Why is it so hard to find a good 1911 mag?

[RUT]

>>I don't understand the problem. Metalform magazines have always worked for me. The Novak/Act Mag magazines also function flawlessly.<<

Same here... I don't have any problems at all.

 

[wally]

Promag 10 round(2): didn't feed at all(didn't expect it to work well, I got it for free)

You paid too much Promags rarely work for any pistol or rifle, how they stay in business I'll never know.

Kimber(3): Would not stay in the mag well. I had to grind off about 1/8" from the catch for it to stay in(all 3)

??? hope you mean mag catch cut out on the mags and not the part in the pistol! Suggests something is seriously wonky! If the mag catch on the pistol protrudes too far into the magazine it can interfere with the rounds moving up causing feed failures, but this is pretty rare as the bullet curvature tends to leave plenty of room. OTOH weak mag springs and shorter than normal OAL rounds could let them move forward enough to interfere -- three things not quite right conspire to make a serious problem.

Shooting Star(2): Locked the slad back every few rounds. It looks liked the rounds were canted to the side. Might be a feed lip issue)

This is a clue, are there "brass marks" on the inside face of the slide lock lever? If so it likely protrudes too far into the frame, this can sometimes interfere with the rounds moving up into position instead of prematurely locking the slide back (especially if the mag spring is weak and/or recoil spring too strong). OTOH if the rounds can twist from side to side in the mag then you do indeed have defective mags -- the rounds need to be held in a single column with minimal side to side play. Some times with cheap mags, you can bend the body in front and below the lips where the notch for the slide lock lever is inward to keep the top round from twisting, but usually its better to replace the mag or get your money back if they are making them all this way.


I think a trip to a gunsmith qualified on 1911s is in order, unless you prefer to do what I did years ago learn the hard way.


I recently got some Para 7-round 1911 mags from Sportsmans Guide and they've so far been fine in my 1911s. Generally 7 rounds mags are the safest bet as that was the original design, the 8 rounders are an "enhancement" that often causes (or exposes) problems.

 

[Potatohead]

Reading this makes me not very excited about getting my first 1911.

 

[STLWaffles]

??? hope you mean mag catch cut out on the mags and not the part in the pistol! Suggests something is seriously wonky! If the mag catch on the pistol protrudes too far into the magazine it can interfere with the rounds moving up causing feed failures, but this is pretty rare as the bullet curvature tends to leave plenty of room. OTOH weak mag springs and shorter than normal OAL rounds could let them move forward enough to interfere -- three things not quite right conspire to make a serious problem.

Yeah I modified the catch not the gun itself.

 

[Fishbed77]

It's not hard to find quality 1911 mags.

Buy Chip McCormick Power Mags or Wilson 47Ds and you're done.

 

[powder]

Looking at the design of the 1911 magazines its not that complicated, yet magazines are very hit or miss. I have a good 10-15 magazines that don't reliably feed, and they range in price from $15 - $40. What is it about the 1911 magazine that makes it so hard to reproduce?

Meh, shoot me a PM-I'll take em off your hands...

 

[wow6599]

Probably safe to say that this is a problem with the Para, and not necessarily a magazine problem?

Although, some 1911's just won't run on certain mags. Don't ask me about Kimber's Kim-Pro mags........ :banghead:

 

[tuj]

its not hard: Tripp Cobramags

 

[gc70]

Probably safe to say that this is a problem with the Para, and not necessarily a magazine problem?

Reading this makes me not very excited about getting my first 1911.

STLWaffles has a Para G.I. Expert and which of 17 mags from seven sources work properly?

Para(2): works flawlessly
US surplus(4): 2 work flawlessly

Is there a problem with the Para? Yes, if STLWaffles insists on using a bunch of different brands of mags, but apparently not if factory mags are used.

You can bet that 1911 manufacturers demand that their suppliers meet certain specifications to ensure that factory mags work in their guns. But will other mags with slightly different specifications also work? Maybe not so much.

