All posts tagged 1911 mags

Finding balance with firearms and magazines

When you have found that you have the right handgun for CCW, sometimes you’re better off with a smaller capacity firearm and a spare magazin than carrying a full size auto with a lot of bullets.   I have never had a magazine fall apart on me, but I’m sure it has happened to some people, but that’s not the reason i carry a spare magazine.   I had a lot of after market magazine laying around when the assault weapons ban was going on and much of it was after market magazines.   I picked up several 10rd magazines for my Kimber 1911 guns only to find that they were not reliable at all.   The balance was absolutely terrible and there was no way i would consider carrying something like that in a holster.

When it comes to using magazines in firearms like the M16, I have heard a lot of my military friends say they liked the 20rd magazines because it was better balanced and they could get into better shooting positions lower to the ground.   I know there are plenty of ways to get down low on the ground, but let’s just talk about balance.   Wilson Combat magazines are the most reliable and drop free on my 1911s, but I’m still not a fan of anything other than 8rd magazines.  Some people claim they are reliable, but the weight of 10rds of 45acp on a spring and 7rds is considerable and even though people will argue this, I have not found them to be as reliable for as long.

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Why pack a whole lot of handgun ammo?

It always amazes me that when people think they need a backup gun or sidearm on a training course it means packing as much ammo for the 9mm handgun as it does for the M4 Carbine.   All it takes is a short training day to find out that a big chunk of the gear you brought with you was un-necessary.   An M4 Carbine is already probable the lightest and most handy firearms you can carry with you during the day and with a gun good sling you should be able to let go of the gun and still retain the weapon.   I have several LWRCI M6A2 guns and I tend to shoot the 77gr MK262 bullets.   These bullets weight a little more than the standard M193 ammo, but in my opinion it’s a better up front round.

 

When I carry a back up gun and I’m already carry a an M4 Carbine,  I am back to the old dog, my Colt 1911.   The Colt 1911 with 2 spare Wilson Combat magazines is all I need to retreat from a position or hold off a threat until I get my LWCR M6A2 back up and running.   I have yet to have something like that occur, but I have trained for it.   I am very confident that 24rds of 45acp is plenty of back up ammo and if the fight needs more than that,  I’ll more confident just turning around and running the other way.   A couple grenades my help boost my confidence though.

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The ever changing tastes of gun owners

It may be just me, but I have noticed another change in the handgun industry of going back to the 1911 or 45acp firearms.   Back in the 1990’s during the assault weapons ban, some guns got priced out because the magazines were too expensive and many people just settled for what was the least expensive to own.   The 1911 got a lot of people back from the higher capacity 9mm thrill ride that Glock gave them and nobody complained.  Once the AWB was over everyone went back to whatever floated their boat.   The sale of AR15’s went through the roof and we saw lots of after market magazine manufacturers fall off the wagon and disappear.   I have noticed that after just about everyone and their dog picked up an AR15 or an M4 Cabine, worrying about  higher capacity handguns seemed to diminish.

If you have ever taken a serious Carbine class, the capacity of rounds your backup gun held really wasn’t something that came up.  If your primary weapons went down, any secondary firearm was your backup.  If you couldn’t get your primary back up and running you’re probable screwed.   I usually only carry a 1911 with 2 spare Wilson Combat Magazines. I never liked the idea of packing too many pistol rounds and was more inclined to pack extra gun parts like a spare bolt or firing pins rather than more than 2 pistol magazines.  My secondary weapon is meant to fight my way back to getting my primary back up and running.

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Been playing with my 1911

No that is not a joke about something else,  but I have been shooting Glocks almost exclusively over the last year and it’s nice to go back to what I really love and have fun and not have to deal with the high paced tactical shooting programs that I have often had to deal with.   The 1911 still is King at the IDPA courses and that’s not going to change anytime soon.   There is something really addictive about the thunk of a 45acp round exiting a firearm and it’s not just the design, it’s the power that you can feel.   I will leave the ballistics debates up to the gun boards, but for knocking down steel targets, the 1911 is the ruler target drops.

I recently watched a video from Magpul Industries and Travis Haley mentioned that he did door knocking with a 1911 and actually used it in combat.   I’ve switched up to Chip McCormick magazines lately just to see if they are as reliable as the Wilsons Combat magazines that I have used for so many years. I just think its good to brush up on the #1 close up fighting pistol that so many Special Operations guys use.   The 1911 is still going strong in the military and the magazines and improvements have made it far more reliable than the original design.

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Sig 220 vs the 1911

I think there is just something about a 45acp that really makes firearms manufacturers do it right.  There is always preference when it comes to which firearm you want, and due to modern technology, many firearms are very reliable under almost all conditions.   The arguments about which caliber handgun has more stopping power will probable be a non-issue in coming years due to less lethal weapons like tasers ect.

I can’t think of any 45acp gun that is a full size semi-auto that I don’t like like.   The Springfield XD seems to be the most popular 45acp amongst 45acp enthusiasts.  Mostly because it feels closer to a 1911 and it is very well balanced.  Wilson Combat Magazines give the 1911 more reliability, but unless you do some alterations to the throat of the barrel, it won’t tolerate as much ammunition as the Sig 220 or the Springfield XD.

