Mags for S&W1911

oldman45 · May 27, 2010

Question:

Will the mags for a Colt 1911 in .45acp fit the S&W1911?

Also, going through my box of old mags, I found a stainless 12 round mag that is about 25% wider than my Colt mags. It is not marked as to a caliber or type gun. I think it will be a double stack .45acp but all my .45acp guns are single stack. I cannot think of a gun I own that would use this mag.

The box I am going through has not been opened in 10+ years and contains about 60 various type mags, most marked.

Right now I am trying to figure what gun this mag would fit.

GKC · May 27, 2010

oldman45 said:
Question:

Will the mags for a Colt 1911 in .45acp fit the S&W1911?

Assuming the mags are for the same size pistol, probably...i.e., a full size mag, not a compact, in a full size pistol, etc. Most Colt mags are not the best quality, though. I leave the stock mags for my 1911s (of any make) in the box, and I use KimPro Tac-Mags in my 1911s. I've read good things about Wilson's and Chip McCormick mags as well.

oldman45 said:
Also, going through my box of old mags, I found a stainless 12 round mag that is about 25% wider than my Colt mags. It is not marked as to a caliber or type gun. I think it will be a double stack .45acp but all my .45acp guns are single stack.

Pictures?

Where did you get the box of magazines? Have you ever owned a double stack .45, like a M&P or other make/model?

oldman45 · May 27, 2010

GKC said:
Assuming the mags are for the same size pistol, probably...i.e., a full size mag, not a compact, in a full size pistol, etc. Most Colt mags are not the best quality, though. I leave the stock mags for my 1911s (of any make) in the box, and I use KimPro Tac-Mags in my 1911s. I've read good things about Wilson's and Chip McCormick mags as well.

Pictures?

Where did you get the box of magazines? Have you ever owned a double stack .45, like a M&P or other make/model?

Never owned a double stack semi auto. The box came out of my storage area. Many of the mags are for the various Glocks I own. Several are for the .45acp guns I have. But I do not remember this particular mag.

Trying to think of what I may own or have owned that it would fit. Since I still have all the .45acp guns I ever bought, it cannot be for them. They will not fit a Glock. All I can think of would be one of the 9mm guns I have. Going through all the semi guns would be almost a day of work since they are all over the house and in three safes. I have over 140 handguns and most are semi autos. These have been bought and collected over a 40 yr period so I likely bought maybe 3-4 each year. To take away from that is a relative that was a FFL dealer left me a few in his will so I did not buy several of them.

GKC · May 27, 2010

oldman45 said:
I have over 140 handguns and most are semi autos.

Man! No wonder you have trouble figuring this one out!

Must be a nice problem to have.

oldman45 · May 27, 2010

GKC said:
Man! No wonder you have trouble figuring this one out!

Must be a nice problem to have.

Actually it is my 401K. I lost my rear in stocks long ago but never had a gun lose value.

It comes with a price though. You need to see my insurance cost for firearm coverage. Each gun has to be listed on the policy and there is a premium per $1000 in collective value. Then you have to have most of them secured in a safe and the home has to have a monitored alarm.

oldman45 · May 30, 2010

Ok, I tried the mags from my Colt 1911 in each of my SW1911 and the Colt mags are about 1/4 inch too short to work in the S&Ws. I was hoping they would since I have way more Colt mags than S&W. I had been told by several they would work but they do not. All my 1911 model guns are full size but the mags fit in and lock as well as drop free but the Colt mags are just barely too short.

handgunner356 · May 30, 2010

I could see the 1911 mags being 1/4" short in 645/4500 series guns, but a full size 1911 should fit no problem in a SW1911. A 12rd .45 mag will be longer front-to-rear than a 9/40 mag. The few 12rd mags that come to mind would be a 6900 9mm, a compact ParaOrdance 45, P99 in 40.

oldman45 · May 30, 2010

handgunner356 said:
I could see the 1911 mags being 1/4" short in 645/4500 series guns, but a full size 1911 should fit no problem in a SW1911. A 12rd .45 mag will be longer front-to-rear than a 9/40 mag. The few 12rd mags that come to mind would be a 6900 9mm, a compact ParaOrdance 45, P99 in 40.

Nope, I tried six mags from my Colt 1911 (full size) in two S&W1911 (different models) full size. The Colt mags locked in fine and dropped free with ease. The mags were too short to catch the bullet with the slide. It was close but the slide barely slid past the bullet.

handgunner356 · May 30, 2010

Well I understand what you're saying, but it sure doesn't make sense to me. If the mags are marked Colt .45 on the basepads they should be working.

Brian48 · May 30, 2010

I've used a wide assortment of mags with my sku#108284, including Checkmate manufactured mags that Colt supplies with it's guns. Worked fine.

oldman45 · May 31, 2010

As can be seen in the photos, the silver mag is Colt 45acp from a 1911. The blue mag is one of three that came with the gun. All mags are 8 round. The blue mag is longer. The silver mag is too short to allow shells to slide into the chamber.

handgunner356 · May 31, 2010

I can't imagine those mags working in a Colt either, it's got me baffled. If they didn't lock in I'd think they were Officers 6rd mags.

oldman45 · May 31, 2010

handgunner356 said:
I can't imagine those mags working in a Colt either, it's got me baffled. If they didn't lock in I'd think they were Officers 6rd mags.

