CZ Magazine Problems

[dddddmorgan]

I've recently come in to a CZ SP 01 and it's a fantastic gun.

I have always been a fan of the 1911 as a "bottom feeder" but these nice steel guns with their different geometry are a real joy and they're accurate.

My problem is the magazine(s). I have 4 different factory magazines, two are 10 rounder that came with the gun and they work fine. The other two are CZ brand that I purchased and they don't feed reliably.

I can load them up to about 6 rounds (they hold 18) and all is well but as soon as I load in another round I can hear a "something is loose" type rattle and the ammo now will not hold tension and when loaded and firing the rounds just jam into the bottom of the feed ramp. Once you get back down to the 6 or 5 round mark all is well.

In my research I've come across Ben Stoger Custom Shop and they provide replacement springs and followers that are supposed to alleviate this problem.

I'm throwing this out there in hope someone with similar experience has some input.

I've ordered a Mac-Gar magazine to try and I can attempt to contact CZ after the holidays to see if they will offer a satisfaction warranty or something.

[armoredman]

Call CZ first, and ask them. Are they CZ marked mags? I've used the 18 rounders back when I had my Phantom with zero problems, so see if CZ will help out on that one.

[Cap'n Morgan]

I had a CZ 75 once, and It was very finicky when shooting with a full (15 rounds) magazine. After being dropped on the ground a few times (IPSC shooting) the magazines would fail to feed properly. It got to the point where I would take down the mags and wipe their inside between each reload!

Searching for an explanation, I compared the magazine spring to that from a FN High Power and noticed the FN was made from slightly thicker wire - 1.2mm, where the CZ was 1.1mm (if I remember correctly) I ended up making a new set of springs from 1.2mm piano wire (one bend at the time, using a modified set of pliers!) and the problems disappeared completely.

[dddddmorgan]

I will contact CZ after the holiday and see what they have to say but in my research I did find some resources, most specifically a place to order better springs with the follower attached.

I was looking at what I had; taking things apart for a little lubrication etc., and I found that the same spring (by my visual evaluation) in the 10 round magazines as the 18 round. The gun came with two CA compliant 10 round magazines. To work they have a huge bottom plate that takes up about half the magazine space.

I will probably just order a couple of springs and see what happens after I put a couple of hundred rounds through the gun.