Similarities of 1911 mags to XDS mags

[psychohellbilly666]

Just picked up a new Springfield XDS this past weekend. While admiring it lol I noticed it basically uses a shortened 1911 mag with a different location for the catch. So my question to gunsmithing savy people. What's the likelihood of converting a 1911 mag where it would work in both reliably.

[lee n. field]

While admiring it lol I noticed it basically uses a shortened 1911 mag with a different location for the catch.

The same could be said of Ruger P 90/97/345 magazines. Springs and followers are interchangeable w/ 1911 (AFAIK), mag catch hole in a different place. I speculate that it was probably done deliberately, to keep people from using cheap 1911 magazines of unknown quality.

What's the likelihood of converting a 1911 mag where it would work in both reliably.

Mayyyyybe. Try it and see. Even good 1911 magazines aren't very expensive,

----edit to add---

so if you waste one modifying it, you're not out much.

Looking at the pics at Midway, I suspect the modification would be more trouble than it's worth if not totally impractical. 5 round magazines are $23, 7 round with sleve, $32. Not, IMHO, all that expensive.

[psychohellbilly666]

It's not the cost issue. Just I carry a 1911 as a travel gun. The XDS as everyday concealed carry. Would be cool if both could run same mags in a shtf scenario.

[AZGlock13]

I have both a SA XDS 3.3" .45ACP and numerous 1911s and I can tell you the mags look very similar, but they are not quite the same. Basically, when I first got my XDS, I thought that I could use a belt mag pouch that I have from Comp-Tac (Kydex) for 1911 mags and use that to carry a spare XDS mag when I IWB carry my XDS. I was wrong. The XDS mags would not fit in it. If I remember right, the XDS mags are a tad to long (front to back) to fit in a mag pouch made for 1911 mags. The only good news was, I also have a Comp-Tac belt mag pouch made for Sig P220 mags and the XDS mags fit in it perfectly. When I get home later today, I'll try to insert a XDS mag (I have both the 5rd ones and the extended 7rd ones) directly into one of my 1911's mag well and see how it fits. My guess is, a XDS mag won't insert because like the 1911 mag pouch I tried with, the XDS mag will be too long (front to back) to fit in a 1911's mag well. I'll also try inserting a 1911 mag into my XDS' mag well, but I bet there will be too much slop/play (front to back) for it to work even if a new mag catch hole could be correctly made to a 1911 mag for the XDS' use.

[psychohellbilly666]

@azglock13. What are your experience and thoughts on the XDS. I haven't got mine to the range yet. Seems well made. Also reviews from YouTube seem pretty positive.

[AZGlock13]

I really like mine a lot. Yes, I agree it is made very well. It has almost the same feel as my Walther PPS 9mm (which I really like a lot as well). I have shot about 150rds (both FMJs and JHPs) thru my XDS already. I only had a few FTFs (feed) at first, but has been flawless the last 100rds or so. I like shooting it with the extended 7rd mags with their adapter sleeves off (they feel kinda annoying to me in my hand with the sleeves on them). Great gun for conceal carry for sure (I use a Kydex IWB holster with it).

I tried a XDS mag in one of my 1911s this evening and sure enough it is both slightly too wide and slightly too long (front to back) to enter into the 1911's mag well. I then took a 1911 mag (a kimber mag) and it fits in the XDS' mag well with no problems at all. Of course with just a tad bit of play both side to side and front to back. If a XDS mag catch hole could be cut into the 1911 mag, I suppose it would stay locked in the mag well, but I would definitely only use that mag as a strict range only mag. I would not trust a modified 1911 mag in the XDS for defensive purposes. Hope this helps.

[psychohellbilly666]

Did you have any issues with light off center strikes to primers. I have read on issues with that and the need to keep it "wet" to avoid this issue. It may be a couple weeks before I can get mine to the range. Also while hand cycling it it seems to not want to fully go backwards "the slide" to eject. It seems to catch an eighth inch or so.

[AZGlock13]

No, I didn't ever have any issues with light primer strikes. Yes, when I first got it and manually tried to eject a unfired chambered round, with the mag already removed first, the slide would not quite always go enough back by hand and was somewhat hard to remove the chambered round. Ejection of the spent cases were never an issue during live fire though. After firing about 150 rounds or so thru it, it is now easier to have a chambered unfired round to fully come out when working the slide force-ably to the rear (again with the mag removed first).

[psychohellbilly666]

I did make it to the range. Fired 50 rounds of federal and 5 of pmc hp. No problems to speak of. Did have 2 instances of ftf on new mag. I possibly rode the slide. Had good grouping of 2 inches at about 15 yards. It was left of where I was aiming but all hit there. So I assume possibly I was not using enough trigger finger according to a chart I have.

[Shouk2006]

Modified my 1911 mag yesterday took about 3 minutes my xds fired all 8 rounds and locked the slide. Mag stayed in place great until released. Going to make a few more and it wasn't a bad feel even without the grip extension