Help w/ 6 rd mag for Series 80 Officers Model

[skypine27]

I have a Colt MK IV Series 80 Officers model. (5th one down, stainless, left side view) http://world.guns.ru/handguns/hg04-e.htm

It came with 2 six round magazines, one stainless and one black.

For some reason unknown to me, the stainless mag almost always fails to eject when empty. It hangs immediately after pressing the release, and you have to slide a finger nail under the base and pull it out. The black mag ejects flawlessly everytime.

Where can I get another one of these black mags? I cant find any choices of six round magazines with just the steel base (no slam pads) anywhere.

Ive had good luck with Chip McCormicks 8 round magazines for my full size Springfield TRP, but Im not sure if any of these will fit my Series 80 Officer model, they all say they are 7 round:

http://www.chipmccormickcorp.com/merchant2/merchant.mv?Screen=CTGY&Store_Code=CMC&Category_Code=MGSSCM

Will any of these fit either?

http://www.wilsoncombat.com/a_magazines_compact.asp

Thanks!

PS. Whats a good drop in fixed night sight replacement for this gun? The rear site has allready had one of the little glow dots fall off.

[N7CAV]

Any 1911 magazine will fit in your OACP, just stick out the bottom a little. If your sticking magazine isn't cause by a weak follower (Tilting forward and hanging up inside the well) -- Look for ware spots on the magazine body, it may have some buldge that is dragging. (I've seen old GI magazines that had convex divots banged into the front radius from beating around with rounds loaded. The buldges caused drag in the magazine well, but could be sanded down if you wanted to re-finish the magazine)

My Series-80 Colt Officer's Model (Same one you have) was a bottomless money pit from the word go. I finally traded it for a 14" aluminum fishing boat (Made me MUCH happier) I still have an all metal stainless, checkered mainstring housing, bushing and maybe a few other parts left over - no magazines however. I hope the feed and function of your weapon is VASTLY more reliable than the one I had. :-)

[Chuck S]

I'm using Metal Form welded base 7-round magazines. Work perfectly and, unlike the factory magazines, have a lip sticking forward of the grip front strap so you can rip the magazine out if something happens. The mags are stainless steel, the flash makes them look black.
http://img.villagephotos.com/p/2004-11/892154/FRLXU-IMG_0235.JPG

John Nowlin just installed dot-over-bar tritium sights on this pistol for me.
http://img.villagephotos.com/p/2004-11/892154/WKQBH-IMG_0234.JPG
Gunsite Low Thumb Safety. Thin Aluma Grips (of course). Pistol is otherwise stock,

-- Chuck

[rhtwist]

Howdy,
I used Wilson 7 rounders in the Officers. No problems. Having broken the slide stop by slamming a GM standard mag in the pistol while the slide was back, I advise caution. Also was lucky as I didn't have problems with functioning of the pistol. Good luck.

[N7CAV]

Howdy,
I used Wilson 7 rounders in the Officers. No problems. Having broken the slide stop by slamming a GM standard mag in the pistol while the slide was back, I advise caution. Also was lucky as I didn't have problems with functioning of the pistol. Good luck.

Wow! Must have really jammed her home, Did the magazine survive?

[1911Tuner]

Probably caused by a bulge, dent, ding, or something out of spec on the dimensions. you can coat it with a dark-colored magic marker and see where the contact points are. light filing, stoning, or a little squeeze in a vise may be all it takes.

Metalform makes magazines for your OM. Stick with the 6-round versions
with the flat, dimpled followers, and opt for the wolff spring upgrade...only available with stainless magazines. Arrange a group buy, order 40 or more, and you get a huge price break...and they'll mix and match. Call their toll-free
number....punch 4 when the options menu starts, and ask for Ginny.
*****************

Chuck S,

Your factory Colt magazines probably ARE Metalform. Look on the base...
If you see an "M" stamped on it...it's a Metalform. :cool:

[Nathan]

Wilson and many others make magazines that fit your gun. They make a 6rd and 7rd mag for your gun. They make both because many people believe that the rounded follower is the only one which will feed. With Wilson, 6 or 7's are probably both fine. IMHO, Wilson makes the best mags. Metalform is also good. Anything coded compact or officer will fit your gun. Failure to extract can be caused by a weak magazine especially if extracttor tension isn't quite perfect.

I personally would stay away from CMC mags because the follower is not properly held in the mag. It can scratch and/or hang up in your gun.

There are no drop in sights for your gun because the front sight is staked in. I would shop for a good pair of sights like the AO sights or Novaks. Even though it will be about $200 for the full install, it will be a greatt set of sights and add value to your gun.

