SR1911 8 rd mags

[RCP1936]

Anyone have any issues with the 8 rd mag that comes with the 1911
I have 300 rds through my new SR1911
I have fired Blazer 230 gr FMJ --200RDS
Federal 230GR HST ---50 RDS
Federal 230 gr HIShoK --50RDS
No issues with the 7 rd Mag and 2 other Ruger 7 rd mags I bought

However the 8RD MAG results are as follows
Blazer 230 gr FMJ-- 7 magazine loads--OK
Federal 230 gr HST-- 2 mags OK
Federal 230 gr HST --1 mag fail to chamber first rd --reloaded OK then FTF 4TH RD--reloaded-OK
Federal 230 gr HiShok--2 mags OK
Federal 230 gr HiShok --FTF first rd --reload FTF 3rd RD --reload FTF first RD --Reload 5 rds OK

 

[modrifle3]

No issues. Several hundred rounds using them in my Sr1911 (now gone), r1, Range Officer and kimber. I fire lswc as well as ball.

 

[LaneP]

I would say there is something wrong with that one particular mag. Hard to say without seeing up close. If it looks like the lips are shaped properly and nothing wrong with the follower maybe try swapping out the spring for a new one.

I rotate between Ed Brown 8 Pack mags, some older Wilson 7 round mags and the Ruger factory mags shipped with my CMD and have never had a failure to feed once in 2000 rounds.

 

[RCP1936]

Thing is it works OK with Ball ammo and several different loads with the same HPs it fails with on other times
I tap all my mags back against the palm of my hand to insure the rds are seated

 

[Thunderhawk]

I've been using Ruger and Kimber Pro Tac-Mags with no problems......

 

[1911Tuner]

In order to stuff 8 rounds into a space designed for 7, you're gonna hafta give up somethin'.

In this case, that somethin' is follower length or the number of active coils on the spring...or both.

If the follower is the Devel/McCormick type, you sacrifice both.

If the follower is the skirted type...you lose not only the number of active coils on the spring, you also have to make the spring shorter from front to back/side to side in order to fit in the skirt.

None of these conditions are conducive to best reliability.

 

[RCP1936]

Thanks for the explanation
Well I could care less about having one more rd so I will stick with the 7 RDers

 

[modrifle3]

8rd Ruger mag has a lengthened body for the 8th round.

 

[1911Tuner]

8rd Ruger mag has a lengthened body for the 8th round.

That means that it's Check Mate's extended length magazine with the patented Bull Nose ™ follower...which is essentially the Devel follower with a skirt. Much better than its parent, but still gives a little trouble sometimes...because it's still a compromise.

Let's look at it from the perspective of what and for whom the 1911 pistol was designed.

First, let's look at what it wasn't designed for.

It wasn't designed for SWAT/SET and it wasn't designed for high-speed/low-drag types to carry cocked and locked because fast-draw/gunfight.

It wasn't designed for playing "Let's pretend that we're in a gunfight" on Sunday afternoons.

The gun was headed for war sooner or later, and it was designed primarily with the horse mounted trooper in mind and clearing a stoppage while holding onto a nervous horse wasn't acceptable. It had to work. Period.

The man who was arguably the preeminent firearms design genius of the last 2 centuries and a team of Colt's top engineers set forth a set of specifications for that pistol in order to insure that it would work...and the magazine wasn't simply an afterthought or an accessory. It was a removable part of the system. It had to work, because if the magazine failed, the whole system failed.

Since the pistol was to be the primary weapon for a cavalryman while he was mounted...and because one more round in capacity could easily mean the difference between living and dying...one extra round would be important if it could be accomplished without compromising the reliability of the first 7 rounds.

Given that...

Does anybody really believe that the magazine's ability to accept 8 rounds somehow escaped John Browning's notice?

Does it stand to reason that it's at least possible Browning and his Dream Team tried 8 rounds and...finding that the overall reliability suffered...gave up and stuck with 7 rounds?

The problem with the 1911 is that so many people have been trying for so long to prove that they're smarter than John Browning, many of them really believe that they have.

 

[DGW1949]

I've long-believed that about the best thing one can do to improve a 1911/1911A1 is buy a good one......and leave it alone. Other than that, maybe have a set of bigger sights installed...but...even then, ya best pay close attention to what they're made of and how they are to be mounted. JMB didn't enter into how to mount his 1911 sights nilly-willy, nor into specifing the materials to be used. Me thinks that Ruger could testify to that.
Getting back to the topic at hand;
It aint a big secret that standard length 8-Rd mags have been problematic since day one. Maybe Ruger's longer version works better than the earlier attempts by other firms, dunno. What I do know though, is that I've fired a brand new, out of the box, SR1911 and it worked perfect with several brands/eras of 7-RD mags and with several brands of ammo. That kinda tells me all that I need to know about that.

DGW

 

[RCP1936]

Called Ruger and they are sending me a new 8 RD MAG
Tried to get them to send a 7 RD instead
NoGo

 

[edlmann]

It aint a big secret that standard length 8-Rd mags have been problematic since day one.

They're not standard length - they're 1/8" to 3/16" longer than standard.

 

[DGW1949]

It aint a big secret that standard length 8-Rd mags have been problematic since day one.