For a lot of guns, factory mags are the only thing available. For more popular guns, one or possibly two brands of replacement mags are available. For a few Glock models, there are three brands of replacement mags. The 1911 is unique among pistols in having both a lot of gun manufacturers (each having potentially slightly different specifications) and a whole lot of magazine manufacturers (again, each having potentially slightly different specifications). Even with a limited sample, STLWaffles has 1911 magazines from seven different manufacturers.

Can STLWaffles' Para be made to work with all, or most, of seven different brands of mags? Maybe ... but don't expect the factory to change their gun, which works with factory mags, to work with some other company's mags.

 

[wow6599]

STLWaffles has a Para G.I. Expert and which of 17 mags from seven sources work properly?

I didn't catch that? I thought 13 of 17 didn't run correctly.....

Promag 10 round(2): didn't feed at all(didn't expect it to work well, I got it for free)

Check-Mate industries(2): Follower kept hanging up with 3-4 rounds left. Sent it back and the replacement had the same issue.

Kimber(3): Would not stay in the mag well. I had to grind off about 1/8" from the catch for it to stay in(all 3)

Sig(2): Failed to feed every 3rd or 4th round

Shooting Star(2): Locked the slad back every few rounds. It looks liked the rounds were canted to the side. Might be a feed lip issue)

Para(2): works flawlessly
US surplus(4): 2 work flawlessly 2 failed to feed every 3-4 rounds.

 

[jmr40]

I own 2 S&W's, a Colt and a Kimber. I have almost 30 magazines including 7 round GI surplus, factory S&W, Colt, and Kimber mags, Chip McCormick, Wilson and probably a few others. About 1/2 are 7 rounders and the other 1/2 are 8 rounders and one is a 10 round magazine. All work just fine in all of my guns with FMJ, SWC, and HP bullets.

Sounds like there is either a gun or an ammo problem.

 

[wow6599]

I have almost 30 magazines including 7 round GI surplus, factory S&W, Colt, and Kimber mags, Chip McCormick, Wilson and probably a few others. About 1/2 are 7 rounders and the other 1/2 are 8 rounders and one is a 10 round magazine. All work just fine in all of my guns with FMJ, SWC, and HP bullets.

jmr40, I wish I had your luck. I have only one 1911 in the stable.....my Colt custom shop Series 70. It hates Kimber mags, does fine with McCormick, but is picky with certain JHP rds through Wilson and Colt 8 rd mags.

It really hates Federal 185 gr JHP in any magazine.

 

[gc70]

Yep, jmr40, I also expect the average 1911 to work at least reasonably well with most any mag I poke in it. But manufacturers are not responsible for making their guns work flawlessly with any possible mags or ammo a person might use. Manufacturers meet their responsibility when they deliver a gun that works properly with factory mags and with any ammo restrictions they may specify. Anything beyond that standard is on the owner.

 

[cfullgraf]

With 230 grain RN bullets, or bullets with the same shape, I cannot remember having problems with any magazine that I have. Check Mate, Wilson, Chip McCormick, Colt, GI surplus and maybe a few others are the ones that I have..

I do prefer 7 round magazines.

I have not been able to get any of my M1911s to run on anything but round nose bullets, not that I have really tried very hard either.

Now, my 38/45 Clerke is another story. It uses 45 magazines and I have not found one that will reliably feed with 7 rounds in it.

 

[torqem]

If any other gun was as problematic as a 1911 is, they'd be labeld "jammomatics" and only the ignorant would buy one. If I couldn't smith one myself, I wouldn't touch them.

 

[DrDeFab]

It's not hard to find quality 1911 mags.

Buy Chip McCormick Power Mags or Wilson 47Ds and you're done.

Didn't work for me.

In my Springer RO, P1911, and and a Colt Series 70 I had for a while, three brand new Wilson 47D's wouldn't reliably lock any of them open on empty. Traded those for four MecGar MGCG4508PFs which have been flawless. YMMV.

I agree with the advice to find mags that work with YOUR 1911(s).

 

[perpster]

Because there are probably 20+ companies making 1911's and probably another dozen making magazines. They are all made a little differently.

I suspect if you found a mag that works with your 1911, you could buy more of that mag and they would work equally well.

