10-round 1911 magazines - base pad options?

[Esoteria]

So I want a few 10-rounders, but for some reason I just hate the long base pads that seem to come on most of them. The Wilson Combat mags don't have that, but they're more expensive and they have a protrusion that seems like it might get in the way.

I think I understand that that thing is meant to prevent damaging the mag lips when "aggressively" reloading (slamming the mag home), especially with an empty mag or a locked back slide.

Is the tall base pad or the little lug on the Wilson mags really necessary? Can I just swap it out of a Chip McCormick 10-round? I really like the CMC 8-round mag's base pad and I'd like to just have the same thing on the extended mag.

Assuming that lug or other stop is really helping, how big of an issue is this? Am I going to have a broken mag after 30 reloads without it?

 

[Dan-O]

Not really a 1911 guy, but I do own a few. I thinks the big bumper at least on the 10 rounders is to keep things flush, and maybe prevent slop so that the mag doesn't wiggle too much causing possible failures to feed? I don't know, hopefully someone else that is more of a 1911 guy can chime in.

 

[JTQ]

Is the tall base pad or the little lug on the Wilson mags really necessary?

I like to look at things from a common sense perspective. How many makers of 10 round 1911 mags use some kind of stop to prevent over insertion? All of them? I suspect the part is needed.

From another common sense perspective, watch some video's from places/people that really know the 1911 like, Thunder Ranch (Clint Smith), Gunsite, Shootrite (Tiger McKee), and notice how often you see them using 10 rounders.

Tiger McKee https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UkZgYb-ReSU

Il Ling New https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b1Gl-jmEkGY

Clint Smith https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MbUgANV_yL4

 

[Esoteria]

Well, the implication of it being on most (but not all) mags is that it's useful in some way, but not necessarily in a way that matters to me now, so that's what I want to find out.

I don't see those people using extended mags but I don't see them using compensators, weighted barrels, buffers, or extended slide releases either, and all those have their place. I believe the instructors are representing how to most effectively use the gun in its default configuration, which is very practical and on 4 days out of 5 I do that myself. That doesn't mean an extended magazine is a bad idea. You probably won't see an 8 rounder in an open pistol competition. Then again you probably won't see a 10 either.

 

[JTQ]

Well, the implication of it being on most (but not all) mags is that it's useful in some way, but not necessarily in a way that matters to me now, so that's what I want to find out.

Then you'll need to give it a try and see if it works for you. The mag makers all put a stop on their 10 rounders for a reason. If you want to try one without, give it a go and let us know how it works out.

The typical reports are the tab on the Wilson 10 rounder has a reputation for breaking off under use.

I consider 10 round 1911 mags a novelty item.