1911 cheap mag question: "FBI mags"

[Anchorite]

I have a cardboard box full of Cheap 1911 mag's ...
started shooting the 1911's in 1965 ... my "Thrifty" nature was always tempted by the "Cheap" magazines and I would order a couple just to see if Cheap Magazines were Good Magazines ...
None were , you pays for what you get ... the best and most reliable 1911 mag buy is Mec-Gar , 7 round ...
These bad boys just keep on trucking ... Trust Me On This !
Gary

Send those cheap magazines to Ed Brown for trade in.

Ed Brown Magazine Exchange Program

Send us your old 1911 magazine(s) from ANY maker, and for each one you send, you can upgrade to a brand new Ed Brown Performance Mag for as little as $10.

www.edbrown.com

 

[hso]

You could buy the excellent Metalform magazines for the same price.

Metalform Magazines and Accessories for Sale

Browse our huge selection of Metalform aftermarket magazines for your AR-15, P320, or 1911. Find the best online prices on quality pistol magazines and rifle magazines at GunMag Warehouse.

gunmagwarehouse.com

 

[Anchorite]

The critical part to a great magazine is the follower.

 

[JTQ]

The critical part to a great magazine is the follower.

I'm skeptical of that assertion.

There are a lot of fine mags that use a variety of different followers. You can find good mags with a GI follower, the Devel follower, Wilson polymer follower, the Tripp hybrid follower, CheckMate Patented Follower (CMF), etc.

 

[Anchorite]

I'm skeptical of that assertion.

There are a lot of fine mags that use a variety of different followers. You can find good mags with a GI follower, the Devel follower, Wilson polymer follower, the Tripp hybrid follower, CheckMate Patented Follower (CMF), etc.

Well, to be specific, follower and feed lips.
If you’re shooting nothing but hardball, I suppose any magazine will work. Mix up bullet types and it is my assertion you want a good follower.

 

[JTQ]

Well, to be specific, follower and feed lips.
If you’re shooting nothing but hardball, I suppose any magazine will work. Mix up bullet types and it is my assertion you want a good follower.

Could you elaborate on your follower and feed lip recommendation?

How does the follower make a difference with different bullet shapes? Generally, the argument is feed lips make the difference with different bullet shapes.

 

[Anchorite]

Could you elaborate on your follower and feed lip recommendation?

How does the follower make a difference with different bullet shapes? Generally, the argument is feed lips make the difference with different bullet shapes.

Here are some of the mags I have for example.

It's a trivial observation, but when you consider that every one is designed to do the same thing, the presence of variety should raise some eyebrows. The two on the right are junk and do not feed any profile other than a 230gr hardball reliably. The others on the left are better, but not great.

Controlled feed is the 1911's greatest strength and greatest weakness; when parts are in spec, the 1911 can be fired from any angle. The downside is that magazine design plays far more of a role in that reliable operation than in other guns. The follower angle helps determine where on the gun's frame ramp the bullet makes contact, and the lower leg of the follower catches and lifts the slide lock after the last round is ejected. That’s important.

What I’ve found is that a one piece rounded follower with wide feed lips will feed (present) any bullet profile reliably, up to the larger flat-point meplat bullets. I can also mix up JHP, hard ball, and SWC and no problems with feeding or the magazine popping a round up high while trying to feed. Wide lips are a bonus to that presentation.

 

[JTQ]

Here are some of the mags I have for example.

It's a trivial observation, but when you consider that every one is designed to do the same thing, the presence of variety should raise some eyebrows. The two on the right are junk and do not feed any profile other than a 230gr hardball reliably. The others on the left are better, but not great.

Controlled feed is the 1911's greatest strength and greatest weakness; when parts are in spec, the 1911 can be fired from any angle. The downside is that magazine design plays far more of a role in that reliable operation than in other guns. The follower angle helps determine where on the gun's frame ramp the bullet makes contact, and the lower leg of the follower catches and lifts the slide lock after the last round is ejected. That’s important.

What I’ve found is that a one piece rounded follower with wide feed lips will feed (present) any bullet profile reliably, up to the larger flat-point meplat bullets. I can also mix up JHP, hard ball, and SWC and no problems with feeding or the magazine popping a round up high while trying to feed. Wide lips are a bonus to that presentation.

The two followers on the right are GI followers and the three on the left are CheckMate Patented Followers (CMF). I can't tell what feed lip designs you have based on the pictures.

Are you calling the "one piece rounded follower" one of those pictured or are you talking about something like the Wilson, Metalform, or the old Pachmayr follower?

 

[Anchorite]

The two followers on the right are GI followers and the three on the left are CheckMate Patented Followers (CMF). I can't tell what feed lip designs you have based on the pictures.

Are you calling the "one piece rounded follower" one of those pictured or are you talking about something like the Wilson, Metalform, or the old Pachmayr follower?

I’m referring to the Mex Gar mags. See post #30, above. That style follower.

 

[JTQ]

I’m referring to the Mex Gar mags. See post #30, above. That style follower.

That would typically be called a polymer anti-tilt follower, or since you were specifically referring to a Mec-Gar mag, saying it was a Mec-Gar polymer anti-tilt follower would have been clearer.

Typically, when referring to "rounded followers" most folks would understand that to be the top of the follower is rounded to mimic the presence of a round beneath the last round in the tube in an attempt to give it the same feed angle as all the rounds above it. Such examples, as I mentioned above would be the ...

Wilson 47 follower https://wilsoncombat.com/spring-follower-kit-full-size-magazine-45-acp-7rd.html

Metalform https://www.brownells.com/gun-parts/magazines/magazine-accessories/1911-magazine-followers/

Pachmayr https://www.midwayusa.com/product/100339198?pid=435620

 

[tommy.duncan]

I have handful of military surplus mags and other mags,
I only use Wilson mags in my 9mm,10mm and 45acp 1911's.

I stick with Wilson mags.

 

[nofendertom]

Wilson mags and Mec-Gar mags only in my 1911s.

 

[EMC45]

For the money the OP's ad listed, I'd get Chip McCormick 8rd shooting stars.