1911 Magazines - 7 or 8 rounders?

[Michael Bane]

When Walt Rauch came to visit me a couple of years back, he asked me for a 1911 and 7 round mags. I loaned him my Dick Heinie 1911 Springfield and 7-round Novak magazines. As much as I love Bill Wilson, serious magazines are only loaded to 7 rounds...

Michael B

[Buck45]

Having had feed problems with my 2 1911's I just gotta get into this fray.

First issue was with my Colt Officer's model. Puked it's guts on everything I tried. ALL problems disappeared via a polished ramp and 7 Colt mags modified with Shooting Star followers and Wolf springs. Also installed a full length guide rod and reverse retainer. It's now flawless over 2500 rounds w/ with everything I feed it and is my every day carry gun w/185 gr cast hollowpoints loaded 6+1.

Second issue was with my IPSC single stack gun, a Taurus PT1911 in stainless. Bought with W's $600 by the way. Got 4 additional mags from Taurus and went shooting. Wouldn't get thru ANY of the six mags without a jam of some variety but were mostly 3 point jams. In addition, 3 of the mags wouldn't drop free. I got 6 Wilson ETA's and still had the problem. A hotshot on the 1911 forum suggested a condition he called "riding the link". Essentially out of time. I returned the gun to Taurus with a description of the problem(s) and two rounds that had jammed so they could see the scuff marks along with the sticking mags. In spite of what we read of poor Taurus Customer Service I had the gun AND mags back in 3 weeks and it has yet to have a failure of ANY type. Eats everything I feed it including my reloads and all the mags drop clean.

In light of the above I'd have to vote for 1911 feed problems being a combination of things. Like Mr. Bane, I also vote for loading mags at 1 round less than max. If one more round makes a difference in whatever you're shooting, you need to get better at makeing the first one count.
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For the Hamas that like to shoot first then whine ......

Ineffective, unfocused violence and limp panicky half measures lead to more violence. However, complete, fully thought through,
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