Another long time user of Mec Gar 18 round mags in P226s with no issues. I’ve never had an issue with any of their mags on any Sig.

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When I first tried the Mec-Gar 18's and 20's in my MK25, I noticed there wasn't as positive of a click when I would seat the magazine compared to the phosphate 15's. I never had an issue with them falling out tough.

I just took a look at how the different magazines interact with the internals of the frame with the slide off, and there doesn't appear to be any interference from the ejector, or the geometry of the locking block. Looking into the magwell from the top, there is a bit of shiny wear on top of the magazine release "tab" which interacts with the cutout on the magazine, but nothing that appears to be gouging. The wear line on the different magazines also appear to be in the same path, so the interaction between the tab and the cutout seem to be in-line across the magazines. It's not as though I'm using calipers though, so take that with a grain of salt.

I've put over 800 rounds through this MK25 so far with 3 OEM 15's, 15 Mec-Gar 18's, and 2 Mec-Gar 20's without any magazine related issues.

I realize this is a bit of an apples to oranges comparison, but my P229 doesn't have any shiny wear on the top of the magazine release tab. The P229 is also about 15 years old and has a few thousand rounds of.357 SIG through it.

For what it's worth, my MK25 was manufactured on MAR 21 2022, according to the box.

My highly uneducated guess as to the issue... The magazine release. I would have to take apart the one on the MK25 and compare it to my P229 to see if there's any changes in geometry, however that's not something I plan on doing.

quote:

Originally posted by 12131:

quote:

Originally posted by dcowboyscr:
I vaguely remember reading on pistol-training.con about a Law Enforcement agency having problems with their P226 Legions and MecGar 18 round magazines where the magazines weren’t locking into place and would fall out under recoil. Apparently, SIG changed the design of the P226 magazine release to a 2 piece design like the P320 which caused the issues.

Post #17

https://pistol-forum.com/showt...FOR-CARRY-DUTY/page2

But, that was the Legion they were talking about, and it is true that it has the new mag release. The MK25, however, still has the classic mag catch/release system. In fact, a quick check of online images of current MK25s (birthdate as late as June 27th, 2022) being sold confirms this.

My money is on the Mec-Gar 18-rounders OP has here being out of specs.

THIS practically and logically makes sense!!!!

Sometimes things get a bit off as we all have seen in every aspect of production.

Well, I just got back from the range... one of my 20 rounders fell out. I guess I'll be taking out my magazine release sooner than later.

quote:

Originally posted by Landchipper:

quote:

Originally posted by 12131:

quote:

Originally posted by dcowboyscr:
I vaguely remember reading on pistol-training.con about a Law Enforcement agency having problems with their P226 Legions and MecGar 18 round magazines where the magazines weren’t locking into place and would fall out under recoil. Apparently, SIG changed the design of the P226 magazine release to a 2 piece design like the P320 which caused the issues.

Post #17

https://pistol-forum.com/showt...FOR-CARRY-DUTY/page2

But, that was the Legion they were talking about, and it is true that it has the new mag release. The MK25, however, still has the classic mag catch/release system. In fact, a quick check of online images of current MK25s (birthdate as late as June 27th, 2022) being sold confirms this.

My money is on the Mec-Gar 18-rounders OP has here being out of specs.

THIS practically and logically makes sense!!!!

Sometimes things get a bit off as we all have seen in every aspect of production.

It's not a legion though so all that doesn't apply.

I myself have a MK25 a recent one that has no problems with Mec-Gar magazines 20 or 18.

In fact I've bought recently more of them and still no problems I tested, I have 3 different SIG P226 9mms, 1 W German, 1 10's era and MK25.

I do wonder what exactly is the OP gun's problems, maybe if its a recent gun check with SIG?

NOTE:

I was thinking (I know dangerous)

I have a HK P30 with many aftermarket parts inside and it has problems seating their 20 round magazines with the extended base plates but no problem with regular VP9/P30 17 rd mags.

While not the same gun at all seems like a similar issue.

IDK enough about gun internals to figure that out though, I just use the regular mags

This message has been edited. Last edited by: Austin228,

As others, I’ve used lots of Mec Gar 18 rounders with a MK-25 and other P-226 variants with no issues.

If you’re having a problem with them with only 3 rounds loaded, then obviously not a spring pressure issue preventing full seating. But have you verified that they are fully seating? Put an empty mag or lightly loaded mag in, can you pull it out without using the mag release? If not, then it seems like they’re fully seating which would point to something with the gun. But then you’re not having issues with other mags, so it’s a puzzle.

