No.4 MKI * magazine adjustment, not feed lips

Hello all,
I recently purchased a No4 (my first). It came with a No1 Mkiii magazine which was “fitted” well and fed fine. In my desire to make it “more original” I purchased a non-reproduction No4 mag. I got feeding dialed in and smooth as butter, but upon shooting another issue presented itself.

The front of the magazine is slightly dislodged while firing. The rear remains in-place, but the front can drop ever so slightly. Once this happens, feeding becomes a bit of a nightmare.

What are (if any) adjustment remedies that can fix this play and get the magazine to remain firmly seated as designed? Any thoughts appreciated. I’m happy to take pics if it will help with a resolution.

The front “spring” that folds over the lip of the magazine is still present, and overall the magazine arrived in like-new condition.

So I found the source of the problem from a perspective of getting the magazine to lock in-place and remain as such.

The following was just a mock-up to identify where the problem is and to get the mag to function. While this was a success (shot 20 rds with this in the rifle and had 0 issues - loading partial mags and one full mag to test cycling).

I placed several layers of painters masking tape on the rear surface of the magazine up against the tab that interfaces with the catch - the idea being that a little forward pressure would resolve the problem, and it did.

https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...b3dbdd71-1.jpg

https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...185c1900-1.jpg
What I am less sure of is what the permanent fix here is. It would appear to me that either the mag is out of spec, or the rifle was modified to accept the No.1 magazine (though there are no traces of filing or otherwise).

Open to thoughts here. As this is a shooter and I have an unmodified working magazine (albeit incorrect) I am inclined to find a better material to duplicate the modification with (vinyl or otherwise) and leave it that way. I have no plans to sell the rifle, and if I did I would disclose and sell with both mags.

Just wondering if the mag catch spring has lost tension and not holding the catch against the lip or for some reason the mag catch has a rounded nose stopping it engaging properly into the magazine & vice versa you can get the mag catch springs cheap on fleabay I am only going on logic others may have more to add.

Or...you could get a proper #4 mag in good shape and it will probably be right. This IS a #1 mag after all...was...

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Originally Posted by browningautorifle

Or...you could get a proper #4 mag in good shape and it will probably be right. This IS a #1 mag after all...was...

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I read it as 'the rifle was supplied with a No1 magazine which worked OK, but, he bought a No4 magazine and it is this one that 'flops about'.

I understand wanting another magazine, I would also want to have more, and do have. However, always keep in mind the LE was intended to be loaded with chargers, not other loaded magazines. Soldiers weren't issued with another magazine. Therefore the magazine rarely was removed. I suspect regular magazine changes might lead to looser magazines and more irritation.

Loading with chargers in any case is much quicker than changing magazines, except with a telescope fitted. Having a stack of loaded chargers is very impressive, especially if they all work well.

I shoot IPSC with my No 4 Mk 1 and chargers. Love it.

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Originally Posted by Alan de Enfield

I read it as 'the rifle was supplied with a No1 magazine which worked OK, but, he bought a No4 magazine and it is this one that 'flops about'.

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Correct.

I am just trying to fit the appropriate magazine to the rifle, where it will remain fixed per design.

Apologies to all if I was unclear in my initial problem statement.

An interesting suggestion from another forum was to check the rear face of the magazine (where the tape presently resides) for any inward curvature (dish) and to tap (rather forcefully) it out to correct the surface - in effect accomplishing what the tape does.

I think this idea may work. My concern would be also moving the rib to a point where contact is less than perfect with the catch. Of course it could be ground a wee bit to compensate as well if that became the case.

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Originally Posted by Alan de Enfield

he bought a No4 magazine and it is this one that 'flops about'.

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Yes, you're right. My misunderstanding, so that one doesn't work...try again. They don't all work right.

Is the auxiliary spring present on the front of the replacement No.4 magazine?

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Originally Posted by tgoldie00

The front “spring” that folds over the lip of the magazine is still present, and overall the magazine arrived in like-new condition.

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Originally Posted by Brian Dick

Is the auxiliary spring present

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Yes...it is. One thing about these "New" mags that some won't get is they may not be as new. We used to repark mags that came to hand or bead blast and blue, I forget... Then they sold in "As new condition" and you couldn't tell.

Oops, I missed that Jim.

Try replacing the mag catch sear spring as Cinders suggests.

A light press in a vice might just add that smidgen of length. Use might have widened the magazine just that much to make it loose.