1911 Magazine Question

[RunningOnMT]

The two 1911's I own are both 8rd capacity. I bought them in part for that reason. I know there are some very fine 1911's out there with only a 7 rd capacity. Maybe not a big deal to most people but I like having that 1 extra round. Does anyone make 1911 magazines for 7 rd cap. pistols such as Colt and Springfield, that have an extended base to increase capacity to 8 rd ?

[garydude]

To my understanding you could easily turn most 7 round pistols into 8 round pistols just by using a magazine designed for it. Ones from Wilson Combat, Tripp research, Chip McCormick, etc. would likely do just great.

Now I could be wrong on this, but I have a SW 1911 that has both 8 round mags and 7 round mags that work well with it. I think it would be as simple as just changing the mag.

[JLA]

The capacity is decided by the magazine not the weapon. Even the dinky compact 1911s can utilize a full size mag and have 8 rounds. All govt models regardless of manufacterer use either 7 rd GI mag or 8 rd aftermarket mags. Only thing you cant do is stuff a 6 round Officers mag into a govt frame, the catch wont reach the notch. But you can stuff an 8 rd Wilson mag into any 1911 as long as it isnt a double stack frame..

[cpttango30]

I only use Wilson Combat mags in my 1911. They have never failed me yet. My Kimber came with 1 7 rnd mag it fits FLUSH with the base of the gun. My wilsons stick out a tad more than the Stock 7rounder.

[JLA]

Chip McCormick makes flush fitting 8 rounders. I much prefer the flush fitting mags so I bout about 10 of them..

[Alpo]

Originally Posted by JLA

The capacity is decided by the magazine not the weapon. Even the dinky compact 1911s can utilize a full size mag and have 8 rounds. All govt models regardless of manufacterer use either 7 rd GI mag or 8 rd aftermarket mags. Only thing you cant do is stuff a 6 round Officers mag into a govt frame, the catch wont reach the notch. But you can stuff an 8 rd Wilson mag into any 1911 as long as it isnt a double stack frame..

Not so. You can stick one up there, and it will lock into place. The cartridge won't be high enough for the slide to catch it, though.

At least, my one 6-round Officer's Model magazine now has SHORT written on it, on both side, in blue paint stick, because I did that at the range once. Shoved it up there thinking it was one of the Chip McCormick 8-rounders, and sat there wondering why it didn't load. Locked in place just fine, though.

[Double D]

I have some chip mccormic 10 round mags I use for practice sometimes.

[JLA]

hmmm, something cant be right alpo. Stu has a springer ultra compact .45, He uses the 6 rounders for carry and I swear he stuffs an 8 rounder in at the range. A good 2 inches of mag sticking out the bottom. Looks real funny when he uses his promag 10 rounder like the ones DD is talking about.

If they shortened the top of the mag then the slide would be smashed way down on the frame to accomodate it lowering the centerline of the bore and there wouldnt be room for the recoil spring guide and rod.. Im relatively sure a OfficersACP/compact 1911 mag wont snap into place on a commander/govt sized frame as its too short..

[cpttango30]

Here are pictures of the two different mags in my Kimber.

Kimber 7 rnd


Wilson 8rnd.

[Shooter45]

My Commander is always loaded with 9 rounds.

[Alpo]

Just tried it again. You're right. It does not lock in. Friction fit is so tight I thought it did. Hold the gun upright, in firing position, with the short one in it, and it stays in. Shake it hard and it drops out about a half inch.

Dammit, I'm not supposed to be wrong about this crap.



As you might could guess, by this cinematic masterpiece worthy of Cecile B. DeMille, I ain't never used the movie part of my camera before.

[Squeak]

Alpo: I like your sense of humor about "I'm not supposed to be wrong about this stuff". Well, as everyone knows, there was only ONE perfect man & they crucified him.

I thought I was wrong once - - - but I was wrong.

[JLA]

Its all good alpo. Kinda meakes me feel good i got one up on the masta..

And youre right squeak, Alpo has a great sense of humor. Course what could you expect from someone whos been a dogs lunch and lived to tell the tale..

BTW Alpo, Im all caught up with that book, waiting on some more installments.. The wifes read it too. She likes it.

[RunningOnMT]

Well how bout that. All this time I've been avoiding 7 rd 1911's. The thing is when I went to my local gun shop to buy a few 8 rd WilsonCombat mags the guy asked me if my pistol was 7 or 8 rds. I asked if it made a difference. He said "you bet it does". He told me that the 8 rd mags wouldn't work in pistols like colt because the cut out on the mag wont match the lock location on the pistol.

