Excellent point. IF you own an oversized/deep magwell fitted/made gun, I suppose an older 7 round mag without a base pad MIGHT end up below flush and IF that gun magwell were tight, the extra base MIGHT be usefull. Note the ALL CAPS. I always figured the base pads were to be sure you were able to fully insert the mag if you were using a deep magwell. Then there is always the cool factor. I use different base pads to quickly identify mags loaded for 3 1/2, 4 1/4, and 5 inch guns. Different colors from Wilson might sell.

 

The front bottom lip of mag base is what stops over insertion

elementary logic tells me base pads preform two functions.
Help with full, positive insertion (and pretty much a must with extended magwell funnels)

Help to prevent damage when mags are dumped on hard surfaces

..L.T.A.

 

I have yet to find a reliable 8-rounder that doesn't.

 

I think it is mostly for mags that are too long for their original design, such as 10 round mags for Government/Commander guns and 8 rounders for Officer size guns.

From Chip McCormick's site http://www.cmcmags.com/BasePads.html

The Officers/Compact model base is designed to properly control the over insertion problems encountered when using full-length magazines in the short, gripped type of 1911 pistols.

The late Paul Gomez on G17 mags in a G19, is not a problem, but talks about it being a problem with single column mags such as in a 1911.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DXohG9HfR1M

I don't use 10 rounders in my Government model and I don't have an extended mag well, but I like base pads since they help avoid pinching the palm of my hand when inserting them, I find them more comfortable to wear in a mag pouch and handle, and I generally prefer removable bases since I have some concern about welded bases breaking.

 

Over insertion can and will happen with 10 round mags. Using a spacer will help with this.

Base pads keep the blood from flowing on quick reloads. Have you ever pinched the palm of your hand when not using a base pad?

Bob

 

Over insertion can and will happen with 10 round mags. Using a spacer will help with this.

Base pads keep the blood from flowing on quick reloads. Have you ever pinched the palm of your hand when not using a base pad?

Bob

The best reason to install pads on your magazine is to make it easier to get the magazine seated fully and to keep the skin on your hand from being pinched between the frame and the magazine, cuz it hurts like hell. Do that one time and you will understand very clearly why that pad is there. Try to avoid slamming the magazine in hard and fast - that causes the lips to spread when the full stack of cartridges slams into the lips when the magazine suddenly stops.

This is why I have base pads on all of my 1911 mags, even for my 1911's without a magwell. However, whenever I'm carrying a 1911 for "social" purposes, the inserted mag does not have a pad. This just makes concealment a little easier. Subsequent reload mags all have bumper pads.

 

The best reason to install pads on your magazine is to make it easier to get the magazine seated fully and to keep the skin on your hand from being pinched between the frame and the magazine, cuz it hurts like hell. Do that one time and you will understand very clearly why that pad is there. Try to avoid slamming the magazine in hard and fast - that causes the lips to spread when the full stack of cartridges slams into the lips when the magazine suddenly stops.

 

The most useful base pads are the pads that limit the chance of over insertion when using a Govt. length mag in an officer size frame, and when an extended "10 rnd." mag is used in a Govt. frame. I am unaware of a mag pad that extends far enough up on an extended mag, to use in an Officer length using a 10 round mag. Stacking heavy O rings on a mag body until the mag has some (not much) resistance to seat is better than nothing.

 

Pinching the skin of the hand upon reloading is not nearly as bad as pinching the fabric of Nomex gloves when shooting with them....It's a pretty tough drill to free up the support hand when that happens.