New SW1911 E Series Magazine Question

[dekindy]

NIB Smith and Wesson 1911 E Series in 45 acp. I disassembled to verify proper lubrication. Then I realized that I had not verified that the slide would lock back with both magazines. Tested them and one would not. I marked it and then kept trying both magazines and then the magazine that worked originally stopped locking back. I then tried the magazines from a Sig Sauer 1911 Equinox and a Dan Wesson Specialist Commander, 2 from each gun, and a WC magazine. All 5 magazines worked without malfunction. I then tried the S&W magazines again and they eventually started working.

Took the 2 S&W magazines and the WC magazine to the range and fired 100 rounds, rotating the 3 magazines equally. They all worked flawlessly.

Disassembled and cleaned the gun and the S&W magazines would not lock back again. Tried the WC and it worked fine.

Any thoughts on the inconsistency? S&W magazines work well except for locking back intermittently when unloaded.

Have not tried the S&W magazines in the Sig Sauer or Dan Wesson as I was focusing on the new gun so I will try that.

 

[Dean C.]

It's a 1911, first thing you shoud do when buying one is throw away any magazine that does not say "Wilson Combat" on it. Problem solved

 

[AdventureTeamJoe]

No issues to report with my E Series mags. Makes me think I should put a few more rounds down range just to make sure. This would be for purely academic reasons, of course

 

[churchmouse]

What Dean Crail said.
I stopped using factory mags years ago and most every issue I had with a 1911 stopped.
Good mags are not cheap. How do I know this. Well, I had a large ammo can with near 100 loaded Wilson Combat 8 rd and Chip McCormick 10 rd magazines in it. All were loaded. I hate loading mags at the range.
Yes it was a sizable investment but one that paid dividends.

If you must persue the mags provided check to see if the followers run free in the mag.
They are what lift the slide stop up to lock the slide back on last round fired. Also the crap springs in those mags could be the issue. If they lack the balls to push the slide stop up they will also cause other issues.
If you look you will see how the follower and stop engage after last round. Is the stop free and easy to manipulate.

 

[DadSmith]

I've got Wilson Combat, Chip McCormick, and Tripp Research magazines all 3 brands have performed well with my RIA 10mm and my Springfield Ronin 1911 45acp. 9rd 10mm magazines and 8rd 45acp magazines.

 

[Trapper Jim]

What Dean Crail said.
I stopped using factory mags years ago and most every issue I had with a 1911 stopped.
Good mags are not cheap. How do I know this. Well, I had a large ammo can with near 100 loaded Wilson Combat 8 rd and Chip McCormick 10 rd magazines in it. All were loaded. I hate loading mags at the range.
Yes it was a sizable investment but one that paid dividends.

If you must persue the mags provided check to see if the followers run free in the mag.
They are what lift the slide stop up to lock the slide back on last round fired. Also the crap springs in those mags could be the issue. If they lack the balls to push the slide stop up they will also cause other issues.
If you look you will see how the follower and stop engage after last round. Is the stop free and easy to manipulate.

This! You will find that the tolerance and or design of the lifting follower and corresponding slide stop can fluctuate past reliable lock. McCormick with steel followers are my choice for consistency and reliability. If I had to shoot what some call an off brand 1911 I would fit it with a Brown, Baer, Rock River Wilson slide stop. That is if the slide stop window is cut right.

 

[indyblue]

Please pardon my ignorance as my experience is with my only 1911, a SA TRP. Are the replies to this thread SW E series specific?

I only ask because I have 6 factory SA mags (stainless 7 round with stainless followers) and they all perform flawlessly in it. Out of ~500 rounds through it and zero malfunctions. Spare mags from SA are actually more expensive (stainless 8-rnd w/slam pad $40) than the Wilson's at the moment due to WC having a sale on theirs.

I want to get some 8 rounders, is the general INGO recommendation to get the WCs?

WC 8-round for $28

 

[Dean C.]

^^^
I use those magazines almost exclusively and have had no issues at all. For carry I am a fan of the low profile steel base pads.

 

[dekindy]

I tried the S&W magazines in the other 2, 1911's, and they worked fine albeit a small sample. The S&W magazines worked also in the S&W and then quit working and then started working again. Very frustrating.

I would expect the magazines would either work all the time or none of the time or inconsistently. Having streaks where they work perfectly and then not at all and then perfectly again is baffling.

Since the magazines worked under live fire I guess the next step would be to try them with dummy rounds and see if they lock back all the time. Although I don't know enough about 1911's as to why that would matter.

 

[DadSmith]

I tried the S&W magazines in the other 2, 1911's, and they worked fine albeit a small sample. The S&W magazines worked also in the S&W and then quit working and then started working again. Very frustrating.

I would expect the magazines would either work all the time or none of the time or inconsistently. Having streaks where they work perfectly and then not at all and then perfectly again is baffling.

Since the magazines worked under live fire I guess the next step would be to try them with dummy rounds and see if they lock back all the time. Although I don't know enough about 1911's as to why that would matter.

My RIA 10mm had trouble within the first 150rds with the factory and WC 9rd magazines. They are all working fine now that it's broken in. Maybe your S&W just needs some more break in to run properly like my RIA 10mm.

 

[Born2vette]

Please pardon my ignorance as my experience is with my only 1911, a SA TRP. Are the replies to this thread SW E series specific?

I only ask because I have 6 factory SA mags (stainless 7 round with stainless followers) and they all perform flawlessly in it. Out of ~500 rounds through it and zero malfunctions. Spare mags from SA are actually more expensive (stainless 8-rnd w/slam pad $40) than the Wilson's at the moment due to WC having a sale on theirs.

I want to get some 8 rounders, is the general INGO recommendation to get the WCs?

WC 8-round for $28
View attachment 173095

I have a couple of these on the way!

 

[churchmouse]

I tried the S&W magazines in the other 2, 1911's, and they worked fine albeit a small sample. The S&W magazines worked also in the S&W and then quit working and then started working again. Very frustrating.

I would expect the magazines would either work all the time or none of the time or inconsistently. Having streaks where they work perfectly and then not at all and then perfectly again is baffling.

Since the magazines worked under live fire I guess the next step would be to try them with dummy rounds and see if they lock back all the time. Although I don't know enough about 1911's as to why that would matter.

You will not fix or solve this by wasting ammo. It is a fools errand to think these magazines will ever be 100%. They will not and you will only frustrate yourself.
I say this not as an asshat but from years of dealing with this very issue and hoping that this time it will run through all 7 rounds. If it is the cost of the Wilsons, then look at Tripp offerings as I understand they are OK pieces I just never waffled from a part I know will work in a gun that I may need to stay breathing should the need ever arise.

Factory mags are a dice roll. You stand a chance of getting a good one or a turd. If they prove to be a turd, then stop using them. Gun to gun it may be differ depending on the fit of the S&W. If they don't work in the smith, then hey......they do not work. If I have the slightest doubt, I put them in the "Oh Crapp" box and move along.

 

[churchmouse]

I tried the S&W magazines in the other 2, 1911's, and they worked fine albeit a small sample. The S&W magazines worked also in the S&W and then quit working and then started working again. Very frustrating.

I would expect the magazines would either work all the time or none of the time or inconsistently. Having streaks where they work perfectly and then not at all and then perfectly again is baffling.

Since the magazines worked under live fire I guess the next step would be to try them with dummy rounds and see if they lock back all the time. Although I don't know enough about 1911's as to why that would matter.

Wasting of time. The recoil causes a lot of the issue if the Spring/Follower combo is weak/poorly fitted. Dummy's do not reproduce that part of the live fire experiment.