Let's discuss 1911 magazines
- Thread starter WRH
- Start date
Everyone likes Wilson Combat mags, but after about three hundred rounds through each of mine I started to get failures. It took a long time to figure out, but what was happening was that when I slammed the mag home on a slide lock reload, the feed lips would expand and allow the top round to move up and forward enough to lock up the gun. This also happened to my older Chip mags. These days I'm using STI mags with no problems, but I'm not a huge fan of how they stick out the bottom.
In the end I learned a few lessons:
First - the spring tension was too high on my mag release, causing me to use too much force when reloading. This was solved by nipping off a coil on the spring.
Second - slamming a mag home on a slide lock reload is known to cause this problem with 1911s.
Third - Wilson mags aren't as good as I thought.
Fourth - Freedom Ventures sorted this problem out for me and didn't charge me a cent. Amazing service!
In the end I learned a few lessons:
First - the spring tension was too high on my mag release, causing me to use too much force when reloading. This was solved by nipping off a coil on the spring.
Second - slamming a mag home on a slide lock reload is known to cause this problem with 1911s.
Third - Wilson mags aren't as good as I thought.
Fourth - Freedom Ventures sorted this problem out for me and didn't charge me a cent. Amazing service!
I have or have had a half dozen brands of 1911 magazines: I will only run original Sig 8 round (all metal) and Tripp Research 10 round magazines (plastic follower with the metal insert) in my Sig 1911. Nothing else runs as flawless, period. I have never used Chip...
Short story about Chip mags: I had heard certain Chip mags have a short all metal follower and on the last round loading the follower can slide slightly forward, then upon removing the mag it scratches the feed ramp. I figured, "Gotta be bullsh!t, right?" So I went to a local gun shop and asked to see one, telling them about it. I of course got, "Chip are the mags that everyone wishes they were: they are flawless. You're an idiot for listening to them." I held the brand new, never been used, had to beg to open the sealed package Chip mag in my right hand and ever so slightly pushed forward on the follower with barely any pressure...
TWANG!!
The follower almost impaled the salesman in the face and most of the spring contorted out of the mag body possibly wrecking it (and later seen the web between my thumb and index finger was bleeding). I passed the remainder of the mag to the salesperson, apologized (I am Canadian), and said maybe I'm not so stupid for wanting to find out. True story, ask Phoenix Gun Range in Edmonton!
I came home and ordered Tripp mags from Northern Republic Magazine that evening: I think I should order more, maybe...
Only 8rnd .45 Mags that work ALL THE TIME (or for about 30 years including 17 years of HARD IPSC use) are Mag Paks. That's the good news - the bad news they don't make Gov't/Commander model mags anymore ... only Officer's... I have no idea why. Try a Google for them...
