9mm 1911 question

[SIRVEYR666]

I recently purchased a “new to me” used Springfield Loaded 1911 chambered in 9mm. It is a beautiful gun that has run flawlessly for the 250 rounds of factory and competition loads that I have put through it…with one exception. The slide fails to lock back when the magazine is empty. I am using the Springfield factory 9 round 9mm magazine and it appears to be in perfect condition. It is the only one that I have at this time. I have heard that 9mm 1911’s are notorious for having problems with magazines. Some feel that this is due to the use of .38 Super mags in 9mm guns. I think that the problem is that the slide stop is not long enough to engage the tab on the mag when the gun is empty. While talking to a friend today, that also owns a Springfield 9mm 1911, he has noticed the same thing. He has tried many different magazines and the problem persists. My question(s):

1. Is my situation unique?
2. Does any one know of a “longer” slide stop that will engage the magazine tab?
3. What are some recommendations that the wise Highroader’s can give me?

Thanks for your time.

 

[Jim Watson]

The Springfield-Metalform 9 round "front ramp" magazine is your best bet, and is probably what was supplied with your gun. You should ask Springfield for a correct slide stop, I think the 9mm-.38 lug is slightly longer and they may have put in a .45 part.

I have had good reliability with Metalform 9-round Super magazines with their "round follower" in 9mm guns. That follower will engage the slide stop if anything will.

Their ten round Super magazines with orange plastic follower are not workable in my guns. McCormick ten round Super magazines will work in my Colt but not my Springfield. Usually. When they have fresh springs.

I have some of the new 10 round Metalform 9mms and they are working well in my Colt and in a short trial in my Springfield. I got up a group buy for the club and one guy says they are fine in his Springfield but spotty in his Kimber, but then his Kimber is finicky about everything. Another guy who bought some for use in a Springfield had one failure to slidelock and one premature slidelock, but feeding was good.

 

[SIRVEYR666]

Jim,
You never fail to amaze me. Your posts are always some of the most helpful ones that I read. This one is no exception. Thank you very much, sir.

 

[lathedog]

I have an older Springfield 1911 9mm and it came with a 45ACP slide stop and a magazine with a different follower than colt 9mm magazines. The slide would not lock on "standard" (Colt, MecGar, etc) 9mm 1911 mags. I replaced the slide stop with a proper 9mm part and my slide started locking back on all my magazines. It also still works with the Springfield mag.

 

[jmorris]

If your setup looks like the one in the photos below it should be running perfect. The biggest problem I’ve seen with single stack 9mm 1911’s is a bur, caused by the initial stamping, in the area where the pen is in the last photo. A rolled up piece of sandpaper to debur will fix it right up.

 

[jmorris]

Did you ever get it running?

 

[SIRVEYR666]

Yes, I got it running. The thing shoots like a dream. Well, once I got it on the paper. It was sighted nearly 1.50' high at 25 yards. I'm not sure what type of sight picture the previous owner was using. Anyway, it was the magazine that was causing the problem. I bought (3) new Metalform "Springfield" mags and "tweaked" the original one with a needlenose Vise-Grip. I've yet to shoot a match with it, but I'm sure it will do just fine. The operator on the other hand... Thanks for your help, Jim.

 

[big50_1]

I've got a 9mm 1911 Springfield which has got to be my most favorite gun. 9mm 1911s are somewhat heavier than the .45 version. Anyway, it's almost like shooting a .22. When I got the gun several years ago I got 4 of the Springfield-Metalform mags. Two worked and two did not. It seems that since the 1911 was designed for a longer round than the 9mm that the 9mm mags have a spacer at the front or back to compensate. The Springfield mag has a spacer in the front which makes the round travel farther and needs a support "ramp" at the front of the mag. The Colt-type mag (I use Kimber, it works fine) takes a different tack and has the spacer in the back. The nose of the bullet is closer to the chamber opening and travels a shorter distance. I use both mag types now but the issues for me were that the Metalform mag has to be set up right for it to work. If the ramp is cut slightly off or the mag catch notch is cut slightly off then it won't work right. The Colt/Kimber type mag is more like a "normal" mag but has an extra part, the spot-welded spacer in the back that could (and does) break. I'm not sure which mag type places the round higher in the mag but a more straight-in presentation of the round to the chamber is better. There are some slo-mo videos of 1911 guns being fired and the "monkey-motion" of the round to the chamber is amazing. One wonders how the 1911 can work at all! That JMB was one smart dude!