P229 top.
MK25 bottom.

My crap picture doesn't do justice to the actual difference between the two. The locking tab is thinner and doesn't protrude as far into the magazine cutout. I also popped my old P229 magazine release into my MK25 and tried all my magazines. They ALL positively click when seated.

For what it's worth, I hope this helped you Stinx. I'm going to try a replacement part from TGS, or possibly look for a more vintage part. Hell, maybe even an aftermarket option. They just don't make em like they used to.

quote:

When I first tried the Mec-Gar 18's and 20's in my MK25, I noticed there wasn't as positive of a click when I would seat the magazine compared to the phosphate 15's. I never had an issue with them falling out though.

I had exactly the same experience. My 17rd Mec Gar mags click in just like the factory 15rd mags. I have had zero issues with the 18rd mags in terms of functioning or inadvertently dropping.

quote:

Originally posted by Stinky Bojangles:
P229 top.
MK25 bottom.

My crap picture doesn't do justice to the actual difference between the two. The locking tab is thinner and doesn't protrude as far into the magazine cutout. I also popped my old P229 magazine release into my MK25 and tried all my
magazines. They ALL positively click when seated.

For what it's worth, I hope this helped you Stinx. I'm going to try a replacement part from TGS, or possibly look for a more vintage part. Hell, maybe even an aftermarket option. They just
don't make em like they used to.

Thanks it did help. I too need to find a replacement mag catch.

Have you tried Sig CS? Do you think they'll send you a new mag catch or will they require you to send in the frame?

I just installed a new OEM mag release. The "tab" is the same profile as the original one. The Mec-Gars feel the same as before. They seat, they just don't have as positive of a click. I'll just have to see what happens after some recoil on the range. I may just swap it with the one from my P229 and see how the new one fares in that. I'm quite perturbed with this situation.

So I brought my gun up to the Sig experience center and an armorer looked at my gun. I was told that since the gun works without issue with the factory made 15 round mags they don’t consider the gun to have an issue. During my conversation with the armorer he said it’s a known issue and he mentioned a police/ military unit in Ireland that had the same issue. Iput 200 round through the gun yesterday and it worked flawlessly with the 15 round mags. I think it bs that the gun won run with the Mec Gar 18 rounders. All my Berettas run the 18 round Mec Gars without issue.

Typical Sig non service. The absolute worst company to deal with. I can’t stress enough how bad they are. I actually curtailed several thousands of dollars worth of purchases to other brands because of how Sig customer service has treated me.

One of my Mec-Gars fell out again this past weekend. It was on the 15th, or so, round and I noticed the magazine was hanging out. It didn't actually fall out and hit the ground, it unseated which resulted in a failure to feed a new round. Just like last time.

I agree with you, this really is a load of BS.

quote:

Originally posted by Stinx:
Iput 200 round through the gun yesterday and it worked flawlessly with the 15 round mags. I think it bs that the gun won run with the Mec Gar 18 rounders. All my Berettas run the 18 round Mec Gars without issue.

I have been monitoring this thread but haven't commented until now. I've been carrying a P226 for decades, and switched to Mec-Gar 18 round mags. maybe 6 or 7 years ago and, of my mags. currently in the rotation designated for either training or carry, I have yet to experience a mag. related stoppage.

Here's my question: as your 15 round mags. work flawlessly, then is this a problem with the size/ profile of the mag. catch?(which would equate to a gun/ SIG factory problem)

OR

Is this a problem with the mag. tube, in which the mag. catch slot is cut at the wrong height or wrong size/ profile? (which would equate to a Mec-Gar problem).

The fact that the 15 rounders work flawlessly suggests to me this is a mag. problem.

If I was experiencing this problem I'd disassemble both the affected mags. as well as a couple of the working 15 rounders, remove the mag. catch from the frame, insert the mag. catch into the various mag. tubes while carefully observing and comparing the interface between them. If you find any discrepancies, document them with clear quality photos that you can send to the manufacturer CSR, whether its SIG or Mec-Gar.

This could be as simple as a bad batch of mag. tubes.

Also, it couldn't hurt to contact Mec-Gar and get their input.

If I'm not mistaken, there is a Mec-Gar rep that is a forum member, although they seem to post infrequently.