20 round mags obsolete?

[Kingman]

Flex, not sure if the 18 in a para .45 will make the gauge. I have seen it, not 100% reliable when I did it before.

[Flexmoney]

I dunno...it's been a while. This was probably "pre-gauge".

When we tried it out, we just took a Dawson baspad off a P16-40 and put it on a P14-45...loaded up 18 (tight, IIRC).

[Kingman]

Interesting. Well one thing that we do know is that most people do get a round or two extra in a para versus an S_I frame. When I tried the extended pads on a para I never was able to get it to run right. But this was a long time ago. The only thing I remember about those pads was they were red and made from aluminum.

[Paul B]

I've always felt better with more rounds - it takes away one of the things on the mental checklist. When I shot a .45 para I always hd 18+1 to start with Dawson or Grams pads and when I went to .40 I start with 22+1 the same way.

[HSMITH]

17 is pretty easy in a P14, might take some finagling to get it 110% reliable depending on parts used but it isn't hard to get the capacity. 18 can be done, but I haven't seen it reliable yet. Grams has had some Para 45 cal followers on the drawing board for a couple years, I was talking to him about them 3 years ago, that would allow 18 rounds reloadable. From what I remember of our conversations he had prototyped them, made a couple refinements, tested and was just waiting on enough time to switch up production to make them. Maybe this new rule will bring out enough demand for him to put them in production, but I don't know. We snarf up his standard products at a tremendous rate and I could see that it might be hard to justify production of something that will have a pretty limited market. I have an old P14 that I absolutely love but haven't shot in about 3 years due to capacity disadvantage. If Grams puts the 18 round parts together I will be one of the first to put a credit card down for them, and put my old P14 back in the rotation.

20 round mags aren't going anywhere, and the 21 round mag search will continue with just as much intensity as it has ever had. I would NOT want to go to a match without a 20 round mag when I know they are available. I personally have a mix of 19 and 20 round S_I mags, and I use them all, but it will be very rare to find my Limited gun with less than 21 rounds in it at the start signal. I often reload to a 19 round mag, but don't start with them unless I intend to reload soon after the beep. There is NO downside to having reliable magazines that hold more ammo than you need, there IS a downside to having reliable magazines that hold less than you need. I don't know about all of you guys but often enough my plan goes to hell and the extra capacity has never been a bad thing. I will take EVERY single round I can get in a reliable magazine!!

[Kingman]

exactly

[Paul B]

Got 100% reliability from my para with grams followers and Dawson pads. Used stock para springs - the old type for 18 + 1. Replaced the springs annually. Would not want to reload with 18 but it will start off that way and does not jam. Same set up for the .40 will give 22 in the mag + 1 and it works from the start would only reload with 21 in the mag.

[G+16]

I shoot a springfield widebody with para 14-45 mags, dawson pads, fooling around with springs and followers, I can get 18 rounds reloadable in 3 of the 6 mags, plus one in the pipe

I've had grams base pad kit on order for 2 yrs. now, when he makes em I'll use them