I am proud to say I have a Colt Officers model and the mags say Officer's Model 45acp and they are seven round instead of eight. I also own a full frame Colt 1911 and the shorter mags shown in the photos work well in it.

The mags lock in fine on the S&W1911 but will not feed at all. They are full eight rounds.

Just my luck, I am going to have to pay for a few more mags just to fit the S&W. I will be searching for after market mags but likely will have to buy the S&W brand.

Seeing as how these do not work, no explanation can be given that will make them work. As an aside, I have 14 mags for the Colt 1911 and none of them work in the S&W1911.

But the S&W1911 I just bought has a great feel to it and I am wanting to shoot it as soon as I can.

preventec47 · May 31, 2010

I am very surprised to hear the SW 1911 is not
compatible with mil specification 1911 magazines.

Why did they call it a 1911 then when they had
645,745,845 and 945 variations to choose from ?

To me the magazine compatibility is priority no 1
if you are going to call a gun a 1911.

oldman45 · Jun 1, 2010

preventec47 said:
I am very surprised to hear the SW 1911 is not
compatible with mil specification 1911 magazines.

Why did they call it a 1911 then when they had
645,745,845 and 945 variations to choose from ?

To me the magazine compatibility is priority no 1
if you are going to call a gun a 1911.

You are much like myself then. I refer to myself as a purist when it comes to a 1911. The gun was a full size when originally designed and built. It came in .45acp. End of story. Any other caliber or size is not a true 1911.

At the risk of getting WWIII started, those so called 1911 in the wimpy 9mm is not a 1911 and neither are any of the other calibers. A 1911 is a .45acp.

I have other .45acp firearms. They are Officers Models, Ace, Colt Super or a 1911 clone but they are not a true 1911.

shawn mccarver · Jun 1, 2010

oldman45 said:
Question:

Will the mags for a Colt 1911 in .45acp fit the S&W1911?

Also, going through my box of old mags, I found a stainless 12 round mag that is about 25% wider than my Colt mags. It is not marked as to a caliber or type gun. I think it will be a double stack .45acp but all my .45acp guns are single stack. I cannot think of a gun I own that would use this mag.

The box I am going through has not been opened in 10+ years and contains about 60 various type mags, most marked.

Right now I am trying to figure what gun this mag would fit.

YES, Colt factory mags will work. After market mags for the Colt 1911 will also work unless the base plate is one of the molded types that will not interface with the bottom contours of the S&W 1911.

This only happened once for me, and I cannot remember the brand of magazine. It seems that Chip McCormick, Wilson, Mec-Gar and ACT-Mag all work fine, along with Colt mags, which are made by Metalform, I believe.

oldman45 · Jun 2, 2010

shawn mccarver said:
YES, Colt factory mags will work. After market mags for the Colt 1911 will also work unless the base plate is one of the molded types that will not interface with the bottom contours of the S&W 1911.

This only happened once for me, and I cannot remember the brand of magazine. It seems that Chip McCormick, Wilson, Mec-Gar and ACT-Mag all work fine, along with Colt mags, which are made by Metalform, I believe.

Nope, my mags are all factory with just one exception. Not one of my Colt mags for either of my 1911 guns will work in my SW1911. As the photos show, the mags come up just short of being long enough. They do lock in fine but they are less than a quarter inch off (maybe 1/8 an inch or less) from allowing the slide to catch the bullet.

I am buying some new mags today for the S&W and I hate to do it since they are costing $30 each and I have a bunch of Colt 1911 mags that I cannot use.

One gun dealer I use says S&W is likley changing the 1911 just enough to make mags not interchangable so they can sell more after theirs break. Makes sense if you think about it. Change a small detail and you have a market on the new mags.

A person buys a new gun. The factory does not make another dime from the purchase unless there is something different so older mags cannot be used. Their reputation for mag durability is not the best either but they have the mags and will sell for a price.

I also have a shoebox full of mags for 1911 guns that I wish would fit.

growr · Jun 2, 2010

I have a SW1911 Sc and it runs with anyone's 1911 magazines, including the VERY cheap gun show specials. Runs better with the good magazines however. Wilson's, Chip McCormick,Mec-Gar etc.
Seems quite odd to me.
Perhaps a call to S&W is in order?
Randy

oldman45 · Jun 2, 2010

growr said:
I have a SW1911 Sc and it runs with anyone's 1911 magazines, including the VERY cheap gun show specials. Runs better with the good magazines however. Wilson's, Chip McCormick,Mec-Gar etc.
Seems quite odd to me.
Perhaps a call to S&W is in order?
Randy

Tried that as well.

Their explanation is that my 1911 is from their custom shop and is on a different frame with different features.

oldman45 · Jun 2, 2010

FWIW: I shot the gun for the first time today. Shoots like dream and with little recoil. Shooting as fast as possible, I was still able to put 8 rounds in a seven inch group at 10 yards. Slow fire I was able to put 8 rounds in a four inch group. This was the first time shooting this gun and I think with a few adjustments and practice, I can tighten the groups up some.

I may even start using this gun as my primary carry piece.

Mags for S&W1911

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