Hold the Topping
Howdy all,
Since this is a Habit/Opinion thread....
I don't top off the magazine...for a couple of reasons, and neither one is
related to the spring, though that last round does add a lot of stress to
the spring when it's in the gun, but not carried as a spare.
One is that it is less stressful to the floorplate's welds. Not as big an issue if a removeable floorplate design is used...but still a factor even then.
Won't argue that point further than to say that nothing can be discounted,
and that ANYthing that has the opportunity to affect a part will do just that.
I don't carry mag capacity+one in the spout for the simple reason that
the most likely time to have a feed-related malfunction is on the top
round in a full magazine and the last round. How many have had a hitch in the getalong when chambering the top round in a magazine that runs flawlessly during live fire? Even occasionally? The reason is that there is
maximum drag on the slide at that point in the magazine. Drag bleeds off
momentum. Yes, I know that you can't get the same speed and momentum by hand-cycling the slide as you get during live-fire, but
remember the dictum: Everything means SOMEthing, and anything that CAN affect the function WILL have SOME effect.
The last round because there is minimum tension on the follower. The
last round is most critical because it must get to feeding position in time to
meet the slide. If it gets up a split second late, we get rideover feeds...or
Bolt-Over-base...and push-feeds, where the round gets knocked out of the
magazine ahead of the slide by the extractor. The result is a failure to go to battery, or...if the extractor climbs the rim and chambers the round...
broken extractor hooks or no tension on the extractor.
The last round issue is addressed with a good strong spring and a tiny
little tit on the top of the follower, but this tends to contribute the top round problem...or at least the chance of a top-round problem with a
topped-off magazine. Solution: Use Wolff 11-pound magfazine springs
in a 7-round magazine with a proper follower, load 7 rounds in the magazine, chamber the top round, engage the safety and be happy.
In the event that you'll have to reload, which is pretty slim...the stress
on the weld won't be a concern and the chances are good that the pistol will function, even though slightly reduced. Much more of a concern that
the pistol function on the first 2 or 3 rounds because the matter is usually
settled at that point anyway, and the argument for more capacity is at least
moot.
I don't use 8-round magazines in a 1911...not even for range work.
Just my nickel's worth...
Tuner