FTF on first shot in full magazine

[gman68w]

Don't waste your money on the ks mags, unless you're just buying them for spare parts. The sheet metal is too soft or too thin, and it gets all bent out of shape from the recoil when fired. No I'm not joking.

Have you bought one of them recently? All the recent reviews say they're okay.

[snailman153624]

Don't waste your money on the ks mags, unless you're just buying them for spare parts. The sheet metal is too soft or too thin, and it gets all bent out of shape from the recoil when fired. No I'm not joking.

Have you bought one of them recently? All the recent reviews say they're okay.

Recently, as in a couple of years ago now. I wouldn't trust them for EDC, only target practice. Because the mags bulged (from the rounds pushing out on the feed lips, from the mags own spring pressure), they can be difficult to insert and remove. The factory mag has never had any issues.

If it weren't for the thin metal, I'd give them 5 stars. The overall quality is great, the baseplate fits perfectly, the mag spring works well, etc. With the weak/thin metal, they're a 2 at best.

[gman68w]

I wouldn't pay $25 a piece just for the springs, though. If the most recent reviews are anything to go by, they made changes to their mags since you bought yours in 2012.

[gman68w]

Got some closeups here if that'll help you guys help me diagnose this thing.

FTF closeup

Closeup 2

All I have to do is pull the slide back just the teensiest bit, and the mag follower pops the round in place. Occasionally, forward assist is necessary, but not often.

[Curly1]

Are your mag springs oriented in the correct direction?

[gman68w]

I would assume so? I've never disassembled them, and they're factory mags, so unless someone took them apart before I got to them, they should be good.

[snailman153624]

Based on what you describe, the recoil spring you have may be too stiff for the ammo you are using.

Contrary to popular belief, recoil springs aren't there to reduce recoil, felt or otherwise. They are there to absorb energy from the cartridge you just fired, store it (while slowing down and stopping the slide), and then using it to ram the next cartridge in. As such, the combo of the mass of the slide, and the stiffness of the spring, need to balance the amount of blowback force from the round you are firing.

Hot rounds need stiffer springs, and tame rounds need softer springs.

[robhic]

Based on what you describe, the recoil spring you have may be too stiff for the ammo you are using.

That's what crossed my mind. What recoil spring is in the gun, the original or heavier? I had that same thought the heavier recoil spring(s) would snap the slide forward faster and catch the round mid-feed. The 18# original-weight might slow things down (like as in the ammo in use back when these pistols were new...) and wouldn't return so fast. If it is the OEM spring, I got nothin'.

[gman68w]

It's the Wolff spring, #20 I think, I'll have to check the package (EDIT: I checked it, it was the #22. Weird thing was, it's shorter and wider than the OEM spring. I don't remember if it came to me that way). It's never been a problem for the year I've had it. I thought springs where supposed to get weaker with use, not stiffer? I'll swap to the OEM, see if that makes a difference.

[robhic]

For what it's worth, I bought a sample pack of Wolff springs to play with. I, too, noticed some different dimensions between the springs. I thought that was odd. Seems dimensionally they'd be the same only made of different stoutness of wire. Oh well, live and learn but yes, the different springs are strangely different in size, too. Go figure....

[gman68w]

Hmm. Well anyway, I don't wanna jinx anything, but it seems like swapping back to the OEM spring works. I can't figure it out. Did all the manufacturers of 9mm Mak ammo decide all at once to lower the power of the cartridge? Did Coily the Spring Fairy come and strengthen the spring when I left my gun under the pillow? Why did this issue only crop up after a year of use?

[robhic]

Why did this issue only crop up after a year of use?

Maybe because the mag springs have gotten weaker with use? Man, I wish Wolff would offer P64 mag springs. They off all kinds of other stuff and it seems there are thousands of P64s around, Wonder why they don't make some?

[gman68w]

Mag springs are the thing I keep coming back to. I've also emailed Wolff and asked why they don't, and the response was "We don't know, but we'll get back to you as soon as we do". I think more of us need to bug them about it.

[robhic]

Mag springs are the thing I keep coming back to. I've also emailed Wolff and asked why they don't, and the response was "We don't know, but we'll get back to you as soon as we do". I think more of us need to bug them about it.

That's pretty much what I got back in the email when I asked them the same question. They make some odd s**t, seems P64 mag springs, with all the guns that've been imported, would be a decent seller.

[gman68w]

I'm gonna write Keepshooting, ask if they wouldn't consider selling the springs separately.