Wilson ETM pistol mags (known issue - not a recall)

[ChopperDoc]

If you own any take a moment to check them out.

http://pistol-training.com/archives/8735

Earlier this week, I bought some of the new black Wilson ETM 10rd 9mm magazines. The main reason I wanted the black mags was for concealed carry. The black color is slightly less likely to draw attention if my concealment garment shifts, but mostly it just helps me tell my carry mags apart from my practice mags at a glance.

I took the mags to the range and put 20 rounds of carry ammo (the outstanding Federal 124gr +p HST) through each of the six magazines followed by another 30 rounds of practice ammo. Three hundred rounds of testing showed the mags working as expected so I loaded three of them up, put one in the gun (after topping it off) and went about my business.

The next evening I needed to do a little work on the pistol so I removed the magazine as the first step in clearing the gun. This is what I found:

video at link


There was no tension on the rounds in the magazine. They were all just loose inside. The top round was probably a half inch below the feed lips. Turning the magazine upside down, all I had to do was shake and the rounds came tumbling out. As you can see in the video, the problem was the follower. It got stuck at the bottom of the tube and even after all the agitation from shaking the ammo out it was still trapped down there.

Communications back and forth with Wilson Combat led to the discovery that this is a known problem with some of their black magazines due to a new treatment they’re using. Apparently, some kind of sticky film is left over from the blackening process and it creates substantially more friction inside the magazine tube. Yeah, you think? The fix was as simple as thoroughly cleaning the inside of the mag tubes with gun cleaner (Wilson advises mineral oil is even better).

Another day at the range and another 50rd through each magazine worked fine. Now I’m leaving them loaded and testing one at a time in my backup gun, leaving it fully loaded in the gun, round in the chamber, for 24 hours to see if the follower gets stuck again. So far so good.

Nonetheless, I spent a day and a half walking around with a gun that may not have fired more than one round because of that gunk. It was by my bed as I slept and on my hip while I hiked, ran errands, and spent an evening out on the town with my wife. Even when I press-checked the gun everything seemed fine. But I’ve got no way of knowing whether I could have counted on the gun to function properly in that condition.

I use Wilson magazines because I can count on them. This experience was totally unsatisfactory. I do expect Wilson will be addressing the problem and future customers won’t have to worry about it. Still… not at all what one expects from Wilson Combat.

Train hard & stay safe! ToddG

[guncrank1]

Not sure about a sticky film
I do not know of any common gun finish that leaves a sticky film.
Bluing is rust so the after treatment is a water displacement oil
Plating process has no after treatment at all
As neither does any of the applied finishes.
Mineral oil is not a cleaner but a lube.
Anyway interesting and informative posting

[86 slo-vo]

Parkerizing? I know if done wrong it can leave a nasty think film on everything.

[guncrank1]

Parkerizing? I know if done wrong it can leave a nasty think film on everything.

Could be
Park is another oil cured finish forgot about that.
Especially black park, as that is a extra step in the process.