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This thread illustrates the power of the media and of manufacturers to say what they want, whenever they want. Sticking just with 1911 mags I will make just a few points and encourage you all to step away from the internet and learn some basics about your 1911.

The biggest mistake people make in this arena is considering the magazine to be an accessory. Magazines are an integral part of the firearm. They cannot be mixed and matched, extended or contracted without causing trouble. If anyone thinks they know more about firearm design that JMB, please raise your hands. These days, if you want to shoot a 1911, you have to become your own gunsmith, because every manufacturer thinks he knows best what shape and size everything should be. Just watch the Glock become less reliable as aftermarket parts become the norm. Something to think about.

Unfortunately for the 1911 world in general, all kinds of ammunition is available now that was never intended to be used on the 1911 platform. The gun was designed to shoot 230 grain ball ammo in a 7-round magazine. The gun, the magazine and the cartridge were all designed together by Browning for maximum reliability. Now days, manufacturers think they can tweak the design of the magazines so their products will shoot all these ammo types "most of the time". Will you settle for "most of the time"?

I see lots of hands claiming that their whatever-it-is works perfectly with everything. Well, maybe it does. You got the 1 in 1000 off the line that isn't too fussy. But back to magazines. 7-rounds of 230 grain ball ammo, held in the original tapered feed lip magazine (sometimes referred to as a GI magazine) is how the 1911 was designed to feed and function with maximum reliability. Whenever 8, 9 or 10 round magazines have been tried, they have been found wanting. You can watch slow motion video all you want, but it won't tell you much. The physics is there for those who really want to know. The tendency for the top round to dive increases with the number of rounds in the mag. The last round pops out of the mag along with #6 unless it is held firmly by a dimple on the follower. The magazine spring itself is too weak to function with a stack of 8 rounds. The rim of the feeding round is designed to slide underneath the extractor. That design was called "controlled feed". Almost all modern 1911 mags throw out that idea just to claim that they will feed wadcutters or some other non-standard bullet shape.

Get yourself some Colt 7-round (hybrid) magazines from Brownells, or better yet, order some GI-style 7-round mags from Checkmate Industries. See if 99% of your feed problems don't disappear! Of course, everybody likes what he owns best. Keep in mind the 1911 platform, like any machine, is designed to do one thing well. Ever heard someone boasting that his 9mm will digest anything he feeds it? Nope. That's because everyone is feeding their 9mm with the same type of ammo.
So, you can have a blast at the range, or keep your 1911 in a sock drawer. But if you are expecting the kind of reliability this gun is capable of, use the magazines and the ammunition that were designed for it. My two cents worth.

WLB