1911 Magazines ???

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Do you have experience with that follower? It is not in common use by other makers which would make me wonder about the design's advantages.
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Only that it looks similar to the follower on Wilson 47D magazines except Wilson's are made of plastic. I might go ahead and be a sucker for buying a couple of them for testing.

Check-Mate makes a good one.

Then I would second Walkalong's recommendation for the CheckMate line-up from Top Gun Supply.

Checkmates are top notch, under $20, and you have several options on followers and feed lips.
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I am adding Checkmate to the buy list.

Thanks for all of the feedback. It is always nice to get suggestions on other THR Member recommended products.
 
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What ammo will you be using? Ball or something other than ball. That would go a long way in my choice of mags. If only ball, then I'd grab a 7 rounder with original type feed lips. If the bullet shape is something other than ball, I'd grab a 7 rounder with hybrid feed lips. Parallel feed lips would be a last resort if the others failed to work well or I was using a very aggressive SWC.
 
If your 1911 won't feed with a Check-Mate 7 round flat dimpled follower with GI feed lips, it might be a gun problem.

SKU: CM45-7-S-GI

The hybrid feed lips seem to work great as well.

SKU: CM45-7-S-H-RB

I also like their "skirted" CMF follower if you will be using them in an aluminum framed gun, just in case.

SKU: CM45-7-S-H-CMF

You can get them with base pads as well.

SKU: CM45-7-S-H-BP

SKU: CM45-7-S-H-RB

I have had great luck with this 8 rounder, but you can always load it to 7 for carry.

SKU: CM45-8-S-H-BP

I have been meaning to give this one a try.

SKU: CM45-8-S-H-RB

If you ever have a finicky 1911, it will tell you what works the best. I do not have it anymore, but it would run 100% on the CM GI 7 rounder, and only occasionally choke on other CM mags. My other brands of mags simply gave it fits. That is what made me a believer in Check-Mate mags, excluding the wadcutter feed lip varieties, although, in all fairness, work with a great many guns.

My 3" Kimber runs like a champ on Wilson mags with wadcutter feed lips. The Kimber Pro Tac I have as well. Again, WC feed lips.
 
Conversely, while I like CheckMate mags, I prefer their wadcutter feed lipped models.

I routinely get inertia feeds on the last round with both the GI and hybrid lipped versions.

CheckMate's wadcutter feed lips have a later release point than both Wilson and McCormick's mags. I believe it is the same feed lip design used by CERTAC for their highly regarded 8 round mags.
 
benzy2,

I shoot mostly hard cast round nose lead (club range rules) and favor 230 gr. JHP's for serious carry (right now Golden Saber) but all the mags I have feet most anything (I don't reload SWC's). All in all I like shooting pumpkin balls.

Walkalong none of my 1911's are finicky and two of them have been tuned up by Teddy Jacobson whom is a master gunsmith. As pointed out magazines are the usual suspect when semi-autos start choking.
 
The McCormick Shooting Stars have always worked real well in my Colts. Never had an issue.
 
JTQ said:
Conversely, while I like CheckMate mags, I prefer their wadcutter feed lipped models.

I routinely get inertia feeds on the last round with both the GI and hybrid lipped versions.

CheckMate's wadcutter feed lips have a later release point than both Wilson and McCormick's mags. I believe it is the same feed lip design used by CERTAC for their highly regarded 8 round mags.
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That is good to know.
 
I've a pile of Checkmate and Metalform mags that I've never had a hiccup with. I like stock Colt mags as well.
 
The Brownell's house brand looks an awful lot like Metalforms.
I am leery of flush 8 shots, get the 7 and you will have a magazine with enough spring reserve to leave loaded for years.
 
I hear what you are saying about 7 round magazines but 8 round magazines have been around long to have all the bugs worked out of them. All in all I lean more towards 7 rounds mags.

That said I'm saving enough on the Shooting Star to buy more mags than I first planned. I would still like to try Checkmate mags.
 
8 round magazines have been around long to have all the bugs worked out of them
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To me, "having the bugs worked out of them" means they the newer generation of 8 round mag with a longer tube. Those would be Wilson ETM, Tripp Cobra Mags, CheckMate Extended tube models, etc. I don't consider any flush fit 8 rounder to have had the bugs worked out of it.
 
Colt doesn't make magazines, probably never has in any quantity; their current suppliers are Checkmate and Metalform. I haven't tried any Metalforms, but every Checkmate I've used is a keeper. My carry mags are Checkmate GIs and Colt-branded stainless mags with hybrid lips. I had a Wilson 47D that made my pistol hiccup quite a lot, so I gave it away to a friend who uses it for a carry mag- it has never failed him.

There is no magic magazine; find what works, buy as many as you can afford, and throw away any that don't toe the line. And DON'T buy based on price, unless you like to have a lot of "fumble drill" magazines at your disposal.
 
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