[Robby]

Some of you may remember that back in Dec. I had bought some mags for my 709, that would not function properly. I contacted CS, Mike and he told me to send them in with a letter explaining the problem, which I did.

Well, the time of response by CS, on my mag's that I purchased that would not function in the gun, was pretty good. I sent the bad ones in by US Mail, 12/21, and they sent me two magazines that arrived 1/11?

However, the ones they sent me were the same as the ones I sent in and will not function. Hard to insert, and you have to jerk them out of the grip to remove. My two originals will drop free, and insert easily.

When I called CS, today the young lady tried to tell me that there is only one type of Magazine, and there has never been another type. Even with me holding one of each in my hand, and telling her they are different. GRRR! She said if they did not work, it was a problem with the gun?? She assured me there was never another type of mag.

See if you all can see the difference from the photos, The loaded one works, the empty one does not.

On my first call, Mike/CS knew there were more than one type, guess I should have asked for him this time? The left raised rail in the grip is the one that rides in the mag groove.

 

[Ranch Dog]

They look different to me. It is a small difference but that is all it takes.

 

[Montkun]

The spacing on that groove down the center of the mag is what's getting me. If that's even a millimeter left or right it changes the entire latch in point for the magazine.

 

[Robby]

The groove is in the same position on each, however on the originals, it is just a little deeper. Also the mold, of the grip has the one rail that is just a little bit thicker, and taller from what I can tell. Both lock in but the purchased ones will not go in easy, or come out with out extra force to insert or remove.

 

[Ranch Dog]

So, did you call back and talk with Mike?

 

[AdesteAnimo]

What I would do is contact my local range, or FFL and see if they have any 709's on display. Ask them if you can bring your firearm and your magazines over to do a comparison. See if the magazine tolerances are the same, or different for another gun so you have a comparison, especially if it is a newer gun, more recent production date than yours. It seems maybe they changed some of the tolerances of the newer production runs slightly which would make it hard for them to provide you with an exact fitting mag unless they have a cache of the old ones somewhere from on or around the same time frame of your serial number run. Document your findings and send the mags back with a letter describing the differences to the review board. Those are about your only choices other than filing down the mags yourself, being happy with just two mag's, or selling the gun and getting something else.

 

[Flash60601]

I'd take the gun and the mags to the next gun-show, and then find the magazine guy and make a deal.

Or else, send the mags and the gun to Miami and ask them to send it back with mags that fit.

Flash

 

[Robby]

Ok, I took the mags to the only gun store in town that had a 709, It was a newer model, serial # in the TDZ area. It had the new style mags, that will not fit my gun.

I am in a kind of bad time to contact CS, management as they are at the SHOT SHOW in Vegas for the next week. I think I will wait until after that to contact CS again. I am sure their system, will show my two contacts w/CS, then maybe I can get a determination, or get them to pick up the gun and fix it so it will use the newer version mags.

There is no way, I am going to live with only one backup mag. Either in real situation, or tactical classes I need at least 3, but holding only 7 rds I wanted 4 working mags.

So we will give this a weeks rest, and take it up again after the SHOT SHOW.

 

[MilProGuy]

Good luck, Robby.

Keep us posted on how this is resolved.

 

[bubblehead]

Hope it gets worked out soon.

 

[rodfair]

If I could butt in here.

Some people that have posted on this forum, mostly drive byers, would do well to read this post and learn. Not about mags or 709's but about how to handle a complaint. Patience, common sense and knowlege about what the gun maker is up to.

Good going Robby.

 

[scalphunter]

I believe it would be in your best interest to again contact CS, explain your problem and ship the gun and mags back to Miami. There coud be something else going on. Let them go over your gun.

 

[AdesteAnimo]

Please if possible call my "go to" rep Lina at x229 next week. She will somehow find you two old mag's or provide you with another solution. If you can't get two old mags use her as a sounding board to see what she thinks of the idea of sending the old gun back with the mag's etc and a letter to the review board asking if they could swap out a newer model 709 since they changed the design and old mags are unattainable. If you do this I would also elaborate in the letter how important it is to you that you have four working mags for this gun, since this is your primary CCW gun, the gun you train with to protect yourself and your loved ones and you are loyal to the Taurus brand as your CCW firearm provider.

She has been a gem in the rough for me and is very capable problem solver. She is also allot more available than Robert and the managers of CS. They are very busy always. Tell her "The Pool Guy" from Ga sent you

 

[BigCountry]

Send them in the pictures with another letter so they can see themselves what it looks like

 

[Robby]

Excellent suggestions, however, due to many higher ups being gone this week, I will hold them in my pattern for after the SHOT show.

I could try "the go too gal", or contact Mike who originally said it was no problem to exchange the mags but I am not anxious to get it done ASAP, I will not be doing any classes until April (just got the schedule from my trainer today).

And It is not like I do not have another Taurus to carry for a class either. PT111, 24/7, 905, and Rossi 461, eventually I hope the 709 will become my wifes carry gun (she will have to take some classes with it too). She wanted a lighter gun than my 905, and PT111.

 

[SilverTauron]

Excellent suggestions, however, due to many higher ups being gone this week, I will hold them in my pattern for after the SHOT show.

I could try "the go too gal", or contact Mike who originally said it was no problem to exchange the mags but I am not anxious to get it done ASAP, I will not be doing any classes until April (just got the schedule from my trainer today).

And It is not like I do not have another Taurus to carry for a class either. PT111, 24/7, 905, and Rossi 461, eventually I hope the 709 will become my wifes carry gun (she will have to take some classes with it too). She wanted a lighter gun than my 905, and PT111.

Here's a thought.

A habit I get into is to clean the mag well and polish the magazines of all my pistols. I do not mean taking a dremel and polishing brush to the magazine;but some Hoppes #9 followed by some Mother's polish and elbow grease is the technique I use. Every time I do so yellow-brown-black grime is always removed from both the outside of the magazine and inside the magwell itself.Such filth can be very 'stealthy' because a blued or black magazine will not ever look dirty, and neither will the inside of a polymer frame firearm that's dark in color.

I learned this lesson from the original mag that came with my PT99. In the gun store the included mag never wanted to eject out of the PT99, much like your firearm it hung up on ejection and refused to be inserted without a great deal of force.After taking the weapon home and completing the above cleaning process to the PT99 and its magazine the sucker flew out of the magwell like it was rocket-propelled.

Something to consider in your case, and it would be a good way to occupy your time until the bosses come back to Florida in any case.

Hope this helps.
ST

 

[Robby]

Here's a thought.


Something to consider in your case, and it would be a good way to occupy your time until the bosses come back to Florida in any case.

Hope this helps.
ST

I took out part of your post, because when I bought this gun used, I blew almost a can of gun scrubber thru the gun, including the grip, then wiped the interior of the grip out with a rag, and nothing came out of there.

The rest of the gun had hardened 2+ year old factory grease, contaminated with burnt powder, hard as a brick.

Even before this cleaning the mags that came with the gun, were totally drop free (tested at the store where I bought it). It is the later version mags with a much shallower, and slightly narrower groove where you can only insert with effort, and have to pull them out or they stay in.

Again, thanks for the thoughts, I do read and consider [email protected]!!!

 

[Robby]

I have been remiss in not following thru with CS yet. However, sometime this week I hope recontact them, concerning the mags and my 709?