1911 mags that work.

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stchman

stchman

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I have been reading some forum posts and have come to the conclusion that most 1911 mags are not that good.

The platform has been around for over 100 years, why is it so difficult to find quality mags for a good price.

I recently bought a Para-USA GI Expert stainless and the Para mags were absolute garbage. I called Para and they gave me 3 new replacement mags (Remington 1911 mags) as a replacement. The Remington mags work OK, but not that great. The guy I got the Para from also included 2 Wilson Combat 1911 mags and they work beautifully.

I have some Sig Sauer 1911 mags that seem to work OK, but nothing compares to the Wilson Combat mags.

I have also read that most 1911 jamming problems are attributed to the magazine.

I guess moral of the story is to buy Wilson Combat 1911 mags.

I would just like to know WHY.
 
I also have a Para GI Expert, and had growing pains with magazine selections. First, I got a couple of Mec-Gar magazines, that refused to feed JHP in my wife's Ruger SR1911 Commander, and wouldn't feed ANYTHING through my Para. I noticed Mec-Gars had longer feed lips than the factory mags for both of the pistols, and returned them. Then, I tried some Metalform mags, after seeing a lot of 1911 forum posts saying that they were OEM for some manufacturers. The feed lips were the same length as my originals, and work great in mine. Most people recommend Chip McCormick, Wilson Combat, or Checkmate, but even those will show negative reviews. I have come to the conclusion that generally, 1911s are hand-fitted, no-spec firearms, and that some magazines will work better than others, and there is no best way to pick a magazine, it will require some trial and error. If factory mags work, try to get more. Otherwise, try to identify the problem (easier said than done) and find replacements that address the shortcomings.
 
I agree, I have been on the hunt for good 1911 magazines.

So far, the best ones I have are the factory 8-round ones I have from Colt, I never seem to be able to find them in stock?

I have bought and tossed a handful that were horrid.

10 years with this 1911 and still only have two magazines for it. All my other firearms have at least 5 magazines.

I have the money if they have the reliability. I do vomit a little every time I spend over $25 on a magazine, but so be it.

EDIT: Found colt factory magazines in stock - will buy those, lol. SRY!
 
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I've had good luck I guess. Colt, CMC, ACT, Mec-Gar, Metalform, Dan Wesson all work beautifully in multiple guns. Lately the Checkmate extended body 8-rounders with hybrid feed lips and dimpled followers are considered by some to be the go-to mags. I got three and they always work also.

Basing your opinion on all 1911 mags judging by Para is probably not a reasonable thing to do.
 
I've had good luck I guess. Colt, CMC, ACT, Mec-Gar, Metalform, Dan Wesson all work beautifully in multiple guns.
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Me too. Although I've never tried Dan Wesson's.
 
I've had good luck with the original Colt and Chip McCormick mags, and with my pin gun, I use Pachmayr mags with the rubber bumper. I don't think Pachmayr makes them anymore, but they have been flawless for decades.
 
"Basing your opinion on all 1911 mags judging by Para is probably not a reasonable thing to do."
I had to laugh, in spite of myself. Or, maybe, JUST to spite myself. I have my Para because I had an offer to trade for an AR pistol that I had completely assembled from nothing but cheap parts. Had less than $500 in the whole thing. Worked great, for what it was, didn't suit my wants. Para is far from top-tier, but it did suit my wants, as my first foray into 1911s in something bigger than .22. I had no illusions that I was getting a high-end gun. But, it was a 1911, and that was my point. I built a cheap mil-spec AR, and it ran flawlessly. I get a basic 1911, and it was finicky out of the box. I spent an entire day getting the feed ramp polished to feed JHP with the included mags. Then, the search was on for more magazines that would be as reliable, since Para mags seemed to be hit-or-miss. So, yes, Para is not a baseline for determining quality, but more an example that not every firearm that is of a family can be counted on to be even similar to another example.
 
I do vomit a little every time I spend over $25 on a magazine...
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Why? If you buy good magazines, the tubes are guaranteed for as long as you own them . You just replace the springs when required - and, if needed, the follower.

Don't get the attitude. The magazines are the one part that can make or break the reliability of the pistol. If you buy good ones, they help the pistol run reliably and you can rebuild them for as long as you own them.

I spend $40+ each on HK pistol magazines, about the same for SIG magazines - why should a good 1911 magazine be any different?
 
ATLDave wrote,
I found these articles very interesting when I was trying to understand 1911 magazine differences:

http://how-i-did-it.org/magazines/

http://how-i-did-it.org/magazines2/
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Always interesting reads. However, many folks come away with the wrong conclusions after reading them.
stchman wrote
The platform has been around for over 100 years, why is it so difficult to find quality mags for a good price.
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Possibly because there are probably 25+ companies making 1911's (all just a little differently) and probably that many making mags (all just a little differently).
 
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Checkmate, CHECKMATE, checkmate.

Zero failure mags. Hybrid feedlips. Excellent springs.

My experience : ZERO FAILURES. ZERO.
 
