Do you feel that a magwell adds to or detract from a 1911's cosmetics?

[JROC]

IMO a 1911 looks much better with a magwell, and that magwells really compliment the look of a 1911. Especially a longer Government model.

What do y'all think?

Post pictures if you wish. Can never have too many 1911 pictures.(except for when it makes it hard for the computer to load them. lol)

Before:


After:

 

[870]

I prefer the cleaner lines that the magwell affords. I didn't need them, I wanted them.

 

[MICHAEL T]

I think they rate right up their with the ruined front slides we now suffer with. The pistol works fine as delivered. I don't play shooting games so I am not worried about time on a clock . You chance or reloading in a SD situation about same as being hit by lighting. It's a matter of being sold in your mind by a advertisement for something you really don't need. You can justify about any thing in you mind Once you want something. Even those.

My 1911 are pretty much other than grips as they came from the box .

 

[Route666]

JROC - I like both ways, the SW1911 9mm Pro I'm getting has the exact same magwell (and mag bases) (Wilson right?) as your picture, and I think it fits beautifully. That 1911 is a little different though, being 9mm, having the lightened, scalloped slide, BIG external extractor, and ambi-safety, so I think the magwell goes well with the "modernised" (as I feel it is) modifications it has / was designed to have.

The big magwells are just ugly ugly ugly IMO, but no doubt they work, and that's what matters.

 

[Walkalong]

Either one can look good, so if looks are what you are after, build it like you like it.

I have a couple of guns with magwells, but I have a couple without as well. They definitely help with a fast reload.

 

[Arkansas Paul]

I think they look a lot better without. I realize there are advantages but strictly appearance wise, I like em without.

You just can't improve perfection.

 

[JROC]

Route666 mine is a Ed Brown magwell(which I don't recommend BTW).

I agree that a regular magwell doesn't add much function, but that's not why I bought it. I bought it for looks. I think of my 1911 as my toy gun, my sexy gun, my sportcar weekend kind of gun. I baby it and try to keep it from see much abuse. My Block is my SD gun. It's like my truck I work it, and I carry it with me. It's dependable, reliable, and I don't care if it gets a little abused as it handles it well. If I get a scratch on my 1911 it's like "Dammit man."

 

[EddieNFL]

My 1911 are pretty much other than grips as they came from the box.

Dying to hear how your "sold" yourself on the grips.

 

[0to60]

Its entirely subjective, but I think they look awful. Extended magazine buttplates look awful too. The military spec 1911 has a retro appeal that (IMO) can't really be improved upon. Front slide serrations, those completely silly fish scale serrations, and god forbid engravings that look like your poor gun has skin cancer, all of these take away from the 1911's beauty.

The most beautiful 1911 would be a worn, blued thing that you found in your grandpa's attic going through his WW2 stuff. Thomas Magnum had a handsome 1911. Clint Eastwood's 1911 in Gran Torino was a thing of beauty.

All my opinion, of course.

 

[JROC]

The most beautiful 1911 would be a worn, blued thing that you found in your grandpa's attic going through his WW2 stuff. Thomas Magnum had a handsome 1911. Clint Eastwood's 1911 in Gran Torino was a thing of beauty.

You mean like this here?



It's my buddies M1911A1 Remington Rand Type 1.

It's a good shooting 1911. The bad thing about the gun is the slide is either not OEM, or it was re-blued and the markings on the slide were buffed out of it.(which the slide does have a little bit darker shade to it than the frame)

 

[jfdavis58]

I can be extremely toxic-lots of practice. And I love a good fight. But engaging others in such shenanigans has gotten me banned from several forums.

I try hard not to engage others directly because it is often perceived as an 'attack'. In return I ask that I not be singled-out and targeted by a contrary opinion or worse, given 'helpful' advice.

My opinions, like my experiences are mine. I share both freely and often listen to the opinions and experiences of others. Like you I have a pretty good idea of what I'm doing with a firearm through both training and experience. Neither opinion or the retelling of an experience are good or bad/right or wrong. They just are.

As to the post that was here: 1-I probably have a different expectation of performance and 2-see the previous paragraph.




There is nothing happening here; move along...

 

[RugerMcMarlin]

I can load a 1911 without a funnel. If it came with a gun I got a good deal on I would buy it anyway and later pitch it. I suppose in CQB, it could be right nasty.

 

[kozak6]

If it's a modest magwell that blends well with the gun like the above examples, then it doesn't really matter.

If it's some huge ridiculous black plastic scoop like you see on some race guns, it's extraordinarily ugly.

 

[MaterDei]

Barf!

 

[Apocalypse-Now]

look better without.

 

[bigfatdave]

Another silly racegun feature bolted on to jack up the price of working guns.

You have a damn magwell, your strong hand can help if you fumble the insertion, particularly with shorter grips (officer length) and most guns have a beveled frame in there anyway. And aren't magazine tops rounded in the first place ... you know, to hold cylindrical ammunition?

If your only option to get a straight-cut magwell any help is to frankenbolt on an inverted funnel, then go for it, for utility ... but a mismatched thing slapped on below the grip isn't helping looks as far as I'm concerned.

 

[Pilot]

The original 1911 or what is (overly) fondly referred to as the GI 1911 is far from perfect or reliable, and don't even start on accuracy.

Really? Maybe shot out, WWII era guns that have not been refurbed or maintained because they are collector pieces now.

In recent years Colt has reproduced the original 1911 as close as can happen with modern materials and prodcution in the 01911 and 01918 WWI Repros. I have two 01918's which run flawlessly and are extremely accurate, even with the original little sights, small ejection port and all the other original features. There is nothing wrong with these guns with regards to accuracy and reliablity. In fact they are superior to many more "modern" handguns in their stock form.

 

[The Lone Haranguer]

The existing mag well, beveled on the inside, is fine with me. I dislike anything that adds to the length of the butt and looks like a vacuum cleaner attachment.

 

[Zerodefect]

I don't like magwells. I don't use them on my carry gun, so I won't use them on my comp gun. Bigger and uglier.

I'd rather my fighting 1911 wasn't as fat and ugly as a STI/SVI 2011.

 

[HGUNHNTR]

I like them if fitted with correct full magwell grip panels. The standard grip witht he little cut out at the bottom digs into my hand when shooting and becomes very uncomfortable. The extra 1/8" or so really helps the feel with my hands. I do like the look of the standard grip more, but I just can't shoot it comfortably.

 

[RugerMcMarlin]

JfDavis 58, Sorry your having bad luck with the 1911. Only thing I can suggest is change your grip. You just can't limp wrist these, you have to be firm.

 

[EddieNFL]

Its entirely subjective...

You'll never make it politics with honesty like that.

 

[Ankeny]

I can load a 1911 without a funnel.

Me too, but not as quickly or as reliably. I like the looks of a properly fit and blended mag well, or better yet, the Caspian Race Ready frame on full size guns. I don't use them on Commander size carry pieces because they defeat the principle of lighter/smaller.

 

[DevilDog0402]

Aesthetically, I don't really have a preference. I do think the added girth and length at the "butt" of the pistol decreases concealability a bit. It's not something I want on a carry gun, but it makes sense on a competition gun.

 

[Drail]

A point made by Larry Vickers regarding magwells that I absolutely agree with is that they're great on a race gun but unfortunately on a serious business gun they can be a problem if the gun gets dropped and it lands on the edge of the magwell hard enough to close the opening. You will end up with a gun that cannot be reloaded. I used them for years in competition but on a carry gun it gets removed.