[1911Tuner]

Quote:

>Failure to extract can be caused by a weak magazine<
**************
:confused:

Howdy Nathan, and welcome aboard. I'm 'fraid you're gonna hafta 'splain that one...If the extractor's right, it'll extract and eject just fine without the magazine even bein' there.

Standin' by... :cool:

[rhtwist]

Hello N7CAV,
Yes the magazine survived. Was running a IPSC course, didn't notice until the slide did not lock back and I fired empty( I apologize now that I don't remember if it was a GM 10 or standard mag). I guess the Wilson 6 rounder would work. Hearing from members that I believe are more knowledgable than me suggest that the proper mag especially in the Officers is critical for proper function, and suggest the metal follower with a dimple. Read thread on why.
Have fun.

[Chuck S]

Thanks for the note on the Officer ACP factory magazines. Baseplates are marked

{Pony} COLT over 45 AUTO M over S (Metal Form stainless?)

These have the standard flattop forked follower with a tit, hold 6 rounds, and often won't hold the slide back. They also fit flush with the front strap so they're very difficult to remove in the event of a Failure to Extract on any but the last round in the magazine.

-- Chuck

[1911Tuner]

Thanks for the note on the Officer ACP factory magazines. Baseplates are marked

{Pony} COLT over 45 AUTO M over S (Metal Form stainless?)

These have the standard flattop forked follower with a tit, hold 6 rounds, and often won't hold the slide back. They also fit flush with the front strap so they're very difficult to remove in the event of a Failure to Extract on any but the last round in the magazine.

-- Chuck

Hey Chuck,

Yep...M over S is Metalform Stainless, and they're very good magazines.

The failure to lock the slide is either the follower angle is wrong...or just the shelf that engages the slidestop lug. It should match the angle on the top of the follower and run parallel to it. Or...the spring itself is weak or possibly out of spec. A Wolff 11-pound spring...intended for standard 7-round magazines...will drop into the 6-round Officer's Model mag...allow for full capacity..and pretty well solve any magazine timing problems that show up on the chopped 1911 variants. If the mag is good, and the follower angle and geometry are spot on, if you still have problems after installing the Wolff
spring....it's time to look at something else.

With the issue of the magazine not falling free, either it's deformed or wide out of spec, and probably in a bind with the trigger bow or the catch shelf.
Color it with a marker and see where the contact is.

[Nathan]

Quote:

>Failure to extract can be caused by a weak magazine<
**************
:confused:

Howdy Nathan, and welcome aboard. I'm 'fraid you're gonna hafta 'splain that one...If the extractor's right, it'll extract and eject just fine without the magazine even bein' there.

Standin' by... :cool:

Good point, I stand corrected with modern long ejectors. The timing is independent because they eject more horizontally.

But with a GI type ejector. . .I saw this information in the Kuhnhausen manuals where it explains the timing of the gun in detail. With a short ejector which a stock Colt Officer model probably has, the slide travels farther to the rear before ejection begins. This causes the magazine to push up and push the ejected case more vertical. If a small ejection port gun, which a stock OM may be, the case must go more vertical to get through the hole reliably. A weak mag spring, in theory, may not push the next round or follower up into the case being ejected in time. This would foul the timing up and cause a failure.

Also, a 7rd mag doesn't have a round top follower which would not push on the round being ejected. This could cause a 7rd OM mag to be unreliable in a GI type gun. A 6rd Wilson, would have this round top follower. I would use this mag in a GI type gun.

[1911Tuner]

Howdy Nathan,

I had a feelin' that was what you meant. Sometimes Jerry doesn't clearly convey what he's tryin' to. He was referring to the difference that an extended ejector makes in the ejection timing...but it doesn't have anything to do with extraction.

In a nutshell...The long ejector hustles the round out while the slide is still over the magwell, and prevents the upcoming round from bumping the empty case until it hits the ejector. The extended ejector also gets the case clear before it can affect the upcoming round too.

Sometimes, the effect that a clocking extractor has on a round...usually the last round...is mistaken for a failure to eject. It appears to leave the case in the port because the slide crushes it between the breechface and barrel hood...but that's a whole 'nother can of worms. The case extracts, but when the extractor rotates counter-clockwise, it drops the case low enough to keep the ejector from kicking it clear. The case...still held fast by the extractor...depresses the mag follower, keeping the slidestop from locking the slide. Fhe slide then tries to return to battery, with the case cocked upward at an angle and is caught between the slide and the hood. I've seen some that will actually stuff the empty case partway into the magazine as the slide recoils.

This symptom occurs on the last round on a flat follower. Followers with
round profiles don't let the case fall far enough to do that trick. It's the same
effect as having ammunition in the magazine to keep the case from dropping,
and generally only produces erratic ejection as a sigh that something is wrong.

Cheers!

Tuner