To all those who said,

[justicetyme]

A CS-45 magazine will work in a pre-rail 4553TSW.

I've got a simple question for you:

Have you ever actually tried it?

I'm probably being too fussy but to me "works" means more than just fitting in the gun.

I bought a brand new CS-45 magazine a few weeks back, based on those folk's comments who made positive statements that they would "work", and gave it a "try" at our range today.

That's all it turned out to be, a try. It would not feed reliably and almost not feed at all.
Two dozen attempts produced two actual chambered rounds.
Anyone need a like new CS-45 mag? (Tongue in cheek. I'm not offering to actually give away a magazine I just paid $27.50 for.)

James

[18DAI]

Ill take it! Regards 18DAI

[ISCS Yoda]

If it is a S&W magazine and doesn't "work" call S&W. They will replace it.

[Arik]

Is it a Promag?

Sent from my XT1650 using Tapatalk

[TTSH]

I just wish I had a pre-rail 4553TSW in the collection... ... even if a CS45 magazine wouldn't work in it!

++++++++

p.s., I wonder if it is a defective CS45 magazine. A recent (1-2 year old?) batch of brand new ones was pretty buggy due to mis-stamping of the feed lip indents. I had to send mine back. At least one other member here had to do the same.

[justicetyme]

It's a brand new factory S&W CS-45 mag ES1 marked (just like my three factory 4553TSWs are) magazine.

Not likely S&W is gong to replace a magazine that's malfunctioning in a pistol it was NOT designed for.

I have yet to get a response from one of the "claimants" who ACTUALLY got a CS-45 magazine to properly function in a 4553TSW.

Since I don't have a CS-45 (as well as no desire to own one) I can't ascertain if the CS-45 magazine would function in the pistol it was designed for.

I can only verify that it WILL NOT function in a 4553TSW which functions flawlessly with its own magazines.

James

[TTSH]

Originally Posted by justicetyme

It's a brand new factory S&W CS-45 mag ES1 marked (just like my three factory 4553TSWs are) magazine.

Not likely S&W is gong to replace a magazine that's malfunctioning in a pistol it was NOT designed for.

I have yet to get a response from one of the "claimants" who ACTUALLY got a CS-45 magazine to properly function in a 4553TSW.

Since I don't have a CS-45 (as well as no desire to own one) I can't ascertain if the CS-45 magazine would function in the pistol it was designed for.

I can only verify that it WILL NOT function in a 4553TSW which functions flawlessly with its own magazines.

James

I'm more than happy to test your CS45 magazine in my CS45. PM me for the address. I'll return it postpaid the same week.

A couple additional thoughts...

While the magazine bodies are essentially the same, there have been some changes made over the years, most of them almost unnoticeable. The big one was the added vertical retention indents, necessary for the small, light CS45. I'm betting they are missing from your original pre-rail 4553TSW magazines. If true, that could explain the failure to feed vs. your original magazines, especially if your recoil spring is starting to get a bit weak.

Also note: In the recent manufacturing mess-up, the vertical indent was missing or poorly made on one side. Check that you don't have one of the bad ones.

I also recall an old thread which talked about the wrong springs coming through in some CS45 magazines. I would compare your original magazine springs with the spring in the new magazine. I'm sure you've already checked for a possible backwards installed magazine spring and burrs on the follower.

[GaryS]

This likely won't help anyone now, but the wife and I took a trip to southern ME today. I hit the large gun store there as I always do. I've had good luck finding 3rd Gen magazines in the odds and ends bin in the past, but nothing today.

I also took a look at the small S&W new magazine selection and saw one lonely CS45 magazine in the factory package. I didn't buy it because it was $39.95 and by the time I paid tax and with the cost of shipping, I didn't think anyone would want to pay that much for it.

Still, if someone wants to call them and see if they will ship it out, it might be worth their while.

[justicetyme]

TTSH,
Thanks for the gracious offer to check out the CS-45 mag. I'll keep than in mind.

I was aware of the vertical additions to the CS-45 mags, which were supposed to correct a loaded cartridge from jumping out of the feed lips due to the heavier recoil of a CS-45.
However, several folks had claimed that, "A CS-45 magazine will function in a pre-rail 4553TSW" so I (foolishly) thought they were speaking from actual experience and went ahead and bought one.

You are correct in that the magazine was disassembled to check for proper spring orientation (which it was). The follower was checked but as it is plastic it was smooth and burr free.

The recoil springs (inner and outer) are brand new factory S&W items as I had mentioned in this thread.

A Safe Queen Finds A New Home

As an old retired tool & die maker the "in flanges" look pretty consistent on both sides. It appears that they were added to what looks otherwise like the standard 4553TSW magazine tube.

I'm certainly not qualified to second guess some designer / engineer that came up with the idea to correct a problem that the CS-45s were experiencing. For the gun which they were designed no doubt they work as designed. However, in my singular experience they don't work in my application, but then they weren't designed to.

