The Original CZ Forum
CZ PISTOL CLUBS => CZ75, 75b, 75 SAO inc the Transitional => Topic started by: Radom on May 15, 2014, 02:26:30 AM
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This may not be the correct forum, but it's not technically related to Accessories or Gunsmithing, either.
Anyone know of a source for the modern/current style of Mec-Gar 9mm follower? Over the years, I have never been able to find a source that actually has these in stock when I am looking.
Thanks in advance. I have been trying to find about ten of these, off and on, for close to ten years now.
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Dumb question number 687:
Have you e-mailed Mec-Gar ?
mags@mec-gar.com
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Dumb question number 687:
Have you e-mailed Mec-Gar ?
mags@mec-gar.com
Yes. Always OOS when I have tried, assuming I get a reply. Like I mentioned, I have been trying this (off and on) for about ten years. If someone has actually bought some from somewhere, I would love to know the details.
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OK then....
Dumb question 689 ( Man, these things are beginning to mount up :o )
Doesn't Mec-Gar also make the Mags for the Small framed Witness ?
If so, wouldn't their 9mm - 40cal Follower be the same ?
https://www.eaacorp.com/catalog/product_info.php?products_id=%20667
Just a thought
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I'll toss in dumb question #690
Why would a .40 cal follower be the same size as a 9mm follower? Shouldn't they have, at the very least, different diameter curves where the round actually sits, since the rounds are of different diameters?
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I'll toss in dumb question #690
Why would a .40 cal follower be the same size as a 9mm follower? Shouldn't they have, at the very least, different diameter curves where the round actually sits, since the rounds are of different diameters?
No, not necessarily
There needn?t be a radius at all; it could be a flat wedge
All it needs to do is set the first round off to one side and the rest will follow along
It?s really all about the spacing and length of the Feed Lips
In fact; there are several 40 cal Mags the run 9mm just fine and vice versa
The real critical part(s) of the Follower are the height above / below the Feed Lips, how it rides on the Spring (within the Tube) and (if applicable) the location / quality of the Slide Stop Notch
Oh BTW....Dumb Question numbers ?
Those are my dumb questions
As of this post, I have asked 689 Dumb Questions over my lifetime (since I started keeping track)
Most are asked of my Wife !
Usually starts out like this..."Hey Honey, I got a dumb question; WHY...." then it goes down hill from there :o
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Dumb answer # (lost count): Have you tried emailing Greg Cote and asking the question?
http://gregcotellc.com
He sells the mags and many optional accessories. He may just know how and where to get some followers.
I just tried a CZ follower in a Mec-Megar mag and no it won't fit. It looks like the only difference is a slightly flattened spot on the front right side at the top. If you have an old CZ follower, you could see if it could be fitted to run smoothly. Just a thought.
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Dumb answer # (lost count): Have you tried emailing Greg Cote and asking the question?
http://gregcotellc.com
He sells the mags and many optional accessories. He may just know how and where to get some followers.
I just tried a CZ follower in a Mec-Megar mag and no it won't fit. It looks like the only difference is a slightly flattened spot on the front right side at the top. If you have an old CZ follower, you could see if it could be fitted to run smoothly. Just a thought.
I'm trying to put Mec-Gar followers in old Czech magazines. They will fit, function, and allow the magazine to hold 16 9mm cartridges pretty comfortably.
I've no real evidence, but I have always assumed they would be more reliable. The Mec-Gar follower design seems to be more stable.
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CZ-USA now carries them! I didn't even think to check, because they didn't stock them for years. They are slightly different from the ones I have in the older "aftermarket" style of Mec-Gar magazines, but at least they aren't the old Czech "tab-n-slab" style I'm trying to replace.
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Before I get confused MORE than normal, current 9mm CZ mags are made by Mec-Gar. The Mec-Gar "aftermarket" CZ mags are slightly different than the OEM CZ mags, including the follower and bases for the 16rd magazines. Mec-Gar doesn't offer an 18 rd magazine--just a 17 with an extended base.
