1911 Magazines

[tingle]

Is there a definitive source that has been compiled regarding 1911 magazines and problems thereof? I have a RIA with 2 novak mags (one bought at a gunshow). About 10%-15% of the time with both these mags the slide locks open and the last round is left sitting on top of the follower just grinning at me.
Another thing that I have noticed is that the slide release does not function with an empty mag installed (at least with one thumb) with these mags, but with a colt mag installed I can release it easily.
The follower on the Novak mags appear to to be designed to maintain the same attitude in the magazine whether it is pressed down at the front of the follower or the rear, whereas on the colt mag press down on the front and the rear raises and vice versa.
I am just learning about 1911s and if there is a source on this subject of magasines I would like to obtain it. I have the Kuhnhausen book already.

 

[1911Tuner]

Mag Problems

Betcha those Novak mags ain't got a little bump on the top of the follower...
Either that or the spring's way too wimpy...or both.

Oh...You're not supposed to be able to thumb the slidestop down with an empty mag in the gun...The magazine holds it up under spring tension...and droppin' the slide on an empty chamber ain't really good for it anyway.

 

[tingle]

Tuner, NO, neither the Novaks or the Colt mags have a bump. They are perfectly flat; however the Novak followers have a one piece stepped down top and the Colt has two piece following surface the top being a shorter section than the lower.
The reason I asked about an information source is that it appears that there are so many opinions about mags-material, springs, followers rounded flat bump no bump, 7rnd, 8rnd and problems attributed to them that there must me an old scroll on this subject?

I know about dropping a slide on an empty mag: I have never done that.

One more thing though, why is BBL used as an abreviation for barrel instead of BRL? Just wondering.

 

[1911Tuner]

No Bump

Howdy Tingle,

The Novak sounds like a Mec-Gar. The Colt is an 8-rounder, with a follower copied from the old Devel design.

The bump serves to arrest the forward movement of the last round under recoil and prevents what yours is doing...which is known as "Jumping the Follower". If the spring gets weak enough, it'll also eject the NEXT to last round, and chamber the last one. If you've ever found live ammo among your empty brass, it's already doin' it.

The Mec-Gar/Novak has a good spring, but no dimple on the follower. Better, but it still doesn't keep the last round under control. The Colt factory mag doesn't have either. It's essentially a McCormick Shooting Star with a prancin' horsie on the baseplate.

Tell ya what...I'm gonna fix the Colt mag for ya, in the name of science.
I have a standard follower and a Wolff mag spring here. The follower may need to be lightly fitted to work smoothly in the mag. Check your PMs.

 

[sm]

I agree with Tuner on this.

Hallock's Book on the 45 is great. The only thing I disagree with Hallock is - removal of the dimple. Dimple is there for a reason, Tuner has explained why.

Now I "think" I know where is a supply of USGI mags, perhaps even just the followers with the dimples. Hopefully in April I will be "there" and I will be the lanky fella making a bee line to said "source" when doors open.

Short-legged friends whom will be there with me - best start getting in shape, or growing longer legs to keep up. I founded some USGI parts last attendence and ...and..."kid in a candy store" comes to mind

 

[BluesBear]

The Novak magazines are made by Act-Mag. Another Italian company.
Act-Mags can also be found with the Armscor trade name.

They are very similar in construction to the Mec-Gar.
Like the Mec-Gar models the 8-rd Act-Mag relies on a slightly longer body which is camoflagued by the Walther looking "finger rest" floorplate. The slightly extended body enables them to hold 8 rounds while still using a standard follower instead of the Devel designed follower sold by McCormick under the shooting star name.

I have over two dozen different variations of 1911 magazines in my collection. I am in the process of blueprinting them and also am working with a couple of friends who have a few variations themselves.
My goal is to publish a treatise on every variation of full sized 1911 magazine produced since 1955.
I still have a few holes to fill in so if anyone has an oddball or unusual 1911 magazine please feel free to PM me.

 

[horge]

I think the Novak and Armscor mags used to be subcontracted out to MEC GAR,
but that there's been a change over to crosstown rival ACT-MAG.
The new mags are clearly marked as ACT-MAG product.

I'll defer to Johnny's wisdom regarding the dimple, but my old MEC GAR
Armscors haven't given me a problem since breaking-in; no dimple and 8 rounds
to boot. FMJ or JHP (except maybe those bloody XTP's), it's all good.

There have been complaints about some batches of new ACT-MAG Novaks,
of cracking feed lips within the first hundred (!) rounds.
Bad hardening procedure perhaps, but whatever it is, it's not good.


image by texan24



horge

 

[BluesBear]

YIKES!!

My Armscor marked ones have only had 48 rounds actually fired from them. And they've been manually cycled with APRs about a dozen times each.

 

[BluesBear]

I loaded my Armscor (by Act-Mag) mags and left them overnight. I just inspected them and so far they show no cracks.

They have a tube that is .11 longer than similar extanded Mec-Gar, however, thay have one more coil in the spring.
I'm working on a way to measure spring tension. I am wondering if the extra coil exerts too much force on the lips. Both the Mec-Gar & the Act-Mag use standard .048" springs.