Magazines: After bad ammo, bad magazines are the biggest culprit in gun malfunctions. I have tried every 1911 magazine on the market, and my recommendations are based strictly on my experience as well as my expectations for service.
For a basic magazine, I always recommend the Chip McCormick Power Mag 8 round with the standard (.350") bumper. For 99% of your shooting tasks, this will get the job done. It has a durable tube that holds its shape reasonably well, a strong spring that resists a set when left loaded for extended periods, and good overall function. Its folded Devel style follower has some problems with some guns where it will jump the slide stop. This is typically a very rare occurrence when the gun is set up correctly. I have had hundreds of these pass through my hands, and they work well.
The Tripp Industries Cobra Mag, A8-MG, is another good candidate for an 8 round 1911 mag, and has all of the assets of the Power Mag. The added bonus is a superior follower design that is very stable and reliable (it will lock back guns that might not respond to other mags), and added tube length for a true 8 round spring column. The major issue I've had with these is that the tubes tend not to last very long and have cracked at the rear of the feed lips. Tripp has stood behind all of these mags, and I've gotten all of my cracked tubes replaced. Each generation has been better than the last, and despite these longevity issues, I still run these mags because they work very well.
The above magazines are the only 1911 magazines that I currently recommend. If you have magazine problems, look hard at the magazines and consider replacing them. Magazines need to be considered an expendable asset, much like the G.I. aluminum M16 mag. I expect a 6-12 month service cycle out of them, and I will not hesitate to replace them the moment one fails to feed or drop free. Don't get married to a set of mags, use them up and move on.
Great followers, safe for aluminum frames, super stiff springs.
