Billy,
I don't want to be a "Spoil Sport" either...but I respectfully disagree.
The follower design DOES have an effect on the last round feeding higher into the gun. When you're shooting rounds 1-7 (in an 8 round Mag), the bottom round raises the top round into the chamber higher after the top round moves past the feed lips.
The Wilson 8 round follower because of the "Scooped Out" design, doesn't assist this effort like the Wilson 7 round, (and other rounded top followers) do. That's why Wilson, Pachmayer, Metalform, Chip McCormick, Tripp and others made the 7 round follower to be rounded/ raised on the top of it. Before this, all followers were flat like the original Colt followers. There has to be a reason the follower designs of today are "Rounded", and that is why...to get the last round up.
I do agree that the feed lip design can aid in getting the rounds higher into the chamber BEFORE they are stripped clear of the feed lips. This is one of Tripp's big selling points. (This also has some issues regarding the top round in the Mag contacting the bottom of an Extended Ejector...but we can visit that some other time.) Tripp at least is aware of it, and so is Wilson.
This "Scooped Out" follower design that Wilson uses only effects the last round feeding properly (which is where most of the 8 round problems occur along with improper springs). The other rounds, again are raised up after clearing the feed lips by the round beneath them and never contact the follower.
I also don't believe "you're reducing the ammo load" by using a 7 round Mag. IMO...an 8th round should never have been tried to be put in a 7 round body in the first place.
Look...I'm not saying that the 8 round designs are "Chronic Problems". Just that WHEN I have experienced an issue, it has been with the Wilson 8 round Mag. Guys like Clint Smith at Gunsite agree, and they see a lot of rounds go down the tube of a 1911 every year. He doesn't carry 8 round mags, and I'll bet there is nothing wrong with his 1911. I believe that Jeff Cooper, Lewis Awerbuck, Hilton Yam, Tim Lau, and many others support this position.
FWIW, I personally have used the Wilson 7 round Mags for >30 years, and the 8 round Mags for > 10 years. This is why I am so confident as to what I speak. Admittedly....I have not tried any other 8 Round manufacturers Mags. Other than for competition, I have not seen a compelling argument to pursue the 8 round Mag. further.
When you can ID the design flaw of a "Scooped Out" follower, like I have pointed out above, I find it difficult to accept that there is a problem with an otherwise flawless pistol. I have had 6 1911's. All very well tuned, and one had 30,000 rounds on it before it was retired without ANY failures with 7 round Wilson Mags. The 8 round Mags. just weren't as reliable.
So we don't go to war on this...we are talking a very small percentage of noted problems. Much less than 1 10th of a percent. But, that's high enough for me when a problem can be traced. I still use the 8 rounders in competition, but not for CCW. Again, the gun was just not designed for an 8 round Mag. in a 7 round body.
I'm done now. You can resume your normal scheduled programming.
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