If I don't pust them forward while pressing the magazine release, they are a bitch to get out.

My mag removal has always involved "squeezing" the magazine and the mag release to get the mags out...but when I do that, its damn  near impossible to work the mag release.

However, with no pressure on the mags or better yet slight forward pressure, they are easy to remove.

Does anyone know how to correct this?  Do I need to remove some material?  The magazines lock up quite nice.  Not too loose, not too tight.

Most important though, I'd just like the setup to work properly.

Also....any tips on straighting out the gas tube???

Thanks,
Scott

Have you checked several magazines, to see if the problem is the rifle or the magazine?  If so, it sounds like the top of the mag catch needs to be "reprofiled" a bit.  It is currently digging into the tang on the back of the magazine, making removal difficult.  This is why you have to push the magazine forward, while you should be able to remove it by "squeezing" as you described.  You need to remove some metal at the top of the catch, possibly changing the angle slightly at the same time, so that the catch doesn't dig into the magazine as it rotates forward.  Get some small files, check often while doing this, and use a magazine to check the "pattern" as you file the catch.  Do this by putting some black ink via a "Sharpie" marker on the magazine's tang, so you can see where the catch is making contact by rubbing off the marker in that spot.  In this way, you can get full-width contact from the mag catch.  Obviously, you'll want to use a magazine whose tang is flat/square.

All this assumes you have checked the fit of several magazines in your rifle, and don't just have one that fits "tight".  If not, check some other mags first.

Quoted: Have you checked several magazines, to see if the problem is the rifle or the magazine?  If so, it sounds like the top of the mag catch needs to be "reprofiled" a bit.  It is currently digging into the tang on the back of the magazine, making removal difficult.  This is why you have to push the magazine forward, while you should be able to remove it by "squeezing" as you described.  You need to remove some metal at the top of the catch, possibly changing the angle slightly at the same time, so that the catch doesn't dig into the magazine as it rotates forward.  Get some small files, check often while doing this, and use a magazine to check the "pattern" as you file the catch.  Do this by putting some black ink via a "Sharpie" marker on the magazine's tang, so you can see where the catch is making contact by rubbing off the marker in that spot.  In this way, you can get full-width contact from the mag catch.  Obviously, you'll want to use a magazine whose tang is flat/square. All this assumes you have checked the fit of several magazines in your rifle, and don't just have one that fits "tight".  If not, check some other mags first.

Yep, does it with all the mags, and I have other 5.45 rifles that they work fine in.  I figured thats what I'd have to do, I'll give it a shot!

Thanks