Question on 1911 Magazines

tomandjerry00 · Jul 4, 2019

Howdy Folks,

I recently picked up a CMP 1911 (lucky I know!).

I was looking to pickup some magazine for it and am wondering if you have recommendations on which cheap ones will work? Also, 7 vs 8 rounds?

No home defense or anything, just range time.

Centerfire has stainless Korean mags for $10 with free shipping and was debating grabbing a few.

Thanks!

somd_mustangs · Jul 4, 2019

Cheap often isn't really cheap in the long run

I'd look for some decent WW2-era mags for it, they aren't too pricey and work just fine.

TLL · Jul 4, 2019

Order them from cmp. Mine work fine and cheap.

Sent from my SM-G900V using Tapatalk

Silverlode · Jul 4, 2019

I prefer Mec-Gar to many of the more expensive options and I have tried a lot of them. The 7 or the 10 rounders. These two options have the best follower and smoothest operation I have found.

Look at CDNN, they usually have them cheap.

photoracer · Jul 4, 2019

Most of the 1911 competition shooters in my club recommend Chip McCormack (CMC) mags, over even Wilson Combat mags. So when I won that Colt 1911 Competition model I bought 3 CMC RPM mags and a couple of CMC Range Pro mags to go with the 2 Colt ones it came with. So far so good (all 8 rd. mags). I heard of issues with some 10 rd. mags.

steves1911 · Jul 4, 2019

Dont get the cheap mags chances are they either wont drop free or wont hold slide open on the last round. Chip mcormick or wilson 47d.

manderson · Jul 4, 2019

Silverlode said:
I prefer Mec-Gar to many of the more expensive options and I have tried a lot of them. The 7 or the 10 rounders. These two options have the best follower and smoothest operation I have found.

Look at CDNN, they usually have them cheap.

Yup! Been using Mec-Gar for a long time with zero issues. I'm not a huge fan of Bud's Guns, but you can get the 7 rounders for $13.50

https://www.budsgunshop.com/catalog...ec-Gar+MGCG4507+1911+Magazine+7RD+45ACP+Blued

bpm32 · Jul 4, 2019

Metalform mags aren’t bad either.

Magnumite · Jul 5, 2019

Buy decent magazines, as suggested above.

I typically use Metalform, Springfield (actually Metalform), Mecgar, CMC, Ruger, ACT, Pachmyer. I have a couple Wilsons, but they are not the infallible magazine many are led to believe. If the pistol is correct it will feed with any of the major magazine makes.

Also, seven rounds mags will typically be more reliable than 8 round mags.

jimbobborg · Jul 5, 2019

Colt GI 1911 mags, $15.99 each. https://gunmagwarehouse.com/colt-1911-45-acp-7-round-magazine.html

TheOriginalMexicanBob · Jul 5, 2019

I haven't tried all magazines by a long shot but based on my limited experience with different brands I only use genuine Colt, Wilson Combat or Chip McCormick Shooting Star magazines. None have ever given an issue in my experience. Chip McCormick has been purchased by Wilson Combat so that might change quality...don't know Wilson's intentions with the brand...maybe they simply want the patent on the follower or maybe a different price point within the catalog.

Never trust a gun show no-name magazine. You might find good ones but they're essentially range mags you don't mind if you lose them. I would never trust one for serious training and use.

Pinecone · Jul 5, 2019

I ran Colt factory mags for many years without issues.

I competed with Chip McCormack 10 rounders without issues.

I have used both CMC and Wilson 8 rounders without any issues.

If they have the straight feed lips (not stepped), they may give you issues with other than hardball ammo. The step makes sure the round releases from the feed lips at the proper place to feed other bullet types

somd_mustangs · Jul 5, 2019

jimbobborg said:
Colt GI 1911 mags, $15.99 each. https://gunmagwarehouse.com/colt-1911-45-acp-7-round-magazine.html

Unfortunately I believe these are out-of-spec knock-offs and certainly not "Colt Factory" mags.
The CAGE code is for a company that no longer exists (MASON-RUST out of Pittsburgh); these mags have been talked about for years.
From AR15:

https://www.ar15.com/forums/handgun...eware_spurious_GI_magazines/49-158179/?page=1

99% chance they are fake. There may be some legit 30745 mags [currently on the market], but I doubt it.

Three ways to tell for sure:
1. Feed lips. Real GI mags have a constant taper from back to front, whereas the fake ones have a "step" parallel to the dimple on the follower.

[MY NOTE: that's for the GI-spec mags. And note the step on these mags is literally a notch when viewed from the side, whereas a good "stepped" mag like Wilson Combat is straight when viewed from the side, and more like "necked" when viewed from the top]

2. Witness holes. Look at the notch for the magazine catch. On a real GI mag, the nearest witness hole (the second one from the top) is slightly below that notch, while on fake ones the nearest witness hole is well above the magazine catch notch.

[MY NOTE: all of the witness holes are not opposite one another, in other words]

3. Baseplate lettering orientation. Hold the magazine so that the protruding tab on the baseplate is to your left. On a real GI mag, the lettering stamped on the baseplate reads correctly. On a fake mag, the lettering is rotated 180 degrees, so that it reads correctly if the tab is to your right.

[MY NOTE: the fit between mag body and base plate doesn't appear to be tight, and the spot welds are small/potentially weak based on other comments]

The "notch" at the back of the mag is also too shallow, and in the ad pic you can see the follower isn't even level.

Looking at the witness holes closer, the top hole is way too high so all the holes are too high.
That's what causes the second hole on the right side to be mis-spaced, otherwise it would be in the catch slot

CAGE code 1M291 is for Checkmate and those are legit.

pics from the ad listing:

Biggfoot44 · Jul 6, 2019

The BEST , most reliable followers are Virgil Tripp .

Magnumite · Jul 7, 2019

the discussed counterfeit mags may also be old seconds which didn't meet specifications and were rejected by the government. Often these were the 'gun show' mags. These were sold in droves for at least a few decades. Good tip on the letters orientation.

Pinecone · Jul 7, 2019

The stepped feed lips are not GI, but if done right, make the mags feed other than ball ammo more reliably.

I am not home to check, but I will check my Colt mags. I think they have the stepped feed lips. They are mostly from the 70s.

Biggfoot44 · Jul 9, 2019

Now you did it , you opened up the " tapered GI " vs " stepped swc " lip debate .

Pinecone · Jul 9, 2019

Biggfoot44 said:
Now you did it , you opened up the " tapered GI " vs " stepped swc " lip debate .

Yeap

Neot · Jul 9, 2019

I've mostly used Chip McCormack and Wilson Combat magazines in my 1911's with no issues. I wouldn't scoff at Mec-Gar magazines though. They make magazines for a ton of manufacturers such as Sig and just slap the Sig logo on there. I've run a bunch of their mags in Sigs and my CZ 75's without any issues at all and they were significantly cheaper.

Question on 1911 Magazines

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