Jim PHL
Member
First off, I know I'm committing the ultimate but most common mistake with a 1911: fixing something that ain't broke! But hear me out:....
It seems to me a lot of the 1911 problems I hear about stem from guys who get their new gun, watch a youtube video on how to do a detail strip, and then start trying to 'smiff it for themselves, polishing this or that, trying to drop-in this cool thumb-safety or that magwell or MSH, changing guide-rods and plunger tubes et al because they saw this cool new one online. Many experts say that you have to be a disciple of the design to carry and shoot a 1911 but I think there's also a lot of people who need to buy a good one and just leave it alone! (So far I've done that with a Springfield, a Colt and a Sig and been well satisfied!)
Most experts WILL agree that magazines are extremely important to the reliability you will encounter with a 1911. Even our own 1911Tuner has stated that he has "solved" many 1911 issues just by changing to better mags. With that in mind I'd like to post two questions:
#1 - Can I expect better performance from an existing mag by changing the springs and/or followers in the same tube? If so, what brands do you have experience with and recommend or not recommend? This is the 'not broke' part I am thinking about fixing. My Colt has functioned 100% reliably with Colt and Springfield mags but the mags I got with the (then new) Colt last year have springs that just feel weak to me. They feel lighter than the springs in my 11 year-old Springfield mags and I've never changed the springs in those. I had problems with the Colt when they were new with not holding the slide back on empty. (My Colt has fired 100% with this exception.) Colt sent me a couple additional mags that also feel weak. When I load them and tap them against the back of my hand it feels like the top round could just slide out. (This actually happened once or twice when new, but not since, but the springs still feel light to me.) Anyway I am thinking of changing the springs in my existing mags and just looking for recommendations. To me, this is just good maintenance anyway so I shouldn't refer to it as fixing something that's not broken. I'm guessing most experts would agree with changing mags springs before you "have to". (In other words, before the existing ones fail!) It just seems these springs maybe need to be changed more often than mags springs for a lot of other guns.
In addition I will likely be buying a few new mags so
#2 - what brand/model # 1911 magazines do you recommend either generally speaking or that have specifically worked 100% in your Colt or Springfield? Any replies welcome but I am specifically looking for info on full-size and am fine with 7-rounders.
It seems to me a lot of the 1911 problems I hear about stem from guys who get their new gun, watch a youtube video on how to do a detail strip, and then start trying to 'smiff it for themselves, polishing this or that, trying to drop-in this cool thumb-safety or that magwell or MSH, changing guide-rods and plunger tubes et al because they saw this cool new one online. Many experts say that you have to be a disciple of the design to carry and shoot a 1911 but I think there's also a lot of people who need to buy a good one and just leave it alone! (So far I've done that with a Springfield, a Colt and a Sig and been well satisfied!)
Most experts WILL agree that magazines are extremely important to the reliability you will encounter with a 1911. Even our own 1911Tuner has stated that he has "solved" many 1911 issues just by changing to better mags. With that in mind I'd like to post two questions:
#1 - Can I expect better performance from an existing mag by changing the springs and/or followers in the same tube? If so, what brands do you have experience with and recommend or not recommend? This is the 'not broke' part I am thinking about fixing. My Colt has functioned 100% reliably with Colt and Springfield mags but the mags I got with the (then new) Colt last year have springs that just feel weak to me. They feel lighter than the springs in my 11 year-old Springfield mags and I've never changed the springs in those. I had problems with the Colt when they were new with not holding the slide back on empty. (My Colt has fired 100% with this exception.) Colt sent me a couple additional mags that also feel weak. When I load them and tap them against the back of my hand it feels like the top round could just slide out. (This actually happened once or twice when new, but not since, but the springs still feel light to me.) Anyway I am thinking of changing the springs in my existing mags and just looking for recommendations. To me, this is just good maintenance anyway so I shouldn't refer to it as fixing something that's not broken. I'm guessing most experts would agree with changing mags springs before you "have to". (In other words, before the existing ones fail!) It just seems these springs maybe need to be changed more often than mags springs for a lot of other guns.
In addition I will likely be buying a few new mags so
#2 - what brand/model # 1911 magazines do you recommend either generally speaking or that have specifically worked 100% in your Colt or Springfield? Any replies welcome but I am specifically looking for info on full-size and am fine with 7-rounders.