I often link this blog post from the late Mr. Stephen A. Camp, when the subject of 1911 mags comes up. http://hipowers-handguns.blogspot.com/2010/11/what-is-best-7-or-8-shot-1911-45-acp.html

Didn't know Mr. Camp passed away. When did that happen? I liked reading his post for years.

 

[wow6599]

Didn't know Mr. Camp passed away. When did that happen? I liked reading his post for years.

I think he passed about two and a half years ago.

 

[mrdeltoid]

ACT magazines have never worked in any pistol I've owned.

I've always wondered about this 1911 problem. Seems to me that a design that has been around over 100 years ought to have had all the kinks worked out.

 

[Drail]

If you have tried numerous brands of magazines and none of them function 100% in your pistol the problem is most likely going to be your pistol. Manufacturing tolerances of all of the makers of 1911 pistols has gotten so loose that to make a magazine that will function 100% in ALL of them is just not going to happen. Add to this the fact that almost none of the gun manufacturers actually make their own magazines. Fortunately these problems can usually be resolved by an experienced and knowledgeable smith, unless you have a frame with a mis cut feed ramp or magazine catch hole. The demand and mass production for 1911s has led to some pretty sad deviations from the original design specs of the gun. If you have a gun that won't feed with ANY magazine you have two choices - trade it for another gun or spend some money and get it fixed.

 

[fpgt72]

Reading this makes me not very excited about getting my first 1911.

I have a box stock Remington....I would say it is about a year-year and a half old. Every magazine I have ever given it has worked perfect.

I also read all this before buying my first 1911....and this is my one and only so far....so when I picked up the gun, I also bought about 7 different kinds of magazines....all over the board from cheap no name nothings, to real colt, WW II surplus....everything you can think of.

Everything just works....no drama and nothing really else can be said...it will work with everything. Now I am wondering if it is something with my gun....so many people have issues....my gun seems to shoot well.

I am looking at a 1911 in 38 super...not quite the same thing but I will be interested in seeing how that feeds. And I am going to go inexpensive with this gun as well.

 

[ATLDave]

I've always wondered about this 1911 problem. Seems to me that a design that has been around over 100 years ought to have had all the kinks worked out.

See earlier comments. The kinks were worked out 100 years ago. And then people put kinks back in by changing the design, using different bullet types than those the gun was designed around, etc.

 

[wally]

See earlier comments. The kinks were worked out 100 years ago. And then people put kinks back in by changing the design, using different bullet types than those the gun was designed around, etc.

That and "quality" became defined by things other than reliability -- cosmetic crap, full length guide rods, and "slide to frame fit" -- a 1911 is supposed to rattle a bit!

When the 1911 is made right its controlled feed design will make it largely immune to bullet shape (its more of a clearance cut than a feed ramp, ever notice how when the gun gets really dirty there are no "tracks" in the carbon on the ramp?). Main problems: too much recoil spring, not enough magazine spring, improper extractor tension, to much radius on the bottom of the firing pin retainer (to make racking the slide easier and breeds too much recoil spring to prevent "frame battering"), and shorter than normal OAL rounds aggravate the issues by being able to move forward in the magazine under recoil.

 

[rodinal220]

Standard genuine Colt 7 round mags always worked in all my Colts and Springfield 1911s and custom guns.

 

[medalguy]

Agree that the "bugs" were worked out in 1911, and all the variations since then have reintroduced problems. I own four Colt 1911/A1 models, a Springfield 1911 and a High Standard. I only shoot 230 gr hardball and I only use 7 round mags. I have yet to have a problem that I can recall in over 40 years of shooting some of these guns, using any mags I have.

I do use a lot of old GI mags, plus quite a few of the newer GI mags sold by CTD a couple of years ago for about 4 bucks. I bought about 30 of them and they all work very well.

I did pick up a couple of thousand rounds of SWC ammo two years ago and I did experience a number of feeding problems with that ammo. It was given to me by the wife of a deceased friend so I just shot it up plinking. Certainly not adequate for competition or SD purposes. But again, the hardball feeds and functions just fine.

I'd have to agree that any serious problems with guns and mags are most likely the result of tolerance mismatches between the gun and the mag, but not restricted to the mags themselves.