[JLA]

What a putz. Does he not know that every part from every manufacterer will interchange. Heck thats part of what makes the 1911 thrive in todays market with all these space age gadgets that fire bullets. Sounds like this guy needs a basic course in the design and function if the 1911 platform..

Heres a simple list, easy to remember, but you can write it down if you have a memory like I do..

Pertaining to single stack 1911s ONLY..

OfficersACP/Compact framed guns (usually having 3" barrels or less) can use any single stack 1911 mag. From sompact 6 rd versions, sloppy 7 rd GI versions, fancy smancy stainless 8 rd versions with rubber bumpers all the way up to and including, if one were so inclined, one of those HI-CAP 50 rd. drums CTD sells, Why? IDK.. But to each his own I suppose..

The Commander and Govt frames, Including longslides, can use them all EXCEPT, the 6 rd compact mags..

[Jim K]

"every part from every manufacterer will interchange"

In a day when "spec" seems to be a four letter word, I wouldn't make book on that.

FWIW, I had an interesting problem with a ten-round 1911 magazine I bought for pins. Somehow I didn't notice that it had no tab on the front to provide a stop. So I slapped it into the gun and tried to load the first round. The slide wouldn't run forward. I tapped it. No go. So I try to remove the magazine. It won't come out. Now I am holding a pistol with ten rounds in a magazine and I can't get it unloaded, nor can I fire it.

So I called an alibi and problem. With everyone well back, I went to work. It took me five minutes to get that magazine out. What had happened was that with no stop to substitute for the floorplate lip, the magazine went all the way up and wedged itself in high enough to block the slide. What a pain. No danger, but my face was pretty red, as I am supposed to know a bit about 1911's.

I threw that magazine away and bought another 10 rounder from another company that has a stop welded on.

Jim

[Alpo]

Originally Posted by JLA

Its all good alpo. Kinda meakes me feel good i got one up on the masta..

And youre right squeak, Alpo has a great sense of humor. Course what could you expect from someone whos been a dogs lunch and lived to tell the tale..

BTW Alpo, Im all caught up with that book, waiting on some more installments.. The wifes read it too. She likes it.

Yeah, it has been a week, ain't it?

On the way.

Waitin' on more. I was getting it, maybe, one chapter a week. Got purty good at tellin' her (it's terrible when you have to beg)

[lonewolf204]

I use 7 and 8 round mags in all my 1911s with no trouble!

[JLA]

Hilarious Alpo. I got the Email.. Thanks!

[hogger129]

My Springer came with two 7-round magazines and I hated them because they did not have a supported follower and that can cause reliability problems.

Metalform is what the Springfield Custom Shop uses on it's FBI Professional model and from what I've heard they function well.

Just about every 1911 guy I know uses Wilson Combat mags.

I have two stainless 8-round Kimber mags with flat base pads and the supported follower. I really don't like the big bumper on the bottom of the mags.

Chip McCormicks are good too.


I notice when I load all 8 rounds into my mags, they don't want to seat in the gun all the time, so I usually just load 7 in the gun and go with that. I mean in a SD situation, I'm probably not going to shoot off 7 or 8 rounds. 7 works for me. Could just be the mags I'm using too. Springs might just be stiff still.

[JLA]

chip mags have a kewl follower design that facilitates magazine disassembly thru the top. without removing the floor plate. Great thing because alot of chips mags are true to the original design in that the floor plate is welded in on some of them. I have never had a magazine malfunction with chip mags. and I use both the shooting star mags and the power mags.

[geraldsd]

I have two Wilson Combat mags that are 7-round in an Officer's Model. They stick down below the butt. Is there a pad that will cover this?

[JLA]

no. an officers ACP uses a 6 round mag to fit flush. Most base pads fit onto the bottom of the mag only adding more length.

What is wrong with an extra inch of mag below the gun? It shouldnt impede function, and will give you a bit of extra grip on the shortened frame of the officers model. Not to mention an extra round of ammo..

[aa1911]

SS wilson combat 8 rounders for me, wouldn't have it any other way!

The extra basepad on them is actually necessary for me, I have a magwell funnel on all of my 1911's so standard 7rd colt mags won't lock in unless you push them all the way with your finger or whatever. But even on standard 1911's, the basepad on wilson's or any other brand is so minimal, it really doesn't get in the way at all.

[geraldsd]

JLA...Nothing wrong, but I wanted things to look "more complete." I'll just deal as they are good mags. I see you're from the heart of Texas. Been thinkin' about going back home (Texas). Want to be about 200 miles west of Dallas. Wouldn't be close to you would it?