Repair/Upgrading plastic magazine followers with epoxy

[Fez]

Hi folks,

I've got some Springfield XDM magazines whose plastic followers have gotten scuffed and scarred from rounds going through them. They tend to be perpendicular to the way of travel and so are causing misfeeds.
Any thoughts on applying a thin coat of epoxy to smooth out the gouges and toughen the top of the followers? I've never used the stuff before and am not sure how well it can be buffed smooth, if it would handle the potential heat generated by rounds being fired or if it would degrade he plastic beneath.

I wish there were aftermarket aluminum followers to be had.

Thanks in advance!

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[Freshman]

I don't think the epoxy would be tough enough. Do you have any pictures of the marks? My first instinct would be to attempt to polish out the marks as best as possible while removing as little material as possible.

 

[DirectDrive]

OEM # 45 Magazine Follower - 9/40/357 High-Capacity | Springfield XD OEM and aftermarket parts store</

https://www.gunsprings.com/Semi-Auto%20Pistols/SPRINGFIELD/XD%20%26%20XDM%20MAGAZINE%20SPRINGS/cID1/mID60/dID442

 

[Fez]

I don't think the epoxy would be tough enough. Do you have any pictures of the marks? My first instinct would be to attempt to polish out the marks as best as possible while removing as little material as possible.

Thanks Freshman. The one on the lower left is typical of the rest. There's definitely some brass smudges there that I need to remove but there's also a bunch of scuffed plastic all along it particularly at the bottom. The one on top was from a gun that blew up. I figured I could practice on that one as it's unusable as is.

 

[Fez]

OEM # 45 Magazine Follower - 9/40/357 High-Capacity | Springfield XD OEM and aftermarket parts store</

https://www.gunsprings.com/Semi-Auto%20Pistols/SPRINGFIELD/XD%20%26%20XDM%20MAGAZINE%20SPRINGS/cID1/mID60/dID442

Thanks DirectDrive. Unfortunately, I've got a gen1 xdm.

 

[Freshman]

Interesting. It's hard to tell from the picture, but I don't see anything too damning on the bottom follower. Are you certain this is what is causing your issues? If so, then I would try lightly sanding to smooth out the marks.

 

[Fez]

It's my best guess. I've kept the gun really clean and haven't modified the mags at all. The feed ramp seems pristine - I can almost see my befuddled reflection on its surface.

 

[F2CMaDMaXX]

The intact one isn't in focus, but i would say that's build-up on the follower rather than etched in - i also echo the 'sure it's causing the issues?' as i don't see how it would affect it enough.

 

[Freshman]

Any chance you could snap a pic of the malfunction?

 

[DirectDrive]

I don't see anything outrageous about that follower.

1)Assuming the pistol was running fine, have you changed ammo types ?
2) Recoil spring fresh ?
3) Mag springs fresh ?

 

[Fez]

Any chance you could snap a pic of the malfunction?

You bet. I'll snap a couple of pics next time they misfeed. Here's a couple more pics, hopefully in better focus.

 

[F2CMaDMaXX]

Can you take another pic, looking along the line the casing takes? need to see that detail a little more.

 

[salmon creek gary]

Before you start scraping/carving/whatever: If you have some magazines that function perfectly, maybe see if you can "move the malfunction" by installing the suspect follower into a known-good magazine. Or, test the suspect magazine by swapping a known-good follower into it.

 

[Fez]

I don't see anything outrageous about that follower.

1)Assuming the pistol was running fine, have you changed ammo types ?
2) Recoil spring fresh ?
3) Mag springs fresh ?

I've used both my own reloads and factory rounds. Typically, the issue is the round will be about halfway up the ramp with the boolit beginning to enter the chamber, the head of the case is partially in the feed lips of the mag and the slide has pinned it there denting the case a bit.

I'll try to recreate the issue manually and take some pics. My xdms are currently completely disassembled and going through a sonic deep clean, mani/pedi and Brazilians. The issue occurs on both guns using the same mags.

The mags are OEM with their original parts and seem in really good shape but they've all been used quite a bit and are typically stored fully loaded - so the springs could be fatigued. One XDM is stock and the other has a Powder River Drop-in Trigger kit with a reduced firing pin spring. The recoil springs on both are stock.

 

[Fez]

Can you take another pic, looking along the line the casing takes? need to see that detail a little more.

The green arrow is pointing at a hair that my cat contributed at the last moment.

 

[F2CMaDMaXX]

There's nothing on there that would cause a failure to feed, have you tried different bullet types? I know my XDS won't feed critical defence consistently, but is ok with duty - difference? weigh of bullet, heavier in the duty and it makes the nose longer, letting it feed up the ramp consistently.

If you still think it's the follower, you're gonna have to switch a new one into it to prove a negative, maybe try shoving the follower in the sonic bath too?

 

[DirectDrive]

You may have already done this...
To find the source, you should number your magazines and keep track of what ammo you are using when you get the miss-feed.

 

[Fez]

Hi folks, I finished sonic cleaning all the parts and mags and got them put back together and numbered the mags. I haven't been able to manually recreate the jam though. If it happens again I'll take pics.

Thanks again everyone!