...and then I had a funny idea about that .40 cal 1911...

[tex_n_cal]

...specifically my notorious problem child, Stainless Double Eagle Commander in .40 S&W. I have chronicled its problems here, but really haven't had much chance to work on it what with moving and all.

yes, I know it's not a real 1911, but it can be made into a 10mm with a few turns of a reamer, which makes it special

Today I take it to the range, and in response to TUNER's suggestion, remove the shok buff on the recoil spring guide rod. Well, at least now it was consistent - it ran fine with full magazines, but would always smokestack on the last three rounds in each mag.

My funny idea was to try a .45 mag, yes, a plain ol' (well, it was an 8 round SS) 1911 .45 cal magazine.

The smokestacks disappeared entirely! The gun ran fine, except for sometimes locking the slide back with a live round still on board. I think it's time to try this thing with my 10mm mags, and see if they finally make this dog hunt!

You guys ever try 10mm mags with .40 S&W, or .38 Super mags with 9mm's?

 

[Mikul]

The problem with running short cases in a magazine designed for longer ones is that they'll eventually shift. The gun is designed to push a bullet from the back of the magazine and begin feeding into the feed ramp from the front of the magazine. With a .40 in a 10mm magazine, you are either pushing from the middle of the magazine or feeding from the middle.

Test this carefully. Load up about 10 magazine and tap them nose-first so that all of the rounds are at the front of the magazine. Then do the same thing, but tap them on the back of the magazine so that they'll all feed from the rear. If this little test doesn't turn anything up then I'd say that you're golden.

1911's are very particular about the magazines that they'll feed with. Either the magazine spring is too weak or the follower has an incompatable geometry with the feeding system. You'll just have to find what works for your gun.