I have three questions regarding a .45 ACP M1911

[hunters_haven]

1) In the attached photo of the front part of the slide on my Colt Commander (serial range CLW006XXX) I need to install a new front sight that came off during some heavy self defense shooting drills. I want to make sure I know what attachment style I need in a replacement. Am I correct that this slide requires a tenon stake-on type front sight? Also, what would you recommend in the way of adhesive to help hold the sight on in addtion to the staking?

2) I am having a hard time dropping magazines from the mag well while doing rapid fire/reload drills. The magazines are blued steel (just like the pistol) 7 rounders and have a flat base plate with nothing to get purchase upon to help yank them out rapidly other than a small flat lip on the front of the base plate. Do I need to buy new magazines with a slam pad or perhaps buy magazines with a longer body and more capacity to provide something to pull?

3) With the three 7 round magazines I have, the one that came with the pistol used to lock the slide back when the last round was fired. Now it does not nor will it lock back with the other two magazines that I purchased second hand. One is a Colt factory mag and the other I think was supposed to be for a Sprinfield Armory .45 ACP. There are no other problems (feeds ammo just fine). Is this related to ammuntion, grip technique or magazine issues? If it is not easily apparent, how would I go about troubleshooting the issue?


I appreciate the time you are taking to answer my newbie questions!

 

[Slopemeno]

Well..

welcome to the world of 1911 fun...Heres what I would do if I were you:

1) Get your front sight either silversoldered on, or a dovetailed front sight installed. People will tell you that a properly staked front sight will stay put, but I've seen lots of them disappear. Silversoldered front sights will mean refinishing the slide, so pick a gunsmith who knows exactly what he's doing.
While youre at it, start to move away from the world of dots, bars, white outlines, etc. Black post front sight with a decent amount of light around it seems to be the hot setup.

2) Mag base pads arent for getting the mag *out*, but rather IN. One day you'll pinch your palm in between the edge of the magwell and the toe of the stock magazine..YAA that can hurt. Hence the mag base pad, which gives you a bit if distance...(man it makes my eyes water just remembering that)..

The mags not dropping can be one of three things: Either your mag well is a little tight, the lips of your mags are a little wide, or your mag catch is dragging on the mag. Either way the mag wont drop free. It's up to you and your gunsmith to make sure it doesnt happen again. Take a magic marker and go all over your mag, and reinsert it a couple of dozen times. You'll see the high spots that rub. You can clean the magic marker off with Gunscrubber. It can also be youre pushing the mag release in too far, which actually will hang up a mag. An oversize, fitted mag catch lock from Brownells will correct this; ask your gunsmith about that.

2a) The proper technique when this happens is: Hit the mag release..mag wont drop free. Grab the next mag, bring it up in front of the grip with your weak hand, and drag the stuck mag out via its toe with the heel of the new mag. Notice how your next mag ends up right by the mag well? Just move it back and in it goes. Not ideal but its good to practice this from time to time.

2b) I use 8 shot mags with a base pad. They are exactly the same size as a stock 7 rounder with a base bad.

3)Mine were made (I'm dating myself here big time) by a company called MagPac back in the '80's, but they still are holding up. Shooting Stars seem to hold up well. Never had much luck with Wilson's myself. Heres the point: Mags are a disposeable item. The instant one gives you trouble, pitch it. Buy one or two and see if they work well with your gun. If they work, I'd buy at least five, and maybe ten if the price is right. Brownells has good prices on stuff like that.