Colt, CMC, ACT, Mec-Gar, Metalform, Dan Wesson all work beautifully in multiple guns.
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Of course, neither Colt or Dan Wesson make mags. They buy them from a variety of manufacturers.
 
I beat that game. Once upon a time, I bought a whole bunch of 1911 magazines at all of .25 each. Made by the millions at a time when it mattered, by people who cared (and had government inspectors checking everything). The steel was right, the shape was right, the springs were right (and won't take a set if the magazine is kept loaded for a few days, or a few decades). Today, the "1911" is considered a rich man's toy, for playing games on ranges, so who cares?

Oh, and of course the game players want magazines to feed every weird bullet shape anyone can come up with!

Jim
 
The only mag I've had consistent problems with were whatever mag came with my RIA Tactical 10mm. Not sure what the deal is with it because I just bought some Wilson Combat ones and moved on.

In my .45's I've run Remington, Colt, Springfield, Ruger, Wilson and Chip McCormic without issue.

For carry/SD guns I run Wilsons, period.
 
Wow, I did not think it would get this many replies that quickly.

As far as JHP, I have not tried JHP nor will I ever use JHP in a 1911. I know is CAN be done, but the platform was designed for ball ammo only.

I guess a lot of people having problems with 1911 reliability is because they are using JHP ammo. I would be happy with just reliable feeding of FMJ ammo.
 
I've had factory Colt, Springfield and Kimber as well as Pachmire, McCormick, and Gov issue and the best I've found were the Kimber Tactical.
 
I have had excellent luck with numerous 1911 pistols with Wilson and the McCormick shooting star mags. The McCormick mags aren't as pricey. I have heard that they make the mags for Kimber and a few other brands, but I have absolutely no proof of this.
 
KimPro TacMags are made for Kimber by CheckMate. McCormick mags are easy to identify since they are pretty much the only ones using the Devel follower.

For the OP, make note the standard capacity for flush fit 1911 mags is 7 rounds. Lots of companies have stuck an 8th round in that length tube, and not always with good success. To get the 8th round in that length mag tube, there is either a compromise of the follower, spring, or both.
 
Op... I agree 100%. Tripp mags are my reliable go-to mags. I don't even bother loading the factory mags that I get with new guns any more. My question is.... If a $35 Tripp mag can work, send two with your gun and charge me the extra $40 it might cost you. The only other reliable mags have been Colt 7-rounders for me. Colt, Checkmate, and CMC 8-rounders have been garbage in my guns.
 
guyfromohio said:
Op... I agree 100%. Tripp mags are my reliable go-to mags. I don't even bother loading the factory mags that I get with new guns any more. My question is.... If a $35 Tripp mag can work, send two with your gun and charge me the extra $40 it might cost you. The only other reliable mags have been Colt 7-rounders for me. Colt, Checkmate, and CMC 8-rounders have been garbage in my guns.
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agreed
 
the reason is that few companies are selling or making GI mags. Some guns act up occasionally with hollopoints, or wadcutters using Gi mags. So everyone sells wadcutter, or hybrid, or some other special variety. They are mediocre with ball ammo, and mediocre with everything else, but people prefer that to bad with hollopoint, and excellent with ball. In my experience GI mags make a 1911 work extremely well with ball, and at least as good any other with hollopoints. Checkmate sells them for 25$ or so, and i recommend them. Any other magazine profile besides GI eliminated the 1911's controlled feed, and makes the gun far less predictable.
 
Hornady critical defense is shaped just like ball ammo, for the very reason you are describing not wanting JHP'S.

What you need for conventional jhps are...Hybrid Feed Lip magazines.
 
stchman said:
The platform has been around for over 100 years, why is it so difficult to find quality mags for a good price.

I would just like to know WHY.
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Part of the problem is that most 1911s are not built to the original specs. This is partly due the original design was based on extensive handwork and partly due to advances in modern engineering/manufacturing.

Most 1911s are built to the manufacturer's interpretation of the original specs.

The other part of the problem is the demand for ever less expensive magazines. That demand drives manufacturers to start cutting corners.

I recently bought a Para-USA GI Expert stainless and the Para mags were absolute garbage.
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The Para isn't an optimal foundation to judge either magazines or 1911. Very functional, but with built-in limitations

I have also read that most 1911 jamming problems are attributed to the magazine.
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This is true.

The 1911 magazine is considered a consumable item by those who carry the 1911 for serious duty/defense/competition. When they start "acting up" they are usually replaced...like brake pad on a car

I guess moral of the story is to buy Wilson Combat 1911 mags.
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That is one possible moral...for your specific pistol.

The usual recommendation for 8-rd 1911 magazines are the Tripp CobraMags or the CMC PowerMags. The optimal, abet expensive, solution is the CMC PowderMag tube combined with the Tripp CobraMag spring and follower. The newer Wilson ETM is a large improvement over the 47D, but it doesn't yet have the track record of the Tripp or CMC.

In a reliable and very affordable 7-rd magazine, I would highly recommend the Metaform magazine with the domed follower
 
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