My carry gun, a Wilson 5" CQB doesn't have a magwell but the opening has a generous bevel around it and I'm only slightly slower on the clock when reloading it versus a magwell equipped gun. So for me, I can take it or leave it on a CCW gun but I definitely want a magwell on my match blaster.Originally Posted by newyork
Having used both there’s definitely a real difference. Whether it’s “worth it” is contextual, for me at least. My carry gun is bobtailed, so no magwell whether I want one or not (and for me the bob is a real concealment advantage). My other two 1911s are also setup without one, both to optimize them for their role as carry backups and to have them as close as possible to the carry gun for use as practice guns. So I have my reasons for avoiding them. If I ever buy a fourth 1911 it’ll be a lightweight version of the bobtailed gun.
But one of the others came with a well and I’ve used it off and on - it is definitely faster, if only because it gives you a little grace to not be absolutely perfect with your mag alignment.
My personal opinion is that on a carry gun, the difference in speed doesn’t matter, and based on that I elect to not use them at all for the sake of consistency, since my carry guns won’t have them. But that’s just an opinion.
Thank you gentlemen. Those match the experience of a good friend of mine. I remember with my Garthwaite, dry fire reloads greatly improved my speed and gracefulness for lack of a better word, with the reloads as it had no magwell.
FWIW
I have only used the Wilson slip on magwell.
Hilton Yam on the old 10-8 forum posted something that always stuck w me.
“A magwell can make an 85% reload a 95% reload quite easily.”
My thoughts are I increase my speed and reliability of said reload in both the competition and CCW contexts w little to no concealment penalty.
I acknowledge this is an easily position to take when I have never owned more than 3 1911s at any point in time and I am using an unfitted 30.00 part v a fitted Smith & Alexander or better across more pistols.
I am not your attorney. I am not giving legal advice. Any and all opinions expressed are personal and my own and are not those of any employer-past, present or future.
Your post reminded me of Kevin B's anecdote about a similar pattern. He returned from a 9 mos deployment during which he shot ~1000 rds a week through Glocks and upon return could immediately outperform his Glock shooting with his 1911.
“Remember, being healthy is basically just dying as slowly as possible,” Ricky Gervais
The best part of never leaving the 1911, is not having to go back. LOL
My main reason for leaving the 1911 was because I switched to 9mm and wanted more magazine capacity. At that time I was shooting a lot of 3-gun and was getting killed by the guys running 17-20 round mags. Since I carry what I compete with, I went with a P30 as the best all around pistol for me, and felt the grip was more similar to a 1911 than the other offerings on the market. The trigger was a lot different but it didn't take me long to figure that out.
It wasn't because of weight or reliability, although the P30 has astonished me with how reliable it is. I've never replaced a mag in the 10 years I have been shooting it but had to replace 1911 mags every couple years.
-Seconds Count. Misses Don't-
There has been a placeholder in my gun spending plans for that thing since the day it was announced....I also suspect I will end up with both the full size and compact specimens and I am ready to be one of their beta testers....just cause.
Slightly different, but relevant. Bill Wilson has told me that he transitions from the 1911 to the Beretta 92 instantly, but going from 92 to 1911 takes much more effort.
Likes pretty much everything in every caliber.
I took my "shoots-once-every-8-months" wife to the range a while back. We rented a basic Springfield Mil-Spec, .45.
She put a two-inch group on paper at 10 yards, right in the center of the target. Never even seen a 1911 before. My results were just as good if not better. Shootability, accuracy, precision, user-friendliness, intuitive interface... whatever you wanna call it, the 1911 definitely has it.
I've found other platforms that offer similar shooting characteristics with more "certain" reliability, for less cost, effort, etc. Obviously a government-sized 1911 is the most fool proof in terms of reliability... but I tend to think that's a little too big for a go-to carry gun. I'd love to have a CCO-sized gun that was as dead-nuts reliable as a Sig P220 or a Browning Hi-Power... but... I feel like that's gonna cost me 2 grand plus; I'm not sure I'd trust an off-the-shelf commander/CCO from a non-custom gun maker. Especially when a P220 shoots just about as accurately as any 1911 I've shot.
So, I don't actually own any 1911s at the moment. But, I feel like the platform offers a lot of what I'm looking for in a handgun... just at an overall cost that doesn't make sense for me, right now.
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