Genuine Colt Magazines

[10X]

I thought I would share some recent experience with genuine Colt magazines. I had some difficulty with the pictures, so apologies in advance.

I have a Colt Gold Cup that had a history of three point jams. After adjusting the extractor, which helped a lot, there were infrequent jams. At the urging of 1911Tuner, I bought some 7 round Colt magazines from Brownells with the hybrid feed lips. What a difference. The gun fed everything well and was very smooth. That worked, so, I bought more and thought I would try a couple of Colt 8 round magazines. The 8 rounders won't hand feed at all well. So what is the deal?

See the first attachment-The 7 rounders have the tapered hybrid feed lips. The 8 rounders have straight wadcutter feed lips.
See the second attachment- look at how much higher the 7 rd mag positions the round. The round skips over the the barrel ramp with no hitches.
See the third attachment- The side profile also shows how much higher the round is positioned. A lot more brass shows with the 7 rd mag.
The fourth attachment shows the bases of the mags. I also received some 7 rounders where the horse is closer to the lettering.

Well the 8 rounders are being returned to Brownells and I am getting more 7 rounders instead.

Check Mate made these magazines for Colt. Check Mate also sells their own mags with hybrid feed lips.

All I can say it that the hybrid feed lips make a huge, huge difference for this gun.

 

[1911Tuner]

As it does in many guns...but not all guns. Very often, the specs of a given gun will allow it to work with almost any decent magazine design. Those are the keepers. Any truly skilled smith knowledgeable in things 1911 can massage the gun to function with any decent magazine design. It only costs money and time without the gun.

For many others who can't afford the fee or can't afford to wait...the tapered feed lip design with a later, more gradual release timing can be a real boon.

Glad to hear that they've helped.

 

[strat81]

Check Mate made these magazines for Colt. Check Mate also sells their own mags with hybrid feed lips.

Anyone know where to buy Checkmate mags? I'd rather not pay a premium for the prancing horse.

 

[BigG]

I think the one with C on the baseplate was made by Colt. I much prefer the Colt brand mags, myself.

 

[1911Tuner]

The "C" is a Check-Mate stamp. Colt probably hasn't made mags in-house since the late 60s. "M" is a Metalform. "O" is OKAY Industries.
All three made the 7-round "hybrid" magazines to Colt's specs.

Strat...You can order the magazines directly from Check-Mate Industries. Ask for Jackie.

 

[strat81]

Sweet, thanks Tuner. I want 7-rd mags as I understand these are the most reliable. I'd prefer a removable bumper pad and stainless finish. What about feed lips? Any specific model numbers?

I've read your posts about mags and such and it seems these are the mags to get.

 

[AK103K]

Be aware that there are counterfeit Colt mags floating around out there. I bought a handful off EBay a couple of years back. I bought both blue and what was supposed to be SS, when in fact, they were some sort of nickle or chrome plated steel, which soon started to rust.

All the blue mags were marked Colt 8-rnd and had a prancing pony on them as well as a C on the base plate. The "stainless" mags were marked like my factory SS mags, with Colt 8-rnd, and with both a C and a S. All mags had a flat follower with a dimple on top.

They looked shakey when I got them, and most didnt work properly. I didnt pay much for them, and I got what I paid for. The seller wasnt actually dishonest, but he wasnt totally up front either. They were sold as is.

 

[The Lone Haranguer]

I have an early 1990s Combat Commander that only seems to work with these Mec-Gar 7-round mags. I don't know feed lips from Shinola, but the follower is flat on top, no dimple. A Colt-marked dimpled follower refuses to feed the round that lies on the follower.

 

[dsk]

I wouldn't call them "hybrid" feed lips. They are basically mil-spec or standard feed lips, what Colt has been using on their 7-rounders since 1911. The best ones on the planet IMHO are WW2-era contract magazines, identified with a S, R, or L marking on the top of the baseplate lip. Those things are made of thick steel and are nearly indestructible.

 

[1911Tuner]

I wouldn't call them "hybrid" feed lips. They are basically mil-spec or standard feed lips, what Colt has been using on their 7-rounders since 1911.

Dana...The "Hybrid" lips that are being described is the design that Colt went to after their supply of full-tapered "Hardball" or USGI-type magazines ran out. They have the taper of the GI mag, with a timed release point that occurs a little later than what we see on the aftermarket mags today.

It's a Colt design, and one that I've seen on OEM Colt 7-round magazines and 6-round OM-length magazines. Pictured below is a comparison between the hybrid's feed lips and the USGI design.

 

[1911Tuner]

And to clarify further...A comparison between the hybrid design and what we see today in the aftermarket magazines...which I refer to as the "Wadcutter" magazine. Note the earlier, more abrupt release point of the one in the middle...a Metalform. The two examples on the flanks are one each, produced by Check-Mate and Metalform.