1911 Magazines

[Old Dog]

I use Wilsons (47Ds and ETMs) almost exclusively, but I've picked up a few Mec-Gars and ACT-Mags that have been swell. Never had a problem with any factory Colt's mags that came new with the pistols, nor the Springfield Armory factory mags.

Based on prior experience with Checkmate products for the M-9, I'll never trust that manufacturer again with anything (along with ProMags). I have had horrible luck with Chip McCormick mags in Colt's, Springers and a Wilson, so I haven't tried any CMC products in years ...

 

[DammitBoy]

Chip McCormick 8 round and 10 round power mags in all my 1911's (para, ruger, sig sauer, safari arms). 1000's of rounds zero issues.

 

[rbernie]

That is probably a typo. That is not a feature found in the Chip McCormick line-up. Wilson's ETM's have a longer tube like Tripp and CheckMate extended tube models. However, the McCormick PowerMag has the same length tube as the Wilson 47 (7 rounder) and 47D (8 rounder) which are shorter than Wilson's ETM.

For some reason, I have it in my head that the PowerMags had a longer body. Sady, I'm in a hotel room that's seven hundred miles from my house and 1911 magazines, so I'll have to take it on faith that I'm misremembering.

 

[9mmepiphany]

I'll have to take it on faith that I'm misremembering.

You don't have to, you didn't.

I just measured 3 1911 magazines that I had on hand. Their lengths along their back spines were:
Colt factory (Checkmate)- 110.47mm
McCormick PowerMag - 112.28mm
Wilson Combat ETM - 115.39

 

[JTQ]

The PowerMag is longer than a flush fit mag. As posted by 9mmepiphany, it is shorter than the ETM. Tripp mags are the same length as the ETM that have the characteristic of…

From the outside, the magazine looks like it has a bumper pad but it's actually an extended bottom....

That is not a characteristic of the PowerMag or Wilson's 47/47D that are the same length.

 

[MAG-63]

Sure there are - they're just longer than the original seven round versions so that you don't have to cut down the follower tail to make 'em fit in those eight rounds. That's the recipe that CMC and Tripp and Checkmate have used, to good effect. From the outside, the magazine looks like it has a bumper pad but it's actually an extended bottom....

You want flush fit mags? Get seven rounders. You want eight rounds in a robust and utterly reliable magazine? Expect to use a magazine that sticks out a bit at the bottom.

I will stand by my statement. There are other considerations in addition to tube length. Look at feed lip and follower design. The vaunted Wilson 47D is a good example.

 

[JTQ]

MAG-63 wrote,
I will stand by my statement. There are other considerations in addition to tube length. Look at feed lip and follower design. The vaunted Wilson 47D is a good example.

I'll infer from this post and your earlier post…

IMO, there aren't any good 8-round 1911 magazines. At least for defensive use.

that you believe the 47D isn't that good.

I do believe rbernie point is accurate though. The 8 round 47D has the same tube length as the 7 round 47. The follower on the 47D was shortened, as rbernie accurately pointed out, and I suppose there is a spring difference, though I don't know for sure. The ETM on the other hand has a longer tube that allows Wilson to use a longer follower and appropriate spring for that tube length.

 

[DrDeFab]

+1 MecGar
-1 Wilson

 

[skoro]

Are the Chip McCormick STS magazines good?

In my experience, yes. I have three 1911s and use the Shooting Stars with no complaints. That said, I don't put a thousand rounds through them in a year.

 

[ATLDave]

I like the McCormick power mags. I've got a Kimber that really doesn't like much else.

 

[fpgt72]

I have only had my 1911 for about a year, a Remington R1. I have tried so many different mags it is not even funny....from Colt to no name Chinese cheapo $5 mags. Not a one has failed to work.

I have been using the gun quite a bit this first year, playing PPC, and a few other games with it so they have been hitting the ground during changes. One game I play requires 4 mags. As I was casual with this game I used the cheapo mags to play the game with as I did not want the expensive ones hitting the concrete. They still are going strong after a year of hitting the ground once a week.

I am sure there is a difference in quality, but my personal experience is that the cheapo's have run just fine in my R1

 

[OilyPablo]

I'm the same way. Why the heck are you guys having so many problems with 1911 magazines? The likely question: What is wrong with your guns?

 

[DammitBoy]

What problems? Chip McCormicks work great all the time, every time.

 

[Tony k]

I like the Chip McCormack Powermags.

The only magazine I've had trouble with is a Promag 7 rounder. The slide on my Taurus usually fails to lock back after the last round with it. Also, the magazine fits tight and doesnt just slide out like all the other mags I have. You actually have to pull it out to change mags. That's a deal breaker for me.

 

[GLI45]

As you can see from all the posts there are a lot of opinions on mags and that's probably because we all find the mags that work best in our pistols. Given the 1911's somewhat finicky nature when it comes to mags finding the ones that work best in your pistol may not be what works in mine. Having said that I'll cast a vote for Wilson Combat mags. I've been running their ETM 500 series mags in all my single stack 9mm and .45 STI pistols for years and been very happy with their performance.