 

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Tactical holsters for secondary firearms

One of the first holsters I ever purchased that was not specifically for concealed carry was an Uncle Mike’s gun holster.   It had a metal clip that that was very secure on a belt, and it was made of nylon.   It worked very well for me for several training sessions and it had a front pocket that could hold a double or single stack magazine with a velcro strap to secure it.   I never had a real problem with the holster since it is made of nylon and isn’t as harsh to lay down on as a paddle holster.  Many paddle holsters aren’t going to tolerate roll overs.

I have thought long and hard about what type of handgun to have with me as a secondary firearm and the thought came to me that it really should be all about up and close fighting and then flee the situation and clear my primary and get back into the fight with that.   I don’t carry about caliber wars between 9mm and 45acp, I will gladly fight a handgun battle with an M4 Carbine.   My secondary firearm is a  fitted with Wilson Combat magazines for a Colt 1991A1.   I carry one mag in the gun, and 2 in a vest pocket.   I don’t think over loading myself with handgun ammo is a good thing and 24rds of 45acp is good enough for me to fight my way out of a situation.

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Has anyone made plans for a Mapgul pistol mag?

I’ve been getting good at sensing changes in the gun industry and I think we’re on the precipice right now.   Synthetic stocks are far superior to what was out a decade ago and machining has improvement so well on the AR15 design that even the direct impingement guns are superior to what was out a decade ago.   I think  if you have the money to spend, you can get a good DI gun that is as reliable as a piston gun.   On the discussion of rifle magazines, once you get to the point that you can drive your car over a magazine and then still reliable shoot it in your gun, you have arrived at the top of the mountain.

I think Glock magazines are pretty tough, but I’ve never seen somebody drive over one with a car and still have it run.  If anyone has seen a pistol magazine as tough as the Magpul Pmags let me know? Wilson combat magazines are the most reliable gun magazines, but I don’t think any 1911 magazine would hold up to a 200lb person standing on it let alone a 2 ton truck.   Maybe we don’t need gun magazines to be this tough, but I sure think that if we can improve the light bulb, we can improve the handgun or pistol magazines.

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Favorite guns for IDPA

I’ve been fortunate enough to attend some of the IDPA National competitions in recent years and it has still amazed me that the 1911 is the number one firearm that is being  used.    I’ve spent enough time on the range to know that the 45acp is more consistent in knocking down targets and makes bigger holes.   The triggers on the 1911 design can be sweetened and even though there are some draw backs to the 1911 design, for competition, there aren’t any.   Glocks have a good showing because they have a consistent trigger design like the 1911, but they are very different to shoot.

I understand that many shooters will probable shoot a 9mm more proficiently over a 45acp and I have done personal evaluations of novice shooters and done comparisons.   The 9mm is easier to shoot and will most likely get you a higher hit percentage. For more advanced shooters, they won’t have problems with the 45acp.  Wilson Combat magazines are still the number one 1911 gun magazine that I see at these events followed by Chip McCormick.   Every 1911 design can be tweaked and modified just like a pile of Legos.

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Tactical vests and firearm retention

Gun vests are as diverse in application and gun holsters are.   There are various types of vests for specific missions and some of the best ones to get are the ones that you can configure yourself.   Not everyone needs to carry 12 gun magazines for their M4 Carbine and most of that would even be considered extreme for a combat soldier.   I am a big fan of leg holsters because my primary fighting weapon is an M4 rifle and I don’t like the idea of putting a handgun up on my vest because it’s one more thing for my rifle sling to snag on.   Eotac and Woolrich Elite vests suit me better because they are softer and don’t have a holster for retaining a firearm, it’s all magazine and gear and the pistol magazine holder is inside the pockets, not outer pouches.

I am also not a fan of vests that carry tons of rifle and pistol ammunition, it’s good to be able to carry a backup handgun incase your primary goes down, but I’m more inclined to bring a spare bolt and firing pin so I can replace most broken parts on my M4 in only a minute.   Having 2 or 3 Wilson combat magazines for my 1911 is all I need for most practical purposes.  If I need more handgun ammunition than that, I might as well pack a few grenades and be able to call in an airstrike, too.  If you are wearing a tactical vests, in my opinion, it’s cross draw, or it’s a leg holster for your handgun.

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Messing with John Moses Browing’s designs

I recently got a crash course on disassembling 1911 handguns that were not GI guns.   I have several Colt and Springfield guns that only give me problems if I am shooting something other than ball ammo.   I really don’t feel the need to carry hollow points for such a slow and large caliber already.  All of the 1911 guns I own cost me less than $500 and I have seen so  many malfunctions with guys with higher end guns.   I know Kimber messed around with John Moses Browning’s design and went back to the original extractor design after a failed attempt to use an external extractor.

Many of the shorter barreled 1911s have a short reliability life when it comes to recoil springs because they wear out faster from the amount of stress the 230gr chunk of lead causes.  I guess because the 1911 has such a slower cycling rate, many people that bobble the gun will cause malfunctions.  Wilson combat magazines have improved the reliability of many 1911 guns I have shot, but there is something to be said for GI Milspec reliability.  The original design worked very well and deviating from that doesn’t really mean an improvement.

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