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  #1  
Old 11-25-2011, 02:27 PM
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I've had this one about a week and took it out today for a trial run. I had reloaded about 100 200 gr SWC's using the same two powders I always use and took a box of Speer's 230 gr GDHP 's as well. The SWC's did fine and shot some good groups as did the GD's but after after about three mags of the GD's and on the last round in a Wilson 47D mag, it choked as shown.

That's quite a tilt and as you can see, it never was caught up under the extractor. I don't feel I can blame the magazine as it's never failed when I used it in another 1911 Smith. Any ideas?



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Old 11-25-2011, 03:41 PM
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Presuming the gun was sufficiently lubed before its first range session ...

If it only happened with one used magazine, and on the last round ... and especially with a Wilson 47D magazine ... I'd wonder about the mag spring not having lifted the last round fast enough under the recoil of the previously fired round for proper feeding.

I've had Wilson mag springs lose tension and cause feeding problems in a surprisingly short amount of time. The 8-rd mags in particular seem rather lightly sprung.

I stopped using Wilson 47 mags for serious purpose some years ago.
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Old 11-25-2011, 03:52 PM
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It was well oiled prior to the range. I don't understand why the last round in a nearly new(less than 200 rounds) magazine. It didn't create problems with my SW1911-just this one. It's been u understanding and experience before that Wilson has some of the top five best mags in the business. It seems to have plenty of spring to it. It was one of the two Wilson's that came with the SW1911 as I wanted to use the mags I would be counting on.

The two that came with the SW1911SC are unknown to me-no markings other than "45 ACP" stamped on the mag body. Actually, the 8-rnd mag that came with this pistol has a stronger feel to it when you press down that the Wilson did but, anyone's guess as to the brand. It has a metal follower with a patient number one it.

I do have a Tripp spring and follower that will fit the Wilson mag. Perhaps I'll change it out. You shouldn't have to though since the Wilson is relatively new. I did notice the Wilson has a much earlier release point that the Tripp magazine.

Last edited by ColColt; 11-25-2011 at 03:57 PM.
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Old 11-25-2011, 04:20 PM
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Most likely the mag.My Wilsons have been flawless since I replaced the internals with Tripp parts.
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Old 11-25-2011, 04:31 PM
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Try a diff mag before passing judgment. Some guns do not like the large HP on the GD but my 1911PD feeds everything w/o a hitch.
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Old 11-25-2011, 05:20 PM
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I have a couple of ETM's from Wilson and the Tripp's. I'll try those next time. The Tripp I used today cause no problems. Wish I had thought to take a couple ETM's to see if they're an improvement over the 47D as Wilson says. You would think if a given pistol/mag combination would feed SWC's nothing else would be a problem.

I failed to mention I was shooting for groups today since this is a new pistol. I was sitting using the range's pistol rest with a thick towel draped over it. Perhaps I could have limp wristed a time or two...just speculation.
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Old 11-25-2011, 05:51 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by ColColt View Post
I was sitting using the range's pistol rest with a thick towel draped over it. Perhaps I could have limp wristed a time or two...just speculation.
Not an impossibility, I'd think, even with full-power ammunition.

Unconsciously (or just subtly) changing your grip technique/wrist lock to accommodate a "bench rest supported" shooting position can sometimes distract from using a grip/wrist support technique, meaning we may not be providing optimal support to the frame during critical "feeding timing". BTDT.

Only 200 rounds of usage in a mag that suddenly started to exhibit consistent feeding issues might indicate a problem with the spring, follower, base plate or even the mag body ... or it might just be one of those occasional "shooter influence" (grip) things.

I remember when the feds first decided to replace their 1911 single column mags at either the 6 month point (left loaded) or after either 2,000 or 2,500 rounds (I can't remember which at the moment, it's been a while). I believe that was before they switched to a different magazine, though, which used a heavier "extra power" mag spring and a different follower. I don't know if they've change again since then, though.

For those times when I use a rest (not often), I don't rest the gun, but my forearm, keeping my wrist locked normally and my grip normally firm.

I've even seen some shooters change their grip technique when using vertical barricade/cover in such a way that they caused a feeding/functioning problem to occur, though. No problem when moving away from the barricade and once again relying on normal (proper) grip technique, though.

It can happen.

I haven't bothered trying the new Wilson's. I've been experiencing such good performance from some Metalform, ACT-Mag & Tripp's that I've not thought to try any of them.

I may pick up some of the latest McCormick magazines at some point, too, to see if they're better than the older Shooting Star magazines I have with that short-legged, folded/spring follower (which I personally dislike).
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Last edited by Fastbolt; 11-25-2011 at 06:10 PM.
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  #8  
Old 11-25-2011, 05:54 PM
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This was most likely caused by the magazine. Wilson magazines work by bypassing the controlled feeding operation of the 1911. This is why they seemingly correct feeding issues in poorly fitted 1911s, when in reality they are just hiding them. The Wilson magazine chucks the round toward the chamber as it releases from the lips, instead of letting the nose of the bullet hit the feed ramp and pop up with the extractor controlling the rim. Obviously in this malfunction, the round tilted up far too high and caused the stoppage.