 

[fpgt72]

Mine has never been "somewhat finicky" in any way shape or form. Like I said, I don't think the "good mags" have been in my gun 10 times, but those cheap no name Chinese mags have been in and out and hit the ground hundreds of times and I have never had any.....ANY failure with that gun. It is box stock.

I think that is the key....box stock. At the beginning the 1911 was a combat arm, it could not afford to be finicky....it had to run clean, dirty, full of mud and muck....it was a tool to win a war....just one of many.

Fast forward to today and people have turned the 1911 into something it was never intended to be....a bullseye gun.....very tight....what ever you want to say...it is no longer laying strapped to the side of a gun laying in the sand on a beach to be pulled and fired without the sand being knocked off. I think this is where so many people have problems...you have made the 1911 into a race car and as such you have to care for it as a race car, and give it race car parts. If you have a GI type 1911 I think Chevy parts will do just fine....at least it has in my experience.

 

[rbernie]

Why the heck are you guys having so many problems with 1911 magazines? The likely question: What is wrong with your guns?

My usual issue with magazines was traced to either crap springs (Kimber and most other OEM mags) that gave up the ghost early under the weight of the heavy round stack, crap follower that failed to control the last round in the magazine (MecGar/ACT/you name it), or to the fact that I wanted more rounds on tap and therefore wanted an extended magazine body.

Moving to a Checkmate 8rd magazine fixed all that; proper follower, good springs, tapered feed lips (just as JMB intended), and an extended body.

 

[1911Tuner]

Based on prior experience with Checkmate products for the M-9, I'll never trust that manufacturer again with anything

You can probably blame the US Government for those problems. They wanted the magazines parkerized. Parkerized magazines...especially double stack...and fine desert sand don't make for happy pistols.

Check Mate...along with Metalform and OKAY Industries...has been a vendor for Colt's OEM magazines for decades. Colt stopped producing magazines in-house in the 60s and started outsourcing them when they started running out of their existing stocks. If you can find a Colt manufactured prior to the late 70s that's still in the company of its original magazine, you'll find that it's a dead ringer for the old USGI design...because that's what they are...and most of the ones delivered to Colt in the 70s were Check Mates. They were excellent magazines then, and they still are.

 

[Walkalong]

Another Check Mate 1911 Mag fan. If your gun won't run with this one, you probably have a gun problem.

I have had great luck with the Hybrid feed lips as well.

 

[SAS Mayhem]

Out of all the recommendations here I've used all with out any issues, except CM. I think I'll get a few to see how they work. Funny this thread came up I just got in the mail 3 Tripp Research Super 7 upgrade kits just in case I need them.

Cheers
Ron

 

[peacebutready]

IMO, there aren't any good 8-round 1911 magazines. At least for defensive use.

I believe the extended tube 8 round ones are good.

 

[peacebutready]

from Colt to no name Chinese cheapo $5 mags. Not a one has failed to work.

I am sure there is a difference in quality, but my personal experience is that the cheapo's have run just fine in my R1

Off Topic:

where can those be found?

 

[savanahsdad]

I've used nothing but Kimber pro-mags for 6 years in my S&W1911 and they work every time, all the time ,

 

[DammitBoy]

IMO, there aren't any good 8-round 1911 magazines. At least for defensive use.

Ok, you've given an unsupported opinion, that's fine, but it really doesn't mean diddly squat. For the purpose of discussion and education, please elaborate why you stand by your opinion?

I've used 8 round 1911 mags in three different manufacturers 1911's with zero failures to feed through thousands of rounds. So, my opinion is that my Chip McCormick's are perfectly acceptable for defensive use.

I also have a 10 round Chip McCormick I use in my Safari Arms Matchmaster 5 that has had zero malfunctions with roughly 300-400 rounds through it.

What qualifies as dependable, in your opinion? Only factory mags? Only mags that stick with the original design of the 1911? Please enlighten us...

 

[fpgt72]

Off Topic:

where can those be found?

I got them at a gun show....IIRC at the time (last year) the charged $7 each or 5 for $5.

At the same time I also bought many of the mags we talked about on this thread. Some cost over $35 each. I bought about 5 of the different "good" mags, that gave me the two that came with the Remington, I know I have one colt, one CM, and a Wesson. As well as quite a few WWII vintage GI mags (I did not want to use these in the pistol matches, did not want history hitting the ground).

I bought the gun at the same show....looked it up the other night $806 out the door for the pistol...or I should say off the table.

I did practice with all the mags, I have a little medical tape on the bottom of them with them all numbered....the Chinese all look the same, but you can tell the Remington from a Colt from a CM....but I still put numbers on them. All of them just worked and people both at work (I work at a sheriffs office) and at the club are just amazed that the cheap mags work. To a man they all think that I should be having nothing but issues with them, but I really don't.

I am sure that it is my gun, and the fact it is not a hot rod or race car that is very tight. I have shot many different types of 1911's and I do know that the cheap mags don't seem to work well in commander length guns, and some very high end guns. I think that in that entry level 1911 (that is where I put the Remington and that is not a bad thing) where things are a little more lose that you might be ok. I only have the one 1911 but I am looking at an older RI, If I pick that up it will be very interesting to see how things work in that pistol.