PA Guns & Ammo
Member
How can you tell the difference between a 38 Super and a 9mm 1911 magazine? I think I have a bunch of 38 Super magazines instead of 9mm magazines.
thanks, James
thanks, James
38 Super vs 9mm 1911 magazines
- Thread starter PA Guns & Ammo
- Start date
Wee Hooker
Member
I had the same problem last year when I bought a 1911 in 9mm that suffered from feeding issues. As it turns out, it came with 38 super mags. The one on the bottom is the 9mm mag. Rounds are 115gr WWB. Note they are VERY close. The 9mm version will have a small spacer in the back of the mag to make up for the length difference. Also note the guide lips are longer on the 9mm flavor. 9mm will often work in 38 super mags but not 100% reliably as they release from the lips too soon/far aft. Note the rounds position is slightly forward due to the spacer.
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OP
PA Guns & Ammo
Member
Well I bought a bunch of magazines from various sources and was told they were 9mm magazines but I guess they're not. I never used them yet but I noticed some had the spacer and some did not. Now I know.
Thanks, James
Thanks, James
Big Cholla
Member
handgunner356
Member
Springfield Armory came out with some 9mm mags that had a groove down the front side to hold the rounds back and a feed ramp at the top front. I don't know how they worked out but seemed to me to be backwards as the rounds were still further away from the chamber.
Jim Watson
Member
The Springfield (Metalform, Leatham) magazines work extremely well. They have a little curvature to the front of the tube that keeps the round going nose up. The magazines are sometimes called "front ramp."
I don't know why they didn't make the 10 round 9mm magazine that way, but they reverted to the rear spacer design. So do Wilson and Tripp.
There is one particular Super magazine I have found to work very well with 9mm, sloppy as it looks. It is the Metalform standard 9 round with their round top, fully skirted follower.
I don't know why they didn't make the 10 round 9mm magazine that way, but they reverted to the rear spacer design. So do Wilson and Tripp.
There is one particular Super magazine I have found to work very well with 9mm, sloppy as it looks. It is the Metalform standard 9 round with their round top, fully skirted follower.
dakota1911
Member
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I ran into this when I fit a 9mm (9x19) barrel in an XSE LW Colt Commander I bought in 2009 from a friend. I ordered a few 9mm mags from Colt and they work fine. On another forum someone said you could use the Colt 38 Super mags (9x23SR) for 9mm. I did try this once and they worked but would not use them in competition or carry.
OP
PA Guns & Ammo
Member
I have one of those. Thought it was an odd looking magazine.
