1911 bolt over base malfunction

[Gunfighter13]

My recoil spring was in backwards! Damn I didn't realize that could cause a problem? The whole gun was taken apart including the extractor and firing pin the night before I shot and it was well lubed. The mags could be an issue since they were used when I bought them. It did have a shok-buff installed when I bought the gun but I took it out before I shot it! Does anyone ever have problems with there Wilson mags not seating all the way even when you smack the crap out of them during reloads! It didnt seat properly at a gun match two weaks ago when I was reloading. The first time it did that I made sure i smacked it in but it did it again two stages later?

Wilson mag springs seem to have a short life. For eight or ten round mags you can't beat CMC Power mags. The wilson eight round mags I have fit eight rounds and thats it. My Novak, Tripp and CMC fit eight and one half to three quarter rounds. Wilsons are fine if you only reload on a dry gun.

[sff70]

Progressive springs have an open end and a closed end. The open end always goes toward the muzzle.

Conventional springs have 2 closed ends. Doesn't matter which end is to the muzzle.

Wilson 47D (8 round) mags are no longer than their 47 (7 round) mags, so the spring gets very compressed and you have to seat the mag with authority when the slide is forward.

Other mags have a longer mag tube, so the spring isn't compressed quite as much.

I, too, have found that the springs on Wilson 47/47D mags have a short life. The springs in my McCormick mags are noticably stronger when new, and last much longer. No issues at all with them.

As to shock buffs, they cause many more problems than they solve.

And as far as I'm concerned, they don't solve anything.

[Gunfighter13]

Progressive springs have an open end and a closed end. The open end always goes toward the muzzle.

Conventional springs have 2 closed ends. Doesn't matter which end is to the muzzle.

Looks the same to me.

[sff70]

Hmmmmm.

Going way back to 93, to my first instuctor school, I remember being told this was how to tell the difference between the types.

Maybe I've been wrong all these years?

Wouldn't be the first time.

[Gunfighter13]

Hmmmmm.

Going way back to 93, to my first instuctor school, I remember being told this was how to tell the difference between the types.

Maybe I've been wrong all these years?

Wouldn't be the first time.

The top one is out of a 70 Colt.

[sff70]

Getting a bit OT, but . . .

Just looked at the various Wolff and ISMI springs I have on hand. All have 1 open end and 1 closed end.

I have 4 additional spring for an STI recoil master (for an USPSA open gun). They have 2 closed ends. Not sure who makes this spring.

Called Wolff. They wouldn't speculate on what 2 closed ends means.

Called ISMI. They stated a spring having 2 closed ends doesn't tell you what type of spring it is, and explained that the extra 1/2 coil on a closed end doesn't do any extra work.

In summary, this is something I'd long believed to be so. Finding out it's not reminds me of when I learned it's not necessary to stagger the gaps in the gas rings . . .