1911 mag changes

[mikemiller]

I'm new to shooting CDP in IDPA, and I'm wondering about my mag changes on my 1911. I've seen many shooters just slam their magazines into the gun, causing the slide to drop without either hitting the slide stop or sling-shotting the slide. Is this something that needs to be setup on the gun in order to happen?

If I slam my mags in, I can get the slide to drop about half of the time, but I'm really hammering on the magazines to get this to happen. Could this be harming the gun at all? What does the top round in the magazine slam against to make the slide drop?

Thanks for any info on this. I'm new to 1911s too.

[Jim Watson]

I have seen a lot of Glocks drop the slide when a magazine is firmly seated, and my CZ75 will sometimes but not often enough or reliably to be "tactically" useful. But it is not normal for a 1911 and those that do are usually a little out of whack someplace. Don't hammer the magazine in, punch the lever with your left thumb like the gun was made for.

[plumbum2]

dont most uspsa courses not require you to shoot until slide lock?

most vids i have seen they shoot till MAG is empty but one in the pipe and do a mag change...

[Jim Watson]

USPSA does not require slide lock reloads. Many shooters disable their slide stops so they are not at risk of the gun stopping open in mid string. They are going to reload when the CoF makes it convenient and before empty. Few will push it to the point of doing a Cooper reload with round in the chamber but mag empty.

IDPA requires either slide lock or "tactical" reload.

[plumbum2]

all of the vids ive seen are "cooper" i take it. with an open gun. they do a mag change and keep shooting without chambering a round ect. so i know their is one in the pipe. if i was doing this type of comp. thats the only way i would do it...

[Jim Watson]

The magazines they are dropping in those videos are not necessarily empty. Three rounds are not going to be much help if your next target array demands a dozen and you can reload on the way.

[rhino465]

Really slamming mags into a 1911 when the slide is locked back can cause a couple of problems.

The most common is over-insertion of the magazine. It's more common with 10rd mags, but it can happen with standard length magazines as well. If you do it, your gun is a paperweight until find a tool or some other means to either push the magazine out through the ejection port, or pull it free from the other direction. When they are really stuck, most people can't pull them free with just their hands.

Another thing that can happen is the top round popping out of the magazine and dropping into the chamber. That's not a big deal ... until you drop the slide, which strips another round behind, thus creating a genuine double feed. You can fix that, but it's slow.

Reloading with the slide close allows for more vigorous mag insertion (and sometimes it is need if your springs are stiff), but when the slide is locked back, it's better to be less energetic.

[TimP]

Most of the time when I shoot USPSA I don't shoot till the gun is dry, but sometimes I do. Believe it or not there are times when you will miss a piece of two of steel, and run the gun dry. My G35 will reliably drop the slide when a mag is inserted in.

[h4444]

I disable mine as a general rule. Don't want rounds dragging on them causing premature slide locks,,,,if I go to slide lock in a match,,,,that hurts my time and if I'm empty or malfunctioning,,,I want to eliminate another "gadget" to fiddle with.

"Rack 'er and go".

But, that's the mentality of a die hard USPSA shooter. I do keep a few guns with the slide stops functional for the occasional IDPA match, but I'm really picky about the ammo I run through them, I may sure it won't drag and cause malfunctions.

H4444

[Steve Koski]

Originally posted by plumbum2
all of the vids ive seen are "cooper" i take it. with an open gun. they do a mag change and keep shooting without chambering a round ect. so i know their is one in the pipe. if i was doing this type of comp. thats the only way i would do it...

Read the post. IDPA

[Steve Koski]

Originally posted by mikemiller
I'm new to shooting CDP in IDPA, and I'm wondering about my mag changes on my 1911. I've seen many shooters just slam their magazines into the gun, causing the slide to drop without either hitting the slide stop or sling-shotting the slide. Is this something that needs to be setup on the gun in order to happen?

If I slam my mags in, I can get the slide to drop about half of the time, but I'm really hammering on the magazines to get this to happen. Could this be harming the gun at all? What does the top round in the magazine slam against to make the slide drop?

Thanks for any info on this. I'm new to 1911s too.

Some guns will drop the slide when a mag is rammed home. I don't recommend this in a 1911, due to over-insertion problems that others have mentioned.

Just seat the mag firmly and press the slide stop lever down with your left thumb.

Koski

[Custom Glock Racing]

Originally posted by mikemiller
Is this something that needs to be setup on the gun in order to happen? Yes, basically you cut the slide stop until it just barely engages the slide notch.