Colt Series 80 Mag Catch/Release Issue

[flyhalf]

Bottom line up front:
Mag catch/release sticks out so far in mag well that it actually scrapes mag and up INITIAL entry of mag, dings/dents the first portion of the mag that touches the mag catch/release.

Ordered new Ed Brown light weight spring for mag release. Should problem persist, will order new mag release period.

Does this sound like a good course of action to take with this issue?

V/R

Ticked off Colt owner.

PS - It does not ding all mags BUT, one can see where it seems to be out too far into mag well.

Thanks in advance for help.

[wichaka]

Which side of the release sticks out...........right or left?

The right side will protrude into the mag well a bit, as thats what locks the mag in place.

As for a light weight spring..........save your money and clip the exsisting spring.........by about 1/4 coil at a time. It'll feel alot better with very little trimming. Also look at the ends of the spring, they usually are pretty rough or have burrs. take those off, that'll smooth up the mag release as well.

[okcorral1881]

[QUOTE=flyhalf]Bottom line up front:
Mag catch/release sticks out so far in mag well that it actually scrapes mag and up INITIAL entry of mag, dings/dents the first portion of the mag that touches the mag catch/release.


Ticked off Colt owner

Do you know the year that your gun was made? Maybe it's still covered by Colt if it was made after 1996.
Maybe you should call Kathy at Colt's and then maybe you won't be as ticked off!
:)

[flyhalf]

It is the right side and I understand how the mag catch works but, it's too far. That's why the mag is getting dinged up top and shaved all the way down to mag catch hole (in mag).

I thought about clipping the spring and now that you said it, I probably will. Got a match this weekend and don't want to not be able to play bc I jacked my weapon up. We shall see.

By the time I deal with Colt, send it, etc etc, can just by new spring and potentially new mag release. Need the experience anyway.

Thanks for the help!

[John]

There is nothing wrong with your pistol, that's what all mag releases do. Maybe the mag release is a little rough on the inside, just polish it up and you'll be fine.

[flyhalf]

John,

The mag does not fall out of the weapon. The magazine has a substanial ding on it's leading top edge on the right. Something is not right. If I can take a photo of a mag and figure out how to post it I will.

I took out the catch today and looked it over. It doesn't look overly different from any other I have seen. The polish idea might be worth a go. Any thing is at this point.

Thanks guys!!!!!!

[44 Man]

Most magazines will 'bump' it a little, forcing it back and slide into place. It's normal for the mag catch to mark up most magazines a little. If however, you are meeting serious resistance when the top edge of the mag hits the release, you may have a burr or something. Look at the mag release and make sure the bottom edge of the lip is a smooth ramp. There should be no 'ledges' there, only on the shelf. Next take the slide and barrel off the gun. Remove the spring and follower from the magazine and slide it into the gun with the mag catch in place. You can now watch what is happening as you insert the magazine. Again, the mag should push the catch back smoothly. If the magazine is stopping against something solid, file a little more taper on the bottom edge of the shelf. You can also look down inside with the mag in place and see how far the catch protrudes into the magazine. It should stick in flush but no farther. You don't want it to interfear with the spring or follower. Cautious use of a file can correct either of the problems. However, replacing the catch is an inexpensive fix and you will probably want a little higher 'tactical' catch anyway. The thumbpiece is raised on these just a little to give you a better press to drop the magazines. I have these on all of my .45's. 44 Man

[flyhalf]

Thank you much sir!

[wichaka]

Most magazines will 'bump' it a little, forcing it back and slide into place. It's normal for the mag catch to mark up most magazines a little. If however, you are meeting serious resistance when the top edge of the mag hits the release, you may have a burr or something. Look at the mag release and make sure the bottom edge of the lip is a smooth ramp. There should be no 'ledges' there, only on the shelf. Next take the slide and barrel off the gun. Remove the spring and follower from the magazine and slide it into the gun with the mag catch in place. You can now watch what is happening as you insert the magazine. Again, the mag should push the catch back smoothly. If the magazine is stopping against something solid, file a little more taper on the bottom edge of the shelf. You can also look down inside with the mag in place and see how far the catch protrudes into the magazine. It should stick in flush but no farther. You don't want it to interfear with the spring or follower. Cautious use of a file can correct either of the problems. However, replacing the catch is an inexpensive fix and you will probably want a little higher 'tactical' catch anyway. The thumbpiece is raised on these just a little to give you a better press to drop the magazines. I have these on all of my .45's. 44 Man


Great post........

[dakota1911]

Yes, 44 Man. Great post.

[John]

One more thing. Some magazines have a very sharp edge at the area where they contact the mag release. I have found that I can file that point a little, enough to create a small ramp there, for the mag release to ride easier of the sharp edge.

When you say the magazine does not fall off you have to keep in mind that the mag release can hold the magazine, with its left side too. If you press the mag release and the magazine doesn't drop, make sure that the inside left side of the mag release is not in touch with the magazine, keeping it in place. A little filing there will allow your mag to drop free.

[Weg Ban]

The "does not ding all magazines" may also be a key. I recently had a brand new Colt magazine that was just wide enough (over spec) to be hard to load and when loaded, it rubbed on the trigger bows enough that the trigger didn't return after a shot (you got one, then even though the pistol returned to battery, the trigger hadn't). It would not drop free of the pistol either. We put it in a vice and squeezed it down a little and now it seems fine (for a range magazine - it's marked).

[flyhalf]

Okay...

Performed pretty much everyone's checks and fixes.

Still have a mag that just won't come out and has fresh shaving off of it. I am chalking that one up to the mag and might vice it like Weg Ban mentioned.

I am shooting IPSC this weekend with 10rnd MeCGars I will let you know if I have any problems with those.

Oh yea, trimming that mag release spring has made dropping the mag an actualy enjoyable experience.

Thanks for everyone's help!!!!!!!

[wot_racing]

I appologize for bringing up an old thread, but I have experienced the same trouble.. I purchased my first 1911 this week, a new Colt Commander. Both of the factory mags are doing this, with one difference. They dont just offer resistance sliding in, they simply will not go! I have to press the mag release to get them to go in. How did you solve this problem? I would hate to send it off to colt, but I will if that is what is needed to fix the problem.

[John]

Easy enough.

First take one of your magazine and look on the top right side, where the magazine catch should first touch it, when you insert it in the frame. There should be a slight "ramp" or "depression", at that position which serves at least two functions (one of them is to prevent the follower from moving to the right, when the gun fires the last round, the second being to facilitate the insertion of the magazine). If you can't see any ramp there, it's easy to create it with a small file.

Second, take a small screwdriver and turn the screw on the right side of the magazine catch about 90 degrees counterclockwise, while at the same time slightly depressing the mag catch. You have to find the sweet spot at which the screw will turn (technically it is not a screw, but it looks like one from the outside). When the latch is turned, you can remove the mag catch. Inspect the surface that first comes in touch with the magazine, when this last one is inserted in the gun. That surface should be angled, so that when the magazine is inserted the mag catch is pushed out of the way and allows the shooter to fully seat the mag in the mag well. If there are any burrs in that surface, you can polish it with some emery cloths, so that it is smooth.

Try your mags again and let us know how it works.