CZ USA carries "CZ magazine followers". I have purchased those some time back, and they do fit OEM mags.. I don't believe these will fit current Mec-Gar aftermarket CZ magazines.
Confused yet? ;D
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Before I get confused MORE than normal, current 9mm CZ mags are made by Mec-Gar. The Mec-Gar "aftermarket" CZ mags are slightly different than the OEM CZ mags, including the follower and bases for the 16rd magazines. Mec-Gar doesn't offer an 18 rd magazine--just a 17 with an extended base.
CZ USA carries "CZ magazine followers". I have purchased those some time back, and they do fit OEM mags.. I don't believe these will fit current Mec-Gar aftermarket CZ magazines.
Confused yet? ;D
Just to clarify for anyone curious about this, there are three basic OEM styles (to my knowledge):
1) First version of the "Czech" magazines. (For all I know, these could have been made in Timbuktu, but everyone has always assumed they were made in Czechoslovakia!) These are the smallest of all, and they were apparently the standard from 1976-1980. I have never seen a "short rail" CZ 75 in person, but in all of the photos I've seen, these magazines have the serial # of the pistol stamped or etched into the magazine body. As you might expect, finding these magazines is virtually impossible. Apparently, the farther back you go, the less likely you are to find magazines that fit that particular pistol, except the ones issued with the pistol. I have no idea what the followers look like.
2) Second version of the "Czech" magazines. These seem to have been more or less the same from 1980 to whenever CZ-UB switched to Mec-Gar. I'm not sure when the switch occurred, because the Crime Bill sort of clouded the issue. The OEM magazines from my '82, '86, and '93 CZ 75s are dimensionally and functionally identical. These were imported by CZ-USA in fairly large quantities in order to be "grandfathered" and therefore legal under the Crime Bill. I was able to buy quite a few from CZ-USA as late as 2001. These have a relatively poor follower design that I have always called the "tab-n-slab." (See photos below.)
3) The OEM Mec-Gar magazines. Other than the 97B and P-01(?), I've never owned a CZ that had these as OEM. The 10 round magazines that came with my other pistols were obviously altered Czech magazines.
There was a period in which Mec-Gar made aftermarket magazines for CZs, but they weren't the OEM supplier yet. I have no idea for how long. In 2001-2002, a CZF member sold these to members only. I don't recall the details, but he was able to get a large quantity of these that had been imported and "grandfathered" before the Crime Bill deadline.
These are slightly different from any other Mec-Gar magazines I have seen since. These are the only full-size 75/85 series Mec-Gar magazines I own. (See photos below.) These magazines do NOT hold 16 9mm cartridges, even when the springs are older/weaker. All of the "witness" holes are on the right side. All of the markings, which are quite numerous, are on the left side. These have a large marking "- A -" near the top of the magazine body. Supposedly, this is "- A -" for "Aftermarket," but I have no idea. These particular magazines tend to fit the later Type A CZs, so I guess it's remotely possible the "- A -" is for "Type A." They have a stepped base, FWIW.
At any rate, I discovered that if you used the Mec-Gar follower from these magazines with the later Czech magazine bodies, they will reliably hold and function with 16 9mm cartridges. I've never had any problems with the Czech followers, but they seem to be less stable than the "four leg" design used by Mec-Gar.
As per usual, I must apologize for the poor quality of the iPhone photos...
These are the followers I was mentioning. The Czech "tab-n-slab" is on the left; the Mec-Gar is on the right.
(http://i234.photobucket.com/albums/ee109/Doc_Steve/Followers.jpg) (http://s234.photobucket.com/user/Doc_Steve/media/Followers.jpg.html)
These are the "left" sides of the magazines. Czech is on the left; Mec-Gar is on the right. You can't really see the markings. The Mec-Gar logo is in the center. There is an "- A -" high up on the body. Near the base plate there is the following marking "MG - CZ75 - 9MM."
