Joined
·
13,763 Posts
All my P13 mags measure 0.410" as measured across the feed lips.
P-13 Magazine Feed Lip Opening
1040
8
I have been struggling with reliability problems on my Para P-13. The result of the diagnosis is that it stems from the magazines...in particular, the dimensions of the feed lip opening were too wide, which resulted in periodic failures to feed.
In measuring my magazines, I found that ALL of my P-13 magazines measured between 0.420" - 0.448". By comparison, all of my P-14 magazines were much closer to 0.400" (0.396-0.407).
I was able to test fire using my P-14 mags and a borrowed 10 round P-13 mag which had an opening around 0.400"....problem solved, no more FTF problems.
I was told by Para that there should be no difference between the openings for a P-14 mag and a P-13 mad....yet I find it very strange that ALL my P-14 mags (>10) measured around 0.400" and ALL my P-13 mags (>10) were closer to 4.30".
I've just returned the mags to Para to try and sort out this issue, but it got me wondering if I am just unlucky to get all my mags out of spec.....
Any of you care to measure the openings in your P-13 mags and share what you find?
Just curious....
In measuring my magazines, I found that ALL of my P-13 magazines measured between 0.420" - 0.448". By comparison, all of my P-14 magazines were much closer to 0.400" (0.396-0.407).
I was able to test fire using my P-14 mags and a borrowed 10 round P-13 mag which had an opening around 0.400"....problem solved, no more FTF problems.
I was told by Para that there should be no difference between the openings for a P-14 mag and a P-13 mad....yet I find it very strange that ALL my P-14 mags (>10) measured around 0.400" and ALL my P-13 mags (>10) were closer to 4.30".
I've just returned the mags to Para to try and sort out this issue, but it got me wondering if I am just unlucky to get all my mags out of spec.....
Any of you care to measure the openings in your P-13 mags and share what you find?
Just curious....
1 - 9 of 9 Posts
Joined
·
2,525 Posts
Buggsb:
I haven't measured anything lately, but my Tac-Four suffered from weak springs. Have you tried replacing them?
That seems to be generic with Para double-stackers....
(The Tac-Four is a P1345 in LDA form.)
If you like I can mic the mags I have here - one's with the gun, at the smith's for other reasons....
Regards,
I haven't measured anything lately, but my Tac-Four suffered from weak springs. Have you tried replacing them?
That seems to be generic with Para double-stackers....
(The Tac-Four is a P1345 in LDA form.)
If you like I can mic the mags I have here - one's with the gun, at the smith's for other reasons....
Regards,
My Tac-Four/P13 mags had feed lips that weren't parallel. They opened more toward the front. I had all kinds of feeding problems with them. I got a 10 round Mec-Gar that always fed reliably and compared it to the P13s. On my P13s I closed the front of the feed lips to make them parallel and replaced the mag springs with Wolff extra power springs. No more feed problems.
Joined
·
13,763 Posts
On a P13 with it's shorter slide travel, it may be PREFERABLE to have the feed lips open up a bit more near the front. Since slide travel is already reduced, this allows that round to "spring" up out of the mag sooner, possibly allowing better reliability.
Sometimes, opening up the feedlips is a SOLUTION to FTF symptoms on a 4 1/4" slide.
If yours works however, that's all that matters.
Sometimes, opening up the feedlips is a SOLUTION to FTF symptoms on a 4 1/4" slide.
If yours works however, that's all that matters.
Thanks for the inputs.... I know that sometimes weak mag springs can be an issue, but this is not the case here. In this case, the opening is parallel from back to front, just oversized.
With the rear of the opening being too wide, there's not too much you can do, as the way it's formed, it's not really feasible to close it up. If you close up the front even a little out of parallel, the problem just changes a little, as it slows the slide down so much it fails to fully chamber the round.
With the rear of the opening being too wide, there's not too much you can do, as the way it's formed, it's not really feasible to close it up. If you close up the front even a little out of parallel, the problem just changes a little, as it slows the slide down so much it fails to fully chamber the round.
Dimensions of the most recent six Para mags I've recieved were all over the place and not just in the feed lips or in only 45ACP.
I'm buying Mec-Gars now, much cheaper and other than needing a spring replacement rather quickly, work well for me although I give up one round capacity. (Hint, get the Wolff "Para Custom Fit" springs and cut off the top turn that clips over the Para follower, rest slips right in the space of the Mec-Gar follower).
--wally.
I'm buying Mec-Gars now, much cheaper and other than needing a spring replacement rather quickly, work well for me although I give up one round capacity. (Hint, get the Wolff "Para Custom Fit" springs and cut off the top turn that clips over the Para follower, rest slips right in the space of the Mec-Gar follower).
--wally.
1 - 9 of 9 Posts