They're not standard length - they're 1/8" to 3/16" longer than standard.

Yeah...and I covered that too. It's right there in the next sentance.
But beings how you wish to discuss it further, I'll just save my own ramblings and refer you to Tuner's posting on the matter instead. It's in this same thread.

See ya.

DGW

 

[HAWKEYE#28]

For me, it is not a Ruger issue. That said, it is a COLT issue with SS 8 rounders that do not allow the slide to lock back after the last shot or when it is pulled back on an empty clip. May be the reason that we see so many of this SS 8 rnd clip for sale in the Ebay and other listings. Does not happen on all varieties of the 1911 either, but did so on some recent high cost Colt Commanders.........Cosmetically, they look the same as those that "work"..........

 

[modrifle3]

8rd Ruger mag has a lengthened body for the 8th round.

That means that it's Check Mate's extended length magazine with the patented Bull Nose ™ follower...which is essentially the Devel follower with a skirt. Much better than its parent, but still gives a little trouble sometimes...because it's still a compromise.

Let's look at it from the perspective of what and for whom the 1911 pistol was designed.

First, let's look at what it wasn't designed for.

It wasn't designed for SWAT/SET and it wasn't designed for high-speed/low-drag types to carry cocked and locked because fast-draw/gunfight.

It wasn't designed for playing "Let's pretend that we're in a gunfight" on Sunday afternoons.

The gun was headed for war sooner or later, and it was designed primarily with the horse mounted trooper in mind and clearing a stoppage while holding onto a nervous horse wasn't acceptable. It had to work. Period.

The man who was arguably the preeminent firearms design genius of the last 2 centuries and a team of Colt's top engineers set forth a set of specifications for that pistol in order to insure that it would work...and the magazine wasn't simply an afterthought or an accessory. It was a removable part of the system. It had to work, because if the magazine failed, the whole system failed.

Since the pistol was to be the primary weapon for a cavalryman while he was mounted...and because one more round in capacity could easily mean the difference between living and dying...one extra round would be important if it could be accomplished without compromising the reliability of the first 7 rounds.

Given that...

Does anybody really believe that the magazine's ability to accept 8 rounds somehow escaped John Browning's notice?

Does it stand to reason that it's at least possible Browning and his Dream Team tried 8 rounds and...finding that the overall reliability suffered...gave up and stuck with 7 rounds?

The problem with the 1911 is that so many people have been trying for so long to prove that they're smarter than John Browning, many of them really believe that they have.

OK . . . I was just pointing out to the OP that the magazine was longer, unlike the Kimber Protac that uses a thinner spring to allow for better compression to get the 8th round in.

If I believe correctly, he just needed to exceed the 6 rounds provided by the current issue revolver. I am not sure though . . . well let me hand crank my model T and get to work . . .

 

[Pat-inCO]

Since I have several seven round magazines, it has not been a problem
for me. I load ALL of them with seven.

Contrary to what many will try to have you believe, you DO sub consciously
count the number of rounds you fire. The first time I tried an eight round
mag, I actually stopped, when the slide did not lock back after the seventh
round. At the range it doesn't make any difference. For self defense it CAN.

Think about the number of "older" revolvers that only carry six. :roll:
Seven rounds of .45ACP are nice.

 

[RCP1936]

Well when cars were long past the cranking stage and had automatics power steering -power brakes --etc etc
That 1911 after getting through WWI went to WWII-Korea and Vietnam with 7 RD Mags
Actually you have 8 with one in the pipe

 

[modrifle3]

Honestly I don't care either way, I just like the extended look of the 8 round and prefer a removable base plate. The welded base plate takes abuse better in theory. Properly engineered there is no science behind a 8rd being less reliable, it's just that most samples have been. The best flush mag is always going to be a 7 round regardless of Kimbers claims. I had the pro tacs for about 10 mins.

 

[JEA1957]

I've had my SR1911 since last fall. Full Size 5" model; came with 1-7 round and 1-8 round mag. To date, I have around 300-500 rounds through her. Factory and reloads. FMJ ball and Lead SWC, RN and RNFP. 185 - 230 Gr.

I have not had any issues with either mag in my gun. When I decided to buy extra mags, I bought the Ruger; 1-7 round and 1-8 round. I'm a casual shooter, but also carry my SR1911 as my EDC; so I want to be sure all works if/when needed. I have complete faith in the gun and all 4 of my mags. Accurate and reliable; my requirements for a personal protection piece; the SR1911 gives me that...

 

[RCP1936]

My 8 rder was ok with ball ammo
It was the Federal HST and HiShok HPs ( SD ammo ) that was a problem on mine

Unless your 1911 or any semi is a range or competition gun problem free with hardball is not indicative of problem free
SD GUNS need HPs
If you are using it as a SD you should be testing with the ammo listed here

http://www.ar15.com/ammo/project/Self_Defense_Ammo_FAQ/index.htm


I don't like the 8 rder's looks so it really isn't a big deal but they should work and with HPs
My 7 rders work so far with hardball and the 2 hps
The 1911 is not my SD gun but since it comes with a 8 rder it should work
Well Ruger is replacing it and I will give it a test
If it fails I will forget about it and stick with the 7s