(http://i234.photobucket.com/albums/ee109/Doc_Steve/Leftsideofmagazines.jpg) (http://s234.photobucket.com/user/Doc_Steve/media/Leftsideofmagazines.jpg.html)
These are the "right" sides of the magazines. Czech is on the left; Mec-Gar is on the right.
(http://i234.photobucket.com/albums/ee109/Doc_Steve/Rightsideofmagazines.jpg) (http://s234.photobucket.com/user/Doc_Steve/media/Rightsideofmagazines.jpg.html)
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Very Interesting! :) Good to know that Followers are now available! 8)
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Dumb question number 687:
Have you e-mailed Mec-Gar ?
mags@mec-gar.com
Yes. Always OOS when I have tried, assuming I get a reply. Like I mentioned, I have been trying this (off and on) for about ten years. If someone has actually bought some from somewhere, I would love to know the details.
I had an email exchange about mag parts with Mec-gar this past week and was told they do not currently sell parts for their mags. (I was after baseplates, myself)
While we are talking parts, how about magazine springs? Can anyone recommend a good source for reliable replacement magazine springs? I have a few second-hand ones that need some attention ;)
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I've always used Wolff springs, because they offer quantity discounts for mag springs. They run @$5 each if you get the "10 pack." I use the +5% version. I've never tried the +10% version.
http://www.gunsprings.com/Semi-Auto%20Pistols/CZ/75%20Series/cID1/mID16/dID91
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I agree with Wolff being a good place to do business. Thier FAQs section ABOUT recoil springs et al is also well worth reading.
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Dumb question number 687:
Have you e-mailed Mec-Gar ?
mags@mec-gar.com
Yes. Always OOS when I have tried, assuming I get a reply. Like I mentioned, I have been trying this (off and on) for about ten years. If someone has actually bought some from somewhere, I would love to know the details.
I had an email exchange about mag parts with Mec-gar this past week and was told they do not currently sell parts for their mags. (I was after baseplates, myself)
While we are talking parts, how about magazine springs? Can anyone recommend a good source for reliable replacement magazine springs? I have a few second-hand ones that need some attention ;)
At least you got a reply... I have emailed them at least five times over the years. I only received one reply, which was pretty similar to the one you received. I did "due diligence" and checked my spam folder, etc., FWIW. They make excellent products, but I wasn't too thrilled with their "customer service." If you absolutely needed to reach them for a warranty issue, I think you might have to resort to actual service of process! Yeesh...
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I've always used Wolff springs, because they offer quantity discounts for mag springs. They run @$5 each if you get the "10 pack." I use the +5% version. I've never tried the +10% version.
I run the Wolff +10% Extra Power Magazine Springs in my .45 Witness Magazines, which are very similar/same as Cz97B Magazines. In most 9mm Pistol Magazines, the Wolff +5% Extra Power Springs run best. :)
I did try Wolff +10% Magazine Springs in one other set of 9mm Handgun Double Column Magazines, and while not a total disaster, it took a couple of years for those Springs to wear in properly, even with regular use. I won't do that again! ::)
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I've always used Wolff springs, because they offer quantity discounts for mag springs. They run @$5 each if you get the "10 pack." I use the +5% version. I've never tried the +10% version.
I run the Wolff +10% Extra Power Magazine Springs in my .45 Witness Magazines, which are very similar/same as Cz97B Magazines. In most 9mm Pistol Magazines, the Wolff +5% Extra Power Springs run best. :)
I did try Wolff +10% Magazine Springs in one other set of 9mm Handgun Double Column Magazines, and while not a total disaster, it took a couple of years for those Springs to wear in properly, even with regular use. I won't do that again! ::)
That was sort of my thinking. As I've mentioned in other threads, the older Czech springs sort of suck. The Wolff website info makes a point of stating that their +10% springs are effectively +15% in older CZ 75 magazines. When I considered some of the "break in" issues I had with Wolff 16 lb. recoil springs in older pistols, I decided to go with the +5% version. ;)