Winchester67
Custom
I know the eight round magazines for the 1911 have been the "standard" for ages. Originally, it was a seven round magazine, which served well in both war and peace. By the 80's people started fooling around with follower designs (looking at you Charlie Devel, wherever you are) to try and squeeze in an extra round. It is possible but it is a tight squeeze. Notice the picture below. The fabulous Wilson Rogers #47 Magazine. Look how the black magazine has a rounded convex follower that positions the next bullet perfectly. It mimics the feed angle of a loaded magazine right down to the final round. And it feels the same every time when changing magazines; the eights require more force which equals less sensitivity. Subtle but you can feel it. Not sure one could during an adrenaline dump, so we can discount that. But you can feel it when training.
Now turn your attention to the silver magazine on the left. Also a Wilson Rogers #47. But to make room for the extra bullet, the follower is concave, not convex. Changes the angle, however slightly. Also to make room for the extra round, thinner spring wire is used, which reduces the force applied to get the next round in position. A lot of things have to happen in a very short amount of time to insure reliability. A weaker spring and an altered feed angle add two variables to reliability which I am frankly unwilling to concede simply for an extra round. Now I am the first to grant you there are never enough bullets in a defensive application. Or anytime, frankly. Unless you are drowning or on fire, you need more ammo. What to do? The modern 8 round magazines with a longer tube are the answer. By making the magazine longer, they can still use a proper spring. The problem is it increases the length of the magazine. Just like an add on magazine funnel, anything that adds length to the butt of the gun, that hardest part to hide, I won't allow on my carry guns.
So because reliability is the #1 thing in a defensive firearm, I still carry a seven round magazine for a loaded total of 8 up as opposed to nine. Longer 8 shot mags can be carried as a reload. But at the point, why not a Chip McCormick 10 rounder? They are exceedingly reliable and being a little larger is a plus when clawing for a reload from concealment. So my daily roll out when I carry the 1911? Ed Brown 7 round magazine, which is flush, or a Wilson-Rogers #47 with the low profile baseplate. With a McCormick 10 rounder in a single mag pouch, also inside the waistband as a reload. Consider the same if you are a 1911 guy. It has worked well for me for decades.
Notice how the thin METAL floorplate is and compare it to a magazine with a bumper pad or longer tubed 8 rounder. I am 5 foot five. The smaller I can get the butt for inside the waistband carry, the better.
Now turn your attention to the silver magazine on the left. Also a Wilson Rogers #47. But to make room for the extra bullet, the follower is concave, not convex. Changes the angle, however slightly. Also to make room for the extra round, thinner spring wire is used, which reduces the force applied to get the next round in position. A lot of things have to happen in a very short amount of time to insure reliability. A weaker spring and an altered feed angle add two variables to reliability which I am frankly unwilling to concede simply for an extra round. Now I am the first to grant you there are never enough bullets in a defensive application. Or anytime, frankly. Unless you are drowning or on fire, you need more ammo. What to do? The modern 8 round magazines with a longer tube are the answer. By making the magazine longer, they can still use a proper spring. The problem is it increases the length of the magazine. Just like an add on magazine funnel, anything that adds length to the butt of the gun, that hardest part to hide, I won't allow on my carry guns.
So because reliability is the #1 thing in a defensive firearm, I still carry a seven round magazine for a loaded total of 8 up as opposed to nine. Longer 8 shot mags can be carried as a reload. But at the point, why not a Chip McCormick 10 rounder? They are exceedingly reliable and being a little larger is a plus when clawing for a reload from concealment. So my daily roll out when I carry the 1911? Ed Brown 7 round magazine, which is flush, or a Wilson-Rogers #47 with the low profile baseplate. With a McCormick 10 rounder in a single mag pouch, also inside the waistband as a reload. Consider the same if you are a 1911 guy. It has worked well for me for decades.
Notice how the thin METAL floorplate is and compare it to a magazine with a bumper pad or longer tubed 8 rounder. I am 5 foot five. The smaller I can get the butt for inside the waistband carry, the better.
. Made in the US of A. Not your grandad’s Kimber.