1911 Magazine modification necessary on Wilson Combat Mag well?

[Kumpy]

I have a Wilson Combat custom magazine wells (not the speed cute with built in mainspring housing) and I have a Smith & Wesson 1911 with stock Novak 8rd magazines. I also have chip McCormick's 8rd & 10rd magazines. The Novak 8rd magazines will not fit because the Wilson Combat mag wells are not bevelled enough. I bought it to a local gunsmith and he modified 2 of my Novak Magazines by shaving down the butt plates of the magazines. Should I do this to all 4 of my Novak 8rd mags and 2 of my 10rd Chip McCormick magazines (does not fit either) or do I file down my Wilson Combat mag well??

 

[jkelly]

I’ve run into this same problem. My Wilson 47Ds, which came with my 1st S&W 1911 and my Chip McCormicks work with the Wilson clip on magazine well, while the ACT magazines that came with my 2nd S&W 1911 won’t work with it. I have 7-47Ds, 3-Chip McCormicks,2-ACTs magazines and only the two ACTs will not work.

A rule of thumb is to modify that piece of equipment that is least expensive to replace. For instance you file the replacement front sight and not the dove tail of the slide it is to fit into.

In this case both are replaceable and inexpensive so your choice should be based on the work/cost to modify the equipment. Is it cheaper to modify the Wilson magazine well once, modify all your magazines that need it (now and into the future), or replace either your magazines or magazine well with one(s) that work?

If you are not going to buy magazines that work with your Wilson magazine well then modifying it to work with your choice of magazines could be the right way to go.


Respectfully,

jkelly