450 BM Magazine Failure

[Hoot]

Of all the things I'd expect to fail on my 450b, the magazine was not one of them. At the range this evening, I took the mag out after a shot and heard something rattling inside. Upon opening it up, a small stamped piece of sheet metal with a spot-weld mark on it fell out. Looking inside the mag, it is one of the shims on either side just below the lips. I assume they keep the follower aligned or something. I emailed BM Customer Support since the gun's only 2 months old. I will finally get my turn in the ring with their customer support and will post results to the appropriate thread.

Looks like this:



In the mean time, I will transplant their spring and follower to a Stainless Steel 20-round AR mag I have and see how it does after a lip job.
Hopefully, they'll send me a new mag and I can keep the follower from the bad one as a spare.

Hoot

[Siringo]

That little part must be something new. I do not have that in my 3 original mags -- the ones with the blue follower.

[bushmeister]

I emailed BM Customer Support since the gun's only 2 months old. I will finally get my turn in the ring with their customer support and will post results to the appropriate thread.

I recommend calling them on the phone.

[oldmanjeffers]

Bummer Hoot,

Just to let you know I use a 30 rounder with a homemade follower, I have done no further mods besides blocking it off not to except more than 10 rounds (CA law)

What are you doing to the lips?

[Hoot]

Bummer Hoot,

Just to let you know I use a 30 rounder with a homemade follower, I have done no further mods besides blocking it off not to except more than 10 rounds (CA law)

What are you doing to the lips?

When I got my two Stainless mags from Midway (house brand), I tried a 450b round in them and discovered the lips are a little too far apart. This allows the rounds to ride too high, almost popping out on their own. So, if I get a new magazine and recycle the follower from the bad one, I would need to move those lips slightly closer together. No big deal since I have the bad one as a guide. I like the blue followers better. There's something soothing about blue. Aaah, I remember Peters Blue Magic Trap Loads. Sooo soothing... Uh oh, Hoot's drifting again...
Despite reading about it from other people, I was still surprised at the wasted, excess spring stock crammed in at the bottom of the mag. You could make an entire extra spring from the excess in mine. Really!

Hey Bushmaster! Why don't you cut that spring to length, take the money saved and put two or three spot-welds in each of those shims?

Hoot

[Hoot]

I recommend calling them on the phone.

Good advice. I did just that this morning and the friendly lady I spoke to looked up my account address and told me a replacement one will be sent to me. Wham, Bam, Thank-Ya Ma'am!

Hoot

[thebrassnuckles]

Bummer Hoot,

Despite reading about it from other people, I was still surprised at the wasted, excess spring stock crammed in at the bottom of the mag. You could make an entire extra spring from the excess in mine. Really!

Hey Bushmaster! Why don't you cut that spring to length, take the money saved and put two or three spot-welds in each of those shims?

Hoot

I chut about half that wad of spring off mine and it increased capacity by one, i need to cut off some more so it'll be a worthwhile modification. i was just skeered that i'd mess up my only mag.. but now that i have others it wont be too big of a problem.

[bushmeister]

I recommend calling them on the phone.

Good advice. I did just that this morning and the friendly lady I spoke to looked up my account address and told me a replacement one will be sent to me. Wham, Bam, Thank-Ya Ma'am!

Hoot

Glad it worked. It always has for me.. I imagine checking email at a gun manufacturer is probably alot like checking email at an abortion clinic, or a senators office, etc. You probably have to weed through so many anti's email campaigns to get to a pertinent one from a real customer, it really cuts down on the effectiveness of email.

[ebusa]

Sorry to hear about you mag problems!!! I hope you can get a replacement soon.

FYI, I ordered a new .450 stainless steel Mag from Bushmaster over a month and a half ago and still dont have it. They said all Mags they have are dedicated to go out with the uppers and they won't ship any magazines until those orders are completed.

[Hoot]

Sorry to hear about you mag problems!!! I hope you can get a replacement soon.

FYI, I ordered a new .450 stainless steel Mag from Bushmaster over a month and a half ago and still dont have it. They said all Mags they have are dedicated to go out with the uppers and they won't ship any magazines until those orders are completed.

Guess I won't hold my breath then. What was most important was that they didn't want the old one back. I can migrate the follower to a new SS 20-rounder I have in reserve.

Hoot