Another newbie Glock owner with questions

[RDG]

I tried searching for some answers but didn't really find what I was looking for,

Recently bought a Gen 3 Glock 19. I believe it was a police trade in. Besides the night-sights being dim as hell and some holster wear, it seems to be in great shape. I'm debating on sending it back to Glock to be recoated and have the sights replaced but I'd like to shoot a few more hundred more rounds through it first. Then decide.

It came with one 10 round Square notch magazine with a Victors plate which operates fine. no issues.

I just got two 15 round U-notch mags for it. Owner said the mags were barely used and they sure look it. I fought it with them to try and get the 15th round and gave up. Their both sitting with 14 rounds in it, to try and loosen up the springs to fit that 15 round easily.

So my main question is, I know the U-notch aren't supposed to "drop free" when the mags are loaded but these mags never drop on their own, even when empty. In fact, even when empty, I've got to really "whack" each magazine for it to fully seat in the well and for the mag catch to engage.

Is this normal? It just seems like excess force to seat an empty mag.

 

[drgrant]

Are they glock oem? Scherer and others made POS 3rd party u notch mags.

 

[Bob P]

I tried searching for some answers but didn't really find what I was looking for,

Recently bought a Gen 3 Glock 19. I believe it was a police trade in. Besides the night-sights being dim as hell and some holster wear, it seems to be in great shape. I'm debating on sending it back to Glock to be recoated and have the sights replaced but I'd like to shoot a few more hundred more rounds through it first. Then decide.

It came with one 10 round Square notch magazine with a Victors plate which operates fine. no issues.

I just got two 15 round U-notch mags for it. Owner said the mags were barely used and they sure look it. I fought it with them to try and get the 15th round and gave up. Their both sitting with 14 rounds in it, to try and loosen up the springs to fit that 15 round easily.

So my main question is, I know the U-notch aren't supposed to "drop free" when the mags are loaded but these mags never drop on their own, even when empty. In fact, even when empty, I've got to really "whack" each magazine for it to fully seat in the well and for the mag catch to engage.

Is this normal? It just seems like excess force to seat an empty mag.

Yeah it is. You may even run into some that won't load in your gen 3. I did. The baseplate profile is slightly different. And invest in a maglula. Well worth it

 

[Tater]

try to run some fine grit sand paper around the outside of the mags. thin them out a bit. start with 1 then if it works do the others.

 

[RDG]

Are they glock oem? Scherer and others made POS 3rd party u notch mags.

Yes OEM Glock mags

 

[drgrant]

Yes OEM Glock mags

They metal lined?

 

[RDG]

They metal lined?

Yes.

 

[Rob Boudrie]

The old "U" notch mags are metal lined, but the metal does not go all the way around. The term FML (full metal lined) is used on the new mags. The old U notch mags are not supposed to drop free even when empty - that is a feature, not a bug (seriously) according to Glock.

 

[RDG]

The old "U" notch mags are metal lined, but the metal does not go all the way around. The term FML (full metal lined) is used on the new mags. The old U notch mags are not supposed to drop free even when empty - that is a feature, not a bug (seriously) according to Glock.

Yes.. these two U-notch are only partially metal lined.

 

[RDG]

Here's the issue....

Heres the square notch fully seated with the baseplate removed.


And heres the u-notch fully seated with the baseplate removed.


And heres why... The mag catch slots are at different height on the magazines. There's a noticeable difference there. WTF

 

[drgrant]

The old "U" notch mags are metal lined, but the metal does not go all the way around. The term FML (full metal lined) is used on the new mags. The old U notch mags are not supposed to drop free even when empty - that is a feature, not a bug (seriously) according to Glock.

There are several variants of the U notch though, one version is ****ing terrible and has almost no lining, and those are the mags that usually split in half pretty easy. Compared to the 75% lined U notch mags those things are trash.

 

[Gammon]

I had some old Glock 21 mags that would drop free. I sanded and polished the bodies and used some teflon auto polish. The key to success was to never leave the mags loaded as they would swell and then take a set. No problem for me as the 21 was a match gun, a real PITA for EDC.

 

[RDG]

I guess my u-notch mags need a beveled baseplate to seat correctly..

like these
https://www.ar15.com/archive/topic.html?b=7&f=89&t=1197405

the ones installed on there now are not beveled.

In case anyone needs this info.. Here's the Part numbers for the baseplate and inserts. Mine are the non-drop free, NFML, U-notchs and someone had installed the parts for a drop-free mag.
I ordered the 455 plates and the 5572 inserts... hopefully this fixes the seating problem.
9mm

Non-Drop-Free
Floor Plate - 455
Magazine Insert - 5572

Drop-Free
Floor Plate - 3206
Magazine Insert - 1693

 

[Rob Boudrie]

Here's the issue....
And heres why... The mag catch slots are at different height on the magazines. There's a noticeable difference there. WTF

View attachment 167250

It looks like the same distance from the mag lips to the catch, so it would be more accurate to say one tube is longer than the other.

 

[dcmdon]

It looks like the same distance from the mag lips to the catch, so it would be more accurate to say one tube is longer than the other.

Yup. You said it better than me.

To the OP.

If these are old U Notch mags. It is critical that you replace the 25 year old springs. Wolff springs are a great source. gunsprings.com