What is with all the crappy magazines?

[MTMilitiaman]

I bought this SIG P220SAO .45 on Election Day 2008. Since my HK has never worked, I decided I needed a working .45 Auto. All the 1911s with the features I was looking for (rail, night sights, ambi-safety) for priced at over a grand, but the SIG could be had for just over $700, out the door. I love how the pistol feels and shoots. However, it too is having some problems, seemingly with its magazines. There was an incident where I accidentally spilled some Monster Energy on the pistol while I was driving. The magazine release was sluggish, so I have taken the grip panels off and disassembled the magazine release, cleaned it all out with dish soap, re-oiled and reassembled. The magazines too have been disassembled and cleaned. Everything is clean and appears to fit together and function as designed, except both the included eight-round magazines are very difficult to a.) load the final round in to, b.) chamber the first round from when slide is closed and magazine is full, and c.) both magazines will fail to feed the last round as well as lock the slide back. The last round stays seated in the magazine. It doesn't appear to protrude enough to allow the slide to catch it, and therefore the slide just travels over it.

The magazines are labeled "SIG SAUER P220-1 45" on one side and "MADE IN ITALY" on the other. Is there a different magazine series or design that I should be using?

Is there a documented problem with these pistols have failures to feed? Everything I read about them said these pistols were very reliable, hence the reason I bought one. Mine has a "G" serial number prefix, if that matters. Was there some bugs that had to be worked out of the SAOs that I was not made aware of or did I just get a lemon?

And what is with all the crappy magazines? I could understand if you make 1911 magazines, or the like, as there are so many different versions from so many different manufactures that some variance could maybe be expected. But there is no excuse for companies not being able to produce durable, reliable magazines for a specific make and model of firearm that only they produce. Esp a $40 a pop or more to replace them...

 

[9mmepiphany]

it sounds like you re-assembled your mags with the spring upside down

 

[NG VI]

I reassembled some CZ mags upside down once, had a similiar effect.

 

[runningfast]

Your 'made in Italy' magazines are produced by Mec-Gar... they are the OEM manufacturers, and you are good on that front.

You've probably improperly reassembled your magazine.

 

[rborensr]

I was able to look at the mag for him and got the spring turned around and now it does take 8 rnds. Also the other mag does stick a little on the last round didn't have time to play with that one much.

 

[speaksoftly]

Flip the spring. ;-)

 

[Fishslayer]

Hmmm.... verrrrry interrresting...

Last November I bought a Ruger KP90 and ordered two extra mags from a distributor, 4 total.

I didn't have any real mag loading issues, but at about one hundred rounds on my brand new pistol/mags I started getting the last round jams. It got steadily worse on two more range trips.

Sent the pistol & 4 mags to Ruger. They came back with "replaced extractor" and "repaired 4 mags" on the invoice.

Wonder if a batch of factory mags got out with upside down springs?

FWIW Ruger customer service was excellent. 2 week turnaround.

 

[benderx4]

MT - just curious what kind of HK you have that you're having problems with? I've got several dozen of those babies and I've yet to have any kind of issue. Have you tried HK customer service? Despite all the "internet tales" you hear about them, they are actually excellent to work with and fast too. Good luck.