I would just ignore it and drive on. Mark that magazine somehow to remind you that it caused a malfunction previously, and keep track of any future issues.

EDIT: Here's my reference for the above statement on 47Ds, so you don't think I'm blowing smoke. It's single source analysis, but the article seems very well put together IMO.

http://how-i-did-it.org/magazines/

Last edited by Dragon88; 11-25-2011 at 05:57 PM. Reason: added link
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Old 11-25-2011, 06:16 PM
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I had an old Series 70 Colt that ran 100% with 1990s manufacture Wilson 8 rounders. the Colt was typical late 70s manufacture sloppy.

I had the gun completely redone and tighten up with a new barrel and slide to frame fit. the gun would not run with the Wilson anymore.

In fact, dug out the old Colt mags and it would run with them. Ended up with CMc Mags.

If your SW-SC is tighter than your SW1911.....the finickiness of the Wilson might be your issue.

I too agree that the Wilson I once had we weak sprung. I sold them and stick with CMc.

the feed lips may be too wide and the round dug into them.
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Old 11-25-2011, 07:47 PM
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Fastbolt-Whatever amount of shooting I did today standing, there were no malfunctions, if that tells you anything. I shot mostly from the bench as I wanted to chronicle how well it would shoot with different loads without introducing another variable standing on hind legs.

Dragon-I have read that before and that guy's a whiz at explaining magazines and has good pics to back up what he says. I thought about that as I read your post and think I'll re-read it again.

Quote:
If your SW-SC is tighter than your SW1911.....the finickiness of the Wilson might be your issue.
It's more tight for sure. The feed lips on the Wilson are parallel and the release point sooner . The Tripp has a longer release point and the lips are tapered a bit. The follower has the little dimple on it as well. The Wilson may run good with SWC's but I don't know about the GD's after today but, I won't pronounce rash judgement quite yet...it could have been me. I'll try again standing and if it does it again(I have them all marked) I'll replace the spring/follower with Tripp's.

I bought this pistol as a carry piece and it won't go with me until it's proven itself a lot more than today. It shoots about 1-1 1/2" to the left but it has a set screw for adjustment on windage. I don't know it you'd have to use a wooden drift or if it'll just move once loose.
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Old 11-25-2011, 08:40 PM
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I looked through my parts box and discovered I had ordered two Wilson replacement springs/followers for the 47 mag a month or so back and decided to compare the replacement spring with the one currently in the mag I used today and it's nearly three inches longer! Keep in mind, this magazine came with my other SW1911 since the SW1911SC comes with some other brand and that's why I used the Wilson today. That particular magazine isn't more than a month old and yet the spring was nearly three inches shorter. It got replaced.
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Old 11-25-2011, 09:21 PM
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Wow.....it must have been old stock.

Let us know.
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Old 11-26-2011, 12:23 PM
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Wilson must have sold S&W a bunch of these magazines years ago. My SW1911 is the "bill board" variety but was NIB when bought. The sporing feels much stronger now in that same magazine and I think it will solve the problem...at least with that magazine. I need to check the other one that came with that pistol. It's probably the same.
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Old 11-26-2011, 04:55 PM
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If shooting the gun with a normal grip (meaning while standing, unsupported) "restored" normal function, it might have been a momentary thing involving your grip while benching it ... and it might have been that benching it contributed just enough to a weakening spring condition to allow the feeding stoppage to occur at that time. Probably no way to really ever know for sure.

I remember that when I used to call Wilson for springs (since the company who makes them for Wilson said they can't sell them directly to anyone else under their agreement), I was told that (at that time) they had a different spring for the 7 rounders & 8 rounders. Is the longer spring you found in your parts for a 7 or 8 round application? If it's for a 7-rd mag it might explain the noticeable difference in length (also mag springs typically take an expected "set" once they're used). I have no idea what they're currently doing since I don't use their newer mags.

S&W was using Wilson 47's for a while, and then the ACT-Mag's, and now I've heard they're (also?) using McCormick mags for the Enhanced series? I guess I'll find out if I order an Enhanced gun sometime. I could see them ordering mags from whichever of the major suppliers could fill their orders for the amount of guns they're selling.
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Old 11-26-2011, 05:38 PM
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The longer spring was a Wilson I just ordered a month or so ago...if that long. It was for a Wilson 8-rnd mag and the item # on the package is 47SFK-8. I bought two of them. The springs I pulled out of the two mags that came with the SW1911 were much shorter than these replacement springs by at least 2 1/2 inches or more. I wanted to use those mags as I didn't know what the two were that came with the SW1911SC. One was an 8-rnd and another shorter 7-rnd but no mfg specified so, I decided to use the two mags that came with the other pistol along with a Tripp Cobra I had.

Here I had two new magazines for the SW1911 by Wilson-only been used about a month with less than 300 rounds through them and the extra springs I had ordered were much longer. Figure that one. At any rate, both springs replaced with the Wilson 47SFK's and it feels much stronger when pushing down on the follower.

I've been told the Check-Mate GI 7-rnd mags work best with hollow point like the Speer GD's because they provide more controlled feeding as opposed to Wilson's early release mags that tend to be more for SWC's. I may have to try that out...may as well.

Last edited by ColColt; 11-27-2011 at 01:21 PM.
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