The main issue in my (attempted) application is that the vertical "in flanges" prohibit the cartridge from coming up far enough to be stripped from the magazine by the slide.

I could fix the magazine by simply machining a small block a few thousands thinner than the mag tube inner width, pushing it up under the "in flanges" and carefully "tapping" them out. However, that's a lot of work for a $27.50 magazine.

My objective in this post was twofold.
First, to see if one of the "claimants" had actually used a CS-45 magazine in a pre-rail 4553TSW and that they would come forward and say that they have. (Currently 482 views and no one has come forward.)
Second, to prevent any other pre-rail 4553TSW from wasting their money on a magazine that would not function in their pistol.

GaryS,
Midway currently has the CS-45 mags on sale for $26.24.
The local GS where I bought mine has a box of them for $25 plus tax.

Thanks to all for their input.
Happy shooting.
James

PS I put another 300 rounds through the 4553TSW yesterday.
First time I put the timer on us. It wasn't pretty!
Since I stopped shooting IDPA SSR and ESR I haven't been doing much double action work so I've gotten pretty rusty at DAO shooting.
Good hits are coming in but I'm not near as fast with it as I should be.
These are ten yard two to the body - two to the body - one to the head - one to the head.

[GaryS]

GaryS,
Midway currently has the CS-45 mags on sale for $26.24.
The local GS where I bought mine has a box of them for $25 plus tax.

Which is why I didn't buy it on speculation that someone here might want it.

I think the only 3rd Gens mags I'd buy if I found them in that bin would be 10mm or early 4013 single stack 8 round magazines.

Well, maybe 7 round 4513/16 457 7 round magazines, because if I couldn't sell them, I could always use them.

[TTSH]

Originally Posted by GaryS

Which is why I didn't buy it on speculation that someone here might want it.

I think the only 3rd Gens mags I'd buy if I found them in that bin would be 10mm or early 4013 single stack 8 round magazines.

Well, maybe 7 round 4513/16 457 7 round magazines, because if I couldn't sell them, I could always use them.

Rule No. 1: You should always buy 10mm and 4013/4053 magazines if you find some in decent shape at a good price.

I didn't realize that 4516 magazines were getting scarce. Maybe I should sell off some of my stash of old first generation (orange follower) 4516 mags? I have more than I could ever use.

Anyway, looks like you and others are finding some really good 3rd Gen magazine prices. I'd pick-up some myself just for trading stock but my focus right now is on a few non-S&W pre-bans that I still need... plus, as always, the endless search for pre-ban 5900 series magazines.

[Big Shrek]

I'm wondering how much of the "Indents" thing is real...

Simply because I'm using many different non-CS45 mags in mine,
and have yet to experience any feed malfunctions of ANY kind.

Three original CS45 mags.
Two 10-rd & One 8-rd all of S&W manufacture.
Three Modded Star M45 mags (added mag catch)

And NONE have had any feed issues for over 2500 rounds.
Yes, I reload and shoot a lot...Talon Tactical in Tallahasse loves me

[TTSH]

Originally Posted by Big Shrek

I'm wondering how much of the "Indents" thing is real...

Simply because I'm using many different non-CS45 mags in mine, and have yet to experience any feed malfunctions of ANY kind.

It would appear that the changes made to the various S&W 3rd Gen .45 magazines over the years were made to address relatively rare problems... so I'm not surprised to read your report and the reports of other folks who have never had a problem with any of the S&W 3rd Gen .45 magazines.

What we have in this instance (i.e., the OP's problem) strikes me as kind of unique and probably something that S&W never got around to considering... i.e., the effect of adding those indents to CS45 magazines that might someday need to be used in a pre-rail 4513TSW/4553TSW pistol (for lack of discontinued pre-rail 4513TSW/4553TSW-specific magazines). My guess is that there is some subtle difference wherein the indented magazines create too much drag and/or the wrong entry angle for at least some pre-rail 4513TSW/4553TSW pistols.

Some interesting experimentation could be done to confirm that. It would be kinda fun to figure out this mystery.

[Big Shrek]

Originally Posted by TTSH

It would appear that the changes made to the various S&W 3rd Gen .45 magazines over the years were made to address relatively rare problems... so I'm not surprised to read your report and the reports of other folks who have never had a problem with any of the S&W 3rd Gen .45 magazines.

What we have in this instance (i.e., the OP's problem) strikes me as kind of unique and probably something that S&W never got around to considering... i.e., the effect of adding those indents to CS45 magazines that might someday need to be used in a pre-rail 4513TSW/4553TSW pistol (for lack of discontinued pre-rail 4513TSW/4553TSW-specific magazines). My guess is that there is some subtle difference wherein the indented magazines create too much drag and/or the wrong entry angle for at least some pre-rail 4513TSW/4553TSW pistols.

Some interesting experimentation could be done to confirm that. It would be kinda fun to figure out this mystery.

I'd bet it was probably more the ammo of the time...
.45acp has come quite far in the last two decades...
and reliability & quality are up as well...
possibly solving the issue just thru better stuff!