[MosinVirus]

I have 3 Wilson combat magazines with plastic followers. Two are 8 round and one is 7 round.

I have already used these mags for about 1000 rounds, and only started having the issue yesterday (approximately 7th or 8th range trip). I know I should have paid more attention to which magazines were exhibiting the issue but it is definitely at least 2 and I suspect the 8 rounders.

When the slide locks back on empty I find a round simply floating on top of the follower. Or the gun jams while extracting a spent case while the last round is working its way loose.

A few times I noticed that when I thought the gun was empty, and I took an empty magazine out, I noticed a live round in the chamber, that simply slid into the chamber...

Is this a magazine fault or my gun's?

I can provide pictures of any areas you guys may want to see, if needed.

 

[Retired AF CE]

Pictures please.

 

[MosinVirus]

Pictures please.

What do you need to see pictures of? I am happy to provide.

 

[Retired AF CE]

How the round is sitting in the chamber area after your malfunction.

 

[bamashooter]

Sounds like you could use some new Wolff 11 lb. magazine springs. The 8 rounders aren't flush fit are they?

 

[Steve in Allentown]

When the slide locks back on empty I find a round simply floating on top of the follower.

I noticed a live round in the chamber, that simply slid into the chamber...

These two symptoms point to inertia feed as the problem. The reason this shows up on the last round is because the magazine spring is exerting the lowest amount of upward force when there is only one round remaining in the magazine. As the pistol recoils the weight of the last round on the follower causes the follower to push down enough on the magazine spring that the last round is no longer in solid contact with the feed lips. This allows that last round to remain stationary relative to the rearward movement of the pistol (inertia) and it comes out of the magazine.

Stronger magazine springs are often the cure. I like Tripp springs but I don't know if they're compatible with Wilson mags. They work perfectly in CMC and Checkmate mags.

The little bump on top of the follower is also often the cure. Most of the popular mag manufacturers (Wilson, CMC, Tripp) don't use followers with the bump. Checkmate uses the bump on many of the their followers. That little bump will catch on the rim of the cartridge to hold it in the mag.

Just out of curiosity, what length barrel is in your 1911 and is it a steel or aluminum frame?

 

[MosinVirus]

How the round is sitting in the chamber area after your malfunction.

No picture of that, but it is simple to explain. The pistol locked back on empty, I took the magazine out (which was also empty), then tilted the pistol back and a live round slid out of the barrel. I assume it simply slides in there when the slide is locked back and a live round is simply sitting above the magazine lips.

Sounds like you could use some new Wolff 11 lb. magazine springs. The 8 rounders aren't flush fit are they?

Not sure what flush fit means (I guess it is the bottom). but these are the 8 rounders I have, and they are the same length as my 7 round magazine:

These two symptoms point to inertia feed as the problem. The reason this shows up on the last round is because the magazine spring is exerting the lowest amount of upward force when there is only one round remaining in the magazine. As the pistol recoils the weight of the last round on the follower causes the follower to push down enough on the magazine spring that the last round is no longer in solid contact with the feed lips. This allows that last round to remain stationary relative to the rearward movement of the pistol (inertia) and it comes out of the magazine.

Stronger magazine springs are often the cure. I like Tripp springs but I don't know if they're compatible with Wilson mags. They work perfectly in CMC and Checkmate mags.

The little bump on top of the follower is also often the cure. Most of the popular mag manufacturers (Wilson, CMC, Tripp) don't use followers with the bump. Checkmate uses the bump on many of the their followers. That little bump will catch on the rim of the cartridge to hold it in the mag.

Just out of curiosity, what length barrel is in your 1911 and is it a steel or aluminum frame?

Aluminum frame, Kart 5" barrel, and here are a couple of pictures.

My followers. Not sure why they all seem to be damaged...

 

[Steve in Allentown]

No picture of that, but it is simple to explain. The pistol locked back on empty, I took the magazine out (which was also empty), then tilted the pistol back and a live round slid out of the barrel. I assume it simply slides in there when the slide is locked back and a live round is simply sitting above the magazine lips.

