1911 Magazines 8Rnd VS 7Rnd

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LubeckTech

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Is there an advantage to 7 round magazines over 8 round magazines in a fullsize 1911? I have both and have no problems with either as long as they are good mags to start with - I do have some that are junk. The reason I ask is since the magazine can accomodate 8 rounds why limit it to 7?
 
generally speaking there are some makes of 7 round magazine that tend to be more reliable then the 8 rounders. If the 8 rounders prove to be reliable to your standards then I would say go for it, an extra round is not a bad thing.
 
John Browning designed the 7-round mag to be left fully loaded forever without spring damage.

At present, I have several WWII & a couple WWI mags I bought fully loaded from estates with WWII and WWI dated ammo in them, and they still work just peachy keen.

Some of the 8-round mags compress the spring further then JB thought prudent, and we will have to wait & see how they hold up years down the road.

rc
 
Mecgar has some 7 rounders that have modern internals,just like the Nighthawk Customs, but with the flat G.I. base.They look original,but are dead reliable.I have some of their 8 round mags too,but they have a S&W 469 looking finger grip base pad I don't really need on my .45.
 
I prefer the 8 rounders, Wilson 47D's in particular.

I want that extra round. Never had a problem in my Kimbers or Springfields and I keep them loaded.
 
You should also be aware that some mag makers now make a slightly extended 8 round mag that addresses some of the issues of the springs. I know Tripp, Wilson, and Brown do.
 
The followers in 7-round magazines typically have longer legs/skirts than the followers in 8-round magazines. Longer followers tend to be more stable as they move up and down in the magazine tube, presenting the top round more consistently for feeding.
 
The non-extended 8rd magazines get their extra capacity by cutting down the rear guide of the follower. This increases the compression on the springs, and makes the follower more prone to rock - which can jam it hard if done just right (wrong?).

I cannot see how one extra round is worth the potential issues. I run 7rd stainless Colt tapered-lip magazines.


ETA - gc70 beat me to it. What he said. :)
 
I have used Chip McCormick {sp?} Shooting Star 8 rd. mags for 20+ years, both for competition and SD carry ---- they have always worked 100% in at least 6-12 1911s that I've used them in.
 
The 8 round Wilson 47D is the only 1911 mag ill use anymore.
I just wish i could afford his guns to use with that mag.
 
IME, 8 round mags work 99.99% of the time, if not more. 7 rounders are more reliable. So I buy the 7 rounders.

The 8 rounders I had (a few mec-gars and shooting stars) would FTF in something I had/have if I shot lefty (limp wrist). Probably my AMT, but it would run like a raped ape with 230gr FMJs and 7 round mags.
 
John Browning designed the 7-round mag to be left fully loaded forever without spring damage.

At present, I have several WWII & a couple WWI mags I bought fully loaded from estates with WWII and WWI dated ammo in them, and they still work just peachy keen.

Some of the 8-round mags compress the spring further then JB thought prudent, and we will have to wait & see how they hold up years down the road.
Click to expand...

I can almost agree with this entire statement but I will take issue with one part, I cannot agree with "we will have to wait & see how they hold up years down the road" every 1911 magazine I have ever seen cause problems was an eight round mag, now I'll admit I don't have a ton of experience in the area, but I don't think so many people are 'anti 8 rounder' because of their perfect record.

I stick to 7 rounders. JMB designed it with a 7 rounder for a reason, and with all that said I have never seen a problem with a Wilson mag, regardless of capacity.
 
I've never had a problem with quality 8 round mags. You buy junk, you get junk. Get some Wilson 47Ds and never look back.
 
There's all sorts of debate over which mags are the most reliable. Even when you get down to parts there's the type of follower and then the dimple and then the material it's made from..and of course which style feed lips. All sorts of crap. Everyone has to debate every single aspect of a 1911 mag until they're blue in the face.

If you asked me flat out to take a 7 or 8 without knowing the brand, quality, or anything else about the magazine, I would probably say 7. If I had to pick one myself I might go with a high quality 8 like a power mag, cobra, or wilson...whichever I found ran best in the particular gun I was buying it for. I have not seen any solid data on storage of 8rd vs 7rd that would make me automatically choose the 7 every single time...and the 8s aren't exactly a new invention either.
 
Chip McCormick 8 round Power Mags work best in my guns. I have tried Novak's 8 round, and Wilson's 47D magazines as well, and had problems with both from time to time. I only carry the CMCs.

Sometimes you can buy a high quality magazine, and still have problems with them.

As to spring longevity, it's irrelevant. I don't care if JMB designed them to last 960 years fully compressed. Springs are both cheap and disposable. Same thing with extractors... I've heard a lot of people say they won't ever shoot steel cased ammo in a 1911 because it is hard on the extractor. SO what?! An extractor costs $20, replace it when it wears out.
 
I picked up a nice Springfield stainless from a pawn shop a while back. Its been having constant feed failures on the very last round (and only the last round). I just bought a Wilson 8-rnd and was surprised how different it was compared to a traditional mag. Fingers crossed when I go to the range later this week it will solve my FTF problem. :)

I have to agree with redactor on longevity... I don't understand some people's notion thinking every last part MUST last till the end of time. Extractors, ejectors, springs, firing pns, bushings... everything wears to some degree. Replacement parts are usually reasonable.
 
have used Chip McCormick {sp?} Shooting Star 8 rd. mags for 20+ years, both for competition and SD carry ---- they have always worked 100% in at least 6-12 1911s that I've used them in.
Click to expand...

My results have been just the opposite. The CMC Shooting Star mags turned 4 dead-nuts reliable 1911s into jam-o-matics. I replaced the CMC followers with Wilson followers and the problems went away. Go figure.
 
I have used Chip McCormick {sp?} Shooting Star 8 rd. mags for 20+ years, both for competition and SD carry ---- they have always worked 100% in at least 6-12 1911s that I've used them in.
Click to expand...

Ditto.

I had two loaded with 8 rounds of 230 grain FMJ. They sat in a mag pouch for 10 years and 3 months. They functioned perfectly when used.
 
thread hijack

Lately I have been having trouble with Wilson 8-round mags. I switched out the followers for Wilson 7-round followers. This helped quit a lot. I still had one miss-feed last time at the range. I would like to try using the old standby, 7-round metal followers with the dimple (bump). I haven’t been able to find anyone that sells them. I don’t mean to hijack your thread, but does anyone know where I can pick up some 7-round followers? I would like to try them out before I start looking at having to tear into my old Colt.
 
Never had a problem with my CMC 8 round mag. I have some others as well, but all 7 rounders. I rarely have an issue related to the mag. However, I can see how some sub standard manufacturers can have issues with 8 round mags. If you are going to carry the magazine, spend the money on the good ones and test them a lot.
 
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