1911 Magazine Rule Question

[Texas Bart]

I've got a couple of questions, this time concerning mags.

Page 6 of the Wild Bunch Action Shooting handbook, 5th bullet states "Magazines must be standard length and cannot hold more than eight rounds. No extended base pads on magazines. This means NO base pads of any kind. Empty magazines must weigh no more than three ounces." All my mags weigh less than 2.5 ounces, so that part is OK.

I currently have 7 mags, 1 marked Shooting Star, 2 Kimber and 4 KemPro Tac-Mags. The 4 KimPro's have removable base pads, which I have removed. With the base pads removed they appear to be the same as the original Kimber mags, except for the fact that the metal base of the mag can be removed. Is this acceptable?

My second question comes from reading the Pistol Magazines section of the Match Directors Handbook on Page 7, third bullet, which states "Magazine must fit flush with bottom of frame when inserted." If that is taken literally, none of my magazines are acceptable. With my Kimber disassembled all mags go in beyond flush but when assembled the mag spring against the slide lock or bottom of slide pushes the magazine out to the point that it protrudes beyond the bottom of the frame from 0.020" to 0.050", depending on brand of mag. Has anyone had this checked at a match and if so, what is the procedure for checking "flush with bottom of the frame"? Pushing the mag in against the spring pressure brings the mag in past flush with the frame.

Going to shoot the LA state match the end of this month and don't want a Match DQ, even if for Scoring Purposes Only.

[Boggus Deal]

Texas Bart, I'm certain your mags are legal. The .020-.050 is nominal. Does the bottom of the mags look like a standard GI mag? I'll be at that match with plenty of spare mags. We will get you checked out before the match, my friend.

[Texas Bart]

Boggus Deal,
Thank you sir for the offer. I will be at the LA match on Friday the 30th for early registration and will look for you there. After removing the base pads I had no doubt they were legal until I read the Match Directors Handbook referring to the "flush fit" and began to have doubts.

To answer your question, no, when looking at the mags from the bottom they do not look the same. I've attached a link to the Kimber web site showing the mags (mine are 8 round) and base. The retainer referred to (but not shown) is approximately 0.027" thick and fits inside the mag with a protrusion that fits into the center hole in the magazine base plate.  The bottom of mag itself has lips on each side that fit into the cut outs you can see in the second link below. When assembled the mag spring forces the retainer protrusion into the magazine base and the fit is tight enough that the retainer is captured in the mag. To disassemble, pushing the protrusion in through the center hole of the base against the mag spring pressure allows the base plate to slide out to the front. Then the retainer will come out and the mag can be completely disassembled and cleaned. Couldn't find a bottom view on the Kimber site and hope all this makes sense.

http://store.kimberamerica.com/catalogsearch/result/index/?limit=all&q=KimPro+tac-mag
http://store.kimberamerica.com/magazine-base-plate-retainer

Don't know ahead of time who else will be there but I will be shooting at Oakwood Monday the 12th and will show these mags around and see if anyone is familiar with them, or with the mag check procedure used at matches.

[Boggus Deal]

Nellie Blue will be there at the match, along with Possum Skinner. I do not know when they will arrive. I won't until Saturday morning.
I can't tell from the Kimber site but will try to dig deeper. As I said, if all else fails, I'll have plenty of magazines.

[Texas Bart]

Will see you there Saturday morning.

[Boggus Deal]

Texas, looking at the magazines on my laptop instead of my phone, I am still going to say those are legal.

[Texas Bart]

I firmly believe they are but I have been wrong a few times in the past 70 years. My kimber seems to like them so hope you are right.

[marshal stone]

I use KimPro  magazines without the optional base pads. They are perfectly legal.

Marshal Stone

[Texas Bart]

Showed these mags around the Oakwood match on Monday and everyone there says legal also. That makes it unanimous so my concern level has moved to 0.00.

Thanks to All