View Full Version : Problems with Center Ind mags and Magpul followers (pics)
I have 8 USGI mags ( 4 Center Ind, 1 La Belle, 1 OKAY, 2 NHMTG ). Decided it would be wise to rebuild them with new SS springs and Magpul Gen III followers. I've not used these mags much, but the handful of times I have I they've never given me any issues.
Pictured first is 2 Center Ind mags before I swapped out the springs and followers. You'll notice the followers are 100% "topped out" on the mag.
http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8073/8382216349_bb2e49dee0_c.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/69684030@N04/8382216349/)
New springs and the Magpul followers. These 2 particular magazines will not allow the new followers to completely "top out" and reach the feed lips. I tried cycling the magazine with a stick to see if they were just hung up. No go.
http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8467/8382216115_95667baea0_c.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/69684030@N04/8382216115/)
The 2 other Center Ind magazines are not quite as bad, but the followers are a little "slow" to reach the top. If I cycle the mags with a stick they are fine until the last 1/8 inch, then it takes about 1/2 second to travel the last little bit OR they will "hang" about 1/8" down.
Group picture. The OKAY, La Belle, and NHMTG mags seem to work perfectly with the new followers. You'll notice the 2 furthest left Center Ind mag's followers are slightly bellow the feed lips. The right 2 Center Ind mags are worse.
http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8051/8383298314_7e4ab99af0_c.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/69684030@N04/8383298314/)
I do not know if this is an issue with Center Ind mags in general, or if mine are just to "beat up" and need to be junked. Part of me thinks I should just put the old green followers back in the Center Ind mags since they seemed to work ok in that configuration. Part of me wants to "work" these mags to make the better Magpul followers work.
Thoughts?
polymorpheous
01-15-13, 03:20
Have you tried to shoot with them yet?
Seems premature to me.
Have you tried to shoot with them yet?
Seems premature to me.
Have not lived fired them. 2 of the mags wont function when cycling the last round - the nose of the bullet is below the front of the mag.
I may be slightly paranoid since this is my first time rebuilding mags, and cant really replace them anymore.
IIRC, Center mags were some of the worst. I have about a dozen which I also replaced with MagPul Followers (gen 2's), and I don't recall having the issue you are experiencing.
I would test them (from full), if the mag bodies are junk, look into acquiring some Brownells mag bodies since the rest of your parts are good to go.
Yeah... I have some nice CENTERS and some that I had to leave the Green follower in because of the sloppy mag body workmanship.
I just run those for range mags since they still work great.... but I want those to be the first to wear out.
advntrjnky
01-15-13, 12:32
I have heard that some Centers can have rough spot welds on the inside top that can catch anti tilt followers. I'd take a look to see if that's it? if so, you have two potential choices for a fix....1-smooth out the rough spot, 2- relieve a groove down the middle of the follower so it can slide past the rough spot. YMMV
advntrjnky
michael word
01-15-13, 14:54
I would try to find out where the mags are acually getting hung up and modify the followers to bypass that area. Have you tried using any of the other magpul followers in these mags to see if they work? Would also check for mold lines or bumps on the followers to see if that is causing the binding.
IIRC, Center mags were some of the worst. I have about a dozen which I also replaced with MagPul Followers (gen 2's), and I don't recall having the issue you are experiencing.
I would test them (from full), if the mag bodies are junk, look into acquiring some Brownells mag bodies since the rest of your parts are good to go.
Id just replace them if I could afford the price of new bodies or mags :D I knew Centers arent the best, but unfortunately thats what i got stuck with. I'm going to assume these are just a little beat up.... they are atleast 15 years old.
Yeah... I have some nice CENTERS and some that I had to leave the Green follower in because of the sloppy mag body workmanship.
I just run those for range mags since they still work great.... but I want those to be the first to wear out.
Thats kinda what I thought.... put the green followers back in and have them be dedicated range mags
I have heard that some Centers can have rough spot welds on the inside top that can catch anti tilt followers. I'd take a look to see if that's it? if so, you have two potential choices for a fix....1-smooth out the rough spot, 2- relieve a groove down the middle of the follower so it can slide past the rough spot. YMMV
advntrjnky
I can see where they are hanging up... sort of.... but I cant figure out it the mags have been compressed at the top or if its just a rough spot. I have an extra magpul follower, I think im going to try what you suggested and lightly sand the follower
I would try to find out where the mags are acually getting hung up and modify the followers to bypass that area. Have you tried using any of the other magpul followers in these mags to see if they work? Would also check for mold lines or bumps on the followers to see if that is causing the binding.
Thanks!
Well this thread made me get out my 3 messed up CENTERS and I was able to trim the Magpull followers to get them to fit.
Wasn't the welds... but the fattest rib stamp in the mag body at the top. It wasn't stamped sharply, so that rib fattened out at the top... a little box knife trimming and both mags have followers now. :cool:
Well this thread made me get out my 3 messed up CENTERS and I was able to trim the Magpull followers to get them to fit.
Wasn't the welds... but the fattest rib stamp in the mag body at the top. It wasn't stamped sharply, so that rib fattened out at the top... a little box knife trimming and both mags have followers now. :cool:
This gave me a little confidence I could just trim them. I spent about 5 minutes on each of my 4 Center mags... just took a knife to the magpul followers and scraped away a little material (sand paper woulda worked better)... and now they (seem) to work just fine!
Yep... I pushed my followers in the body and when they came back out, the fouling in the inside of the mags rubbed onto the follower and showed me were to trim.
advntrjnky
01-16-13, 08:38
some good info here! I don't think I have any Center mags in my stash....but I'll have to dig in now to take a closer look.
advntrjnky
ramairthree
01-16-13, 19:06
In general, having gone through and checked for various reasons,
Centers tend to have crappier spot weld work done.
Often the top ones especially are a hole with rough edges INSIDE the mag body.
Followers catch on this.
Even with the new brown followers, they use a type of follower without a groove in the center, that catches on these edges even worse.
You can file the rough edges some.
Have you tried modifing the follower slightly vs. the mag body?
ramairthree
01-20-13, 14:05
I have "polished" the surfaces of the follower,
and smooth filed the rough welds.
Have not had a chance to test out since.
Now I gotta go check the center industries mags that I have also. Thankfully, not that many. Good info, thanks for sharing.
kaltesherz
01-22-13, 03:25
I avoid Center mags like the plague, had a few that Magpul followers wouldn't fit into and even one new mag that wouldn't even fit into my issued M4 lower. QC is insanely spotty. I religiously stick with Okay mags...
Yeah.. I had a one that wouldn't fit into the lower... Had to file the friggin front of the mag body down.
They all still run reliably, just some sloppy stamping and welding.
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