What's happening is as the pistol moves rearward in recoil the last round in the mag is not moving with it. Instead, the pistol is moving out from under the last round. It's like the trick where the magician pulls the table cloth out from under the wine glasses on the table without causing the glasses to move.

 

[MosinVirus]

What's happening is as the pistol moves rearward in recoil the last round in the mag is not moving with it. Instead, the pistol is moving out from under the last round. It's like the trick where the magician pulls the table cloth out from under the wine glasses on the table without causing the glasses to move.

Makes perfect sense. Thank you. So stronger magazine springs should resolve? I also messed up my hand not so long ago by overworking it, and I guess that could be part of the reason I am not providing as solid of a base for the pistol during recoil as before, which is why I only started seeing this issue now.

 

[Hikaru]

Had the same exact problem with my Wilson 47d in my new Colt. Switched to CMC power mags and its no longer a problem. Shot hundreds of rounds without incident with CMC. Switched to a Wilson today for ****s and giggles and bingo, inertia feed. It's the mag not your gun.

 

[Arisley]

Easy fix. Tripp Super 7 springs and followers. No more problem.

 

[jamiesaun]

Easy fix. Tripp Super 7 springs and followers. No more problem.

Agreed

 

[COYOTE165]

Invest in some great Trips Cobra mags.? You will see that they are worth the extra $$$$.?

 

[MosinVirus]

Thank you all. I will go get some better parts.

 

[rocice]

When was the last time you cleaned the magazines?

 

[jtq]

The problem is inertia feed and while you could go the Tripp route, Wilson has replacement springs and followers for their mags.

Wilson Combat http://shopwilsoncombat.com/Replacement-Springs-_-Followers/products/57/

 

[evets5321]

Just a suggestion, but buy a magazine brush and take them apart about every 500 rounds and clean them. I also use a little silicone spray on the inside and outside of my mags and in the mag well. I had a Wilson mag that refused to drop out of the gun and Wilson replaced it, no questions asked. Someday I will own a Wilson CQB

 

[MosinVirus]

When was the last time you cleaned the magazines?

Never.

The problem is inertia feed and while you could go the Tripp route, Wilson has replacement springs and followers for their mags.

Wilson Combat http://shopwilsoncombat.com/Replacement-Springs-_-Followers/products/57/

Thanks, I will take look

Just a suggestion, but buy a magazine brush and take them apart about every 500 rounds and clean them. I also use a little silicone spray on the inside and outside of my mags and in the mag well. I had a Wilson mag that refused to drop out of the gun and Wilson replaced it, no questions asked. Someday I will own a Wilson CQB

I have bottle brushes... Won't those work

 

[bamashooter]

Bottle brushes will be ok. The mag brushes are like mini mops. If dirty enough to rate something besides spray, a piece of material on a long-stemed anything is fine. On the rare occasions I clean magazines I follow up with either a compressor or canned air. Unless in a sandy environment, my experience has been that magazines are pretty forgiving when it comes to cleanliness.

 

[MosinVirus]

Bottle brushes will be ok. The mag brushes are like mini mops. If dirty enough to rate something besides spray, a piece of material on a long-stemed anything is fine. On the rare occasions I clean magazines I follow up with either a compressor or canned air. Unless in a sandy environment, my experience has been that magazines are pretty forgiving when it comes to cleanliness.

I never let my mags drop, so they wouldn't get dirt in them outside of any carbon and other crap that sometimes ends up inside the pistol. But I will take a look. followers move down and up smoothly though, loading is easy (maybe too easy). But I will give them a cleaning nonetheless.

Thinking it has to be the springs as many people have already pointed out. Wouldn't have expected a Wilson Combat product to need to be "fixed", but I thought the same way about the trigger I got from them, that had a super loose overtravel screw. Oh well, will get springs anyway.