I have four Wilson Combat 47D 8 round 45 ACP magazines that I've had now for 5+ years.  They weren't locking the slides back on the last round so I bought some Wolff +5% replacement springs.  I thought that would solve the problem but the slide still isn't locking back after the last round.

I looked online, and spring replacement seems to be the answer but it isn't working.

Does anyone have any recommendations for me?  I appreciate the assistance!

The slide stop ledge on that mag looks chewed up. Buy some real mags.

http://shopwilsoncombat.com/1911-Service-Mag-Plus-45-ACP-Full-Size-7-Round-Stainless/productinfo/608

http://www.checkmatemagazines.com/cart/pc/viewPrd.asp?idcategory=11&idproduct=12http://

http://www.checkmatemagazines.com/cart/pc/viewPrd.asp?idcategory=11&idproduct=21

http://www.checkmatemagazines.com/cart/pc/viewPrd.asp?idcategory=11&idproduct=24

http://www.midwayusa.com/product/2084367982/colt-magazine-1911-government-commander-45-acp-steel

Stick to 7 rounders, GI followers, stout springs, and either hybrid (my preference), or wadcutter lips.

Samuse will likely follow up on this thread to shit on Wilson mags, and recommend the wadcutter mags I'm recommending. He's right, but I disagree with him on feed lips. I like hybrid style.

Checking in as a printer repairman with an opinion - in my travels on them thar gunboards, having spent more time reading more opinions of smiths than I really should have
My understanding is that it's not uncommon for people to have slidelock issues with wilson mags. If you have a bunch of wilson mags, some might do it, some might not.
I've see this with a TRP firsthand - every mag, new design, old design, tripp, CMC, they will lock back, and of 4 wilson combat mags, new, 2 won't.
I'm not the only person on the planet to see wilson mags do this. (still like wilsons, and would still recommend)

I'm going to take a guess in the dark and say that something like Tripp research mags will lock back just fine?
I believe a tripp research kit will fit in the magtube, and will likely breathe new life into the mag


I have to say that I'm a fan of the metal on the tripp followers. The springs are great, imho superior to regular wilson combat springs in terms of strength, going by feel.
I'm a fan of these new age followers, vs the "sliver of metal" follower style.


What to get from here on out?
The great part about the free market is that we can buy whatever we want, but there's 2 wilson mags I like.
Their HD +P flatwire spring mags (Nothing seems to have a stronger spring than those badboys)
and their Vickers mag, which is that with the tubes on steroids.
47D is absent from that list, I think tripp is superior to them.

I prefer the Tripps over the HD +Ps for shooting, the HDs for being stored in the gun,
Prefer the vickers (Dimple on the follower, I'm a fan) to both, Basepad's a little huge though.

I have "regular" mags, all ride the bench to the above, and if "I could do it all over again", I wouldn't bother with them.
No need to run a basic 7 rounder with the amount of good 8 rounders  (With proper tube length, good springs, and bettermousetrap followers) out there.

A user who shoots the Colt M45A1 as a work gun reported 27.5k rounds using Wilson mags, which I believe are ETMs, or ETM-Vs without stoppages.

I suppose that's a pretty good endorsement. I still disagree with those mags, but they apparently work.

Call Wilson, they will take care of you.

When my 47Ds didn't lock the slide back after the last round, it was due to spring fatigue.  Even after changing the springs, my 47Ds just aren't the most reliable.  

I have a SA TRP OP 1/2 rail.

If you can, buy one Tripp Research Cobra mag and try it out.  Tripp mags hasn't been giving me any problem.  Even though the 10 rounders don't work well for my gun.

Before you do anything hand-cycle and watch though the ejection port for adequate engagement of the mag follower and slide stop.
Mag springs first slide springs second to fix 'at speed' problems.

Better yet simply buy tripps mag upgrade kits.

Its what I used in my 10+ year old 47D mags.

I now only buy 47 Wilson mags due to long term reliability of the 47D

Top round smacking down into the bottom of the feedramp?
Supposedly that's a crapshoot that depends on the gun and depends on the mag.

I had tripp 10s. Left them loaded for a while, feedlips belled.
Learning - sometimes it's about making mistakes

time to send the mags back to wilson.

I don't always shit on Wilson mags, but when I do, it's a 47D.

Put a Tripp Super 7 kit, or a Wilson 10 round spring and follower in and it makes a helluva 7 round mag.

What's the gun?   I find Springfields can have a tight plunger system from having a longer-than-necessary slide stop plunger.   Not only does this interfere with reinsertion of the slide stop upon reassembly, it can also require a really stiff mag spring to force them up.

What I generally do is to shorten the slide stop plunger about 1/16" and add a real radius to the tip.

The 47D followers do tend to get chewed up over time, which Wilson will generally send you new ones if you explain the issue to them.

The rebuild kits Wilson sells for the 47D comes with both springs and a follower.  Should be about $8 each.  Or get the Tripps for about $8 each and loose a round.

I stopped buying the 47D's and buy the ETM's instead.

Thank you for all the replies, I appreciate the assistance.

The gun is a Tactical Rock Island and has worked well with the 47Ds.  I had a friend who shoots competitively open division with a 1911 Race Gun in 38 Super who recommended Chip McCormicks, but they didn't work for me.  I kept having rounds nose dive when trying to feed.

I'm reaching out to Wilson now.

Actually, it is always the 2nd round from the mag that has the problem.  It is always the high angle malfunction.  I bought one CMC Power Mag Plus 10 rounder.  Hopefully it will work.

Are you using a shok buff?

IMO you should start counting your rounds as you shoot and don't run the gun dry before you reload.  Problem solved.  It is not tactically smart to run your gun dry. FWIW quite a few old IPSC shooters used to dimple the slide stop so the slide would not lock back intentionally or accidentally.