/forums/uploads/imgs/pre_1486437666__img_0724.jpg
http://www.boomershooter.com/forums/uploads/imgs/pre_1486437694__img_0732.jpg

 

[DD78]

Do you have the tall base pads? I had to order a set for my 47Ds. But beware, you may not fit the box. I had to mod mine just a little.

http://www.boomershooter.com/forums/uploads/imgs/pre_1486437666__img_0724.jpg
http://www.boomershooter.com/forums/uploads/imgs/pre_1486437694__img_0732.jpg

Yep, the 47 DE's come with extended base pads.

I'm just wondering if the Dawson's replacement base pads allow for a slight reduction in spring pressure. I don't want to buy a bunch of them and then wind up in the same predicament.

 

[Scott Hearn]

Yep, the 47 DE's come with extended base pads.

I'm just wondering if the Dawson's replacement base pads allow for a slight reduction in spring pressure. I don't want to buy a bunch of them and then wind up in the same predicament.

I don't know. Mine are reloadable with 8 rounds but I have to whack it good which I'm horrible about doing. On my 9mm Trojan I'm running the Dawsons with the tallest basepad and they barely clear the magwell which makes for the same problem. I need to quit being lazy.

 

[Jcawthon]

I'm pretty much all geared up to shoot single stack but one of the issues I've been running into is mags not fully seating when I do a reload, even though I'm smacking the hell out of it.

I'm using Wilson 47de mags, and have about 15 of them so switching to a different mag isn't really an option.

I've read various forums posts on the interwebs that recommend loading the mags and letting them sit, which I've done and it hasn't seemed to help at all.

When I insert the mag, it seems like I'm less than 1/16th of an inch, probably close to 1/32nd to it actually seating. They will seat, but take entirely too much force for them to get in. Open slide reloads are no problem with the same mags.

Would something like the Dawson base pads give me a bit more room to work with? I wish I would've known about this issue before buying 15 of the mags, because I would've just bought Tripps or ETM's instead.

I don't mind muscling them a bit, but it's pretty ridiculous. It doesn't happen on all of them, but it does happen often enough to definitely be an issue when shooting a match.

Will those Dawson's help or are they just a waste of money?

Thanks in advance!

You've got a couple different things you can try, each one may or may not have different effects on the gun working/feeding correctly. Probably less issues with the 45 than with a 9mm. The smallest changes can have bad results with a 9mm feeding. The challenge is to find something that will seat with ease but function consistently.

First: you could cut a coil off your mag spring. Only do this if you think the mag springs have already fully been worn in. I feel like it usually takes about a month of shooting(loading and reloading mags) to get the mags springs fully worn in. Cut off of the baseplate side so you don't change the way your spring pushes on the follower. I did this with pretty good results. I started having feeding issues after a while and though it was cause I cut the springs too short but the problem ended up being elsewhere. So a decent option.

Second: you can try different springs. Tripp ISMI and at least a couple other brands will sell mag springs ranging in different numbers of coils from like 11-14. Just have to experiment here, I found that some springs work pretty good and some won't even fit in my mags(probably cause they're 9mm mags though, shouldn't have an issue with 45 mags I would think)

third: Try an EGW low cut mag button. This holds the mag lower in the gun, making it easier to seat. I run an Ed Brown and it holds lower than my stock one did but the EGW is even lower than that. This changes the location at which the bullet will impact the feed ramp, you'll just have to see how it effects your gun.

I run a Rock Island 9mm 1911 with 10rnd mecgar mags(newly designed springs and plastic followers from mecgar) and the Ed brown mag catch and button. If you can't push the rounds down another 1/16" or so after the mag is full, it's going to be really hard to seat quickly and consistently.

Hope that helps a little...

I have this same problem with my 9mm chip Mccormick mags. I usually just download one round. It would sure be nice to have a solution though.

I had poor luck with Chips as well, trying to run 10 in the mag. I believe it's because the basepad takes up space in the mag(basepad actually goes up in the mag), leaving less room for springs compression. Other mags the basepad is either level with the bottom or the spring actually goes down into the basepad.

 

[Jcawthon]

Yep, the 47 DE's come with extended base pads.

I'm just wondering if the Dawson's replacement base pads allow for a slight reduction in spring pressure. I don't want to buy a bunch of them and then wind up in the same predicament.

Sorry I forgot to answer the basepad question.

Because of how the basepad is clipped to those mags by inward folded tabs, any change in basepad isn't going to help I don't believe. if they were outward tabs you might be able to find a way to gain a little space, but I believe you'll be better off exploring another option with those mags.

thankfully you have a lot of mags so you could try something on one or two and see how they work/last while keeping the others stock till you find the best solution. Number the mags and keep track of what you've done to each so you can replicate results.

Alright, I'm done.

 

[DD78]

Sorry I forgot to answer the basepad question.

Because of how the basepad is clipped to those mags by inward folded tabs, any change in basepad isn't going to help I don't believe. if they were outward tabs you might be able to find a way to gain a little space, but I believe you'll be better off exploring another option with those mags.

thankfully you have a lot of mags so you could try something on one or two and see how they work/last while keeping the others stock till you find the best solution. Number the mags and keep track of what you've done to each so you can replicate results.

Alright, I'm done.

Thanks, that's exactly what I was looking for.

I'm more than likely going to need to change the height of my front sight soon, but I have to wait until I can get back out to the range to test it accurately and measure the exact distance I'm shooting. When I do order a new sight, I'll probably add one of the Dawson base pads onto my order to see if it makes a difference or not. For now I'll just load all of my mags up and leave them for a couple of weeks since I won't be able to get out to the range until the third weekend of this month. Eventually I'll get it figured out.

The one thing I want to avoid is clipping the spring. I'll invest in other springs before I consider doing that, but it's an option. The other thing I'll do is determine which mags this is an issue with, and which mags are fine, and then start measuring to see what the differences are.