Not just by PF members. During the SIGP320 armorers course in June of this year we were advised that Sig supplies only the Italian made Mecgar magazines for LE Agency and IOP sales and that they recommended only the Italian made mags for duty use.Originally Posted by JonInWA
This is what we were told as well. No personal experience with Checkmate mags for the 320, but I wouldn't ever trust one for a 226 or Beretta. Nothing but problems.
I've trusted them in my Beretta for over 12 years. I don't make a secret here that I'm one of Check-Mate's sponsored shooters, but my 92 dry-film magazines have provided near flawless performance through heavy, repeated and varied use over years.
Some potentially crucial differences between my Check-Mate magazines and others experiences:
1. Mine were all obtained/issued brand new, with one exception (and experimental teflon-treated tube that had clearly been used prior to my receiving it, as on the high points, the teflon coating was rubbed and chipped); operationally, the magazine has been flawless;
2. All of my magazines before use are disassembled, cleaned, with all cutting oil removed, and the tube interiors, followers, springs and baseplates treated with Dri-Slide, a dry-film lubricant/anticorrosive; magazines are then reassembled, and exteriors wiped down with Weapon Shield.
All of my magazines are standard issue/contract magazines, with three exceptions: A 2005 production magazine with an experimental stainless steel spring, and two 2015 production magazines with an experimental teflon finish applied to the tubes in their entirety.
In 12 years of use, I've encountered precisely two issues: 1) One magazine (as I recall, a 2010 production one) in use would not drop free from the receiver; it was returned to Check-Mate, resent through the tube sizing die, and returned to me, where it's performed without issue for years; and 2) One magazine where there was a single failure to lock back when the magazine was emptied in an IDPA match. In retrospect, the causal factors were likely an insufficient grip (I was firing support-handed only) and/or low-powered ammunition (I was using Federal Champion 115 gr aluminum cased); subsequently, the magazine has performed without incident.
Recently, Ernest Langdon discussed the various magazines for the Beretta 92; the Check-Mate magazines were cited for two potential areas of concern, both involving the Check-Mate baseplates: 1) that the front of the baseplate could be sufficiently bent to preclude the magazine from being able to be secured in the receiver (the magazine llatch would be unable to latch in the tube notch due to insufficient tube insertion), and 2) that the baseplate flange(s) that slide onto and engage the tube flange to secure the baseplate to the magazine tube could be bent or damaged. While I certainly defer to Ernst Langdon's expertise and exposure, both actual and anecdotal, I've personally never experienced any isues with my baseplates, and would point out that the baseplates are of hardened/tempered steel. Whole anything can be damaged, there have been magazines of similar baseplate design that historically this has apparently not been a significant issue-the FN/Browning High Power, CZ-75, and Walther P.38/P1/P4/P5 magazines come to mind.
I am concerned over the issues, both actual, perceived and potential with the Check-Mate manufactured magazines for the P320, and am requesting some for detailed testing, use and analysis.
Best, Jon
Last edited by JonInWA; 12-04-2019 at 01:34 PM.
Sold out at Osage County.
Available on pre-order at Quantico Tactical/Proven Arms.
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I’m going to get a wonderful head to head look at the magazine thing as the 320 XCarry I acquired over the weekend has one Checkmate May and one MecGar. It’s kinda funny that you can do a quick glance over and tell the two mags are different on a brand new pistol from Sig. The finishes of the mags instantly jump out as being different before you see “Made in USA” and a “C” in a circle on one and “Made in Italy” on the other.
Interesting, as I swear I saw an M17 and an M18 at a LGS last weekend. I remember thinking “hey, they’ve got the M18’s out now.” As noted in my other post, I went with an XCarry instead of either of the M’s.
Not a big sig fan but a sf pistol with enough of a usable thumb safety appealed to me. So I picked up an m18. Now to get the holster, rds and buis figured out!
Last edited by shane45; 12-21-2019 at 01:21 PM.
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