[msanford]

Can anyone tell me what are the 5 best brands of 1911 magazines that you have found through personal experience? Please provide why you think X brand is better than Y. If possible, try to draw from your own experiences than popular opinion. Let's try to narrow it down to mags under $25 new. I am on a strict budget( aren't we all?!?). I appreciate any input you might offer. I am asking this out of anticipation for my Colt-Sistema that will soon be off of layaway. Sadly, it comes with one no-name magazine.

Matt

 

[Papabear]

matt,

For that price range, and the ones I use a lot and never have had any problems with, however, there are several out there for plinking that are a lot cheaper, but for over all shooting, I use these.

Chip McCormick Power Mag 8rd w/bump pad $21.00

Mec-Gar w/bump pad $24.99

http://www.midwayusa.com/eproductpage.exe/showproduct?saleitemid=783573



papabear

 

[msanford]

papabear,
Thanks for responding with your opinion. I, too, have heard good things about McCormick mags. I have had one myself and found it to be of good quality. I will investigate the Midwayusa sight and see what they have to offer. Thanks again for weighing in.

Matt

 

[oberstlt]

I only use 7 round mags but I like the following real well.

Wilson 47s
Les Baer
Ed Browns
Wolff Springs
MecGars

There is another brand from Champions Choice the name of which excapes me that is darn good - oh yeah, Metal Form.

Old GI mags when you can find them and the older Colts.

 

[BarryinIN]

Right now, my "active" magazine supply is made up of several of each of the following:

Chip McCormick Power Mags (8-rd)
Chip McCormick Shooting Star (7-rd and 8-rd)
Wilson 47 series (7-rd and 8-rd)
Metalform-made/Colt-marked (8-rd)

I would say those are my favorites.

I also have a couple each of:
Mec-Gar (8 rd)
Act/Novak/S&W (8-rd)

All are at least OK for range use and function fine as far as feeding bullets into the chamber goes. That may sound silly, but there are a couple other little details or minor problems show up when using SOME of them in SOME guns although they feed fine.
Two examples:
1) The Wilson 8-rd mags will sometimes fail to lock open one Springfield Armory pistol when empty (Wilson 7-rd mags work fine); and
2) two of the Metalform/Colt mags will sometimes fail to lock open my S&W Gunsite, and some of the Shooting Stars are a snug fit in the same gun and don't always drop out when released.

That shows me that it's an absolute that each individual magazine has to be tested in each individual gun.

I use all of them for practice, but carry only the Power Mags as spares. I do use a proven Metalform in the gun for it's flat baseplate. The Power Mags work fine in every 1911 I have, and they have a very smooth and rounded baseplate, which is comfortable for carry in the mag pouch. I'd have to say they were my favorite.

I would, however, buy more of any from the first group I listed if they were cheaper. I would just have to be careful not to carry them with certain guns, so it's simpler for me to keep buying the Power Mags.

But that's how it's been for me.

 

[msanford]

Guys,
Thanks for your input about your preferred magazine choices. I guess one can never have too many magazines, and it was nice to see that different people had different choices. I did not some consistencies in choice, a la Wilson, Chip McCormick, GI issue, and others. I appreciate your participation in this query. I am hoping that others will pitch in with their opinions.

Matt

 

[erich]

The only 1911 mags I've not had problems with were Wilsons and MecGars. I've had problems with McCormicks and GI mags. Frankly, I think of the mags as a real weak link in the 1911 system - if I were doing it over, I'd pay the extra dinero and stick with Wilsons.

 

[oberstlt]

I know a lot of folks that use the 8 Rounders without issue in IDPA competion. I am just not one of them. They work well enough to start but then tend to inexplicably fail me. I just stay with the 7s. But it makes little sense to spend $2500 on a fine hand made gun and then put a scroungy no name mag into it.

 

[weshowe]

oberstlt and all,

I've had good luck with the Wilson-Rogers magazines, Colts, and USGI(I'm lucky enough to have a few still in the wrap). All are seven round magazines.
I've tried 8 round mags and went back to the seven rounders due to several unexplainable stoppages that I wasn't getting with the seven round mags.
For self defense I see no reason to use or carry the 10 round mags.
Just my personal preferences, YMMV.

Wes

 

[Guest]

My Para LTC came with two 8 round mags that have wrked perfectly and seem well made, I am pretty sure they are PSI mags so I ordered more, The PSI are sold under "Novak, Wolff, ACT, maybe a couple other names. I ordered the Novak branded, It is possible the followers and springs may be diffferent but they sure all look the same. The 8 rounders also come with slightly extended polymer mag floorplate/ pads so you wont have to spend more on pads. I have been hearing alot of problems with Wilson lately. Seems the old timers swear by them but newer guys hate em. Possible the quality has fallen off. Best advice is like the above poster stated, try em in the gun you are gonna use them in and stick to what works.

 

[nuclear]

I have used Novak and Wilson with no problems.

 

[msanford]

Thanks again to all who responded with their choice of magazines. As I said before, I appreciate all who gave their opinions. There is a fount of knowledge here and I am glad to have tapped it.

Matt

 

[jimhigginbotham]

8 rounders I have good luck with:

Wilson 47D
McCormick Power Mag (not regular McCormick which I have had feeding problems with when dirty)
CDNN "IPSC" (probably made by Mitchel but closely resembles McCormick Power Mag - I suspect the bodies are made in the same place). These sell for less than $10!!!!!!
Mag Pac (but they are hard to get now).
Mec-Gar

I would note that most of my Wilsons have lost some tension and often fail to lock the slide to the rear on the last shot...not a thing I worry much about but some do.

I recently purchased 10 Colt 8 rnd mags (I dont think they were metalform made but they are definitely Colt brand not a "knock off")...the base plates have already came off of two. Otherwise they fed OK. I will not be purchasing any more.

Jim H.

 

[Guest]

I use three brands and they are: Metalform, Wilson, and McCormick. Regards, Richard

 

[kkramer673]

If you look on the ammoman.com site, you wil find 7-round military 1911 magazines for sale at very good prices. I have no idea how they function, however.

 

[jhc]

Another vote for Chip McCormick Power Mags. I get mine through Midway also.

 

[oberstlt]

KK673 - I have been trying to locate some original (non-wadcutter) milspec mags for sometime without any success at all. There are a lot of fakes on the market using the NSN (national stock number) paper wrapping on stuff that appears to be made over an open fire in somebodys back yard. I don't know your source but be very wary unless you are confident of your supplier. Magazines can be a real weakness in selfloading pistols.

 

[pgm]

Matt,

Here is a vote for Tripp Research Cobra magazines. They are a bit expensive but have never failed in my Commander or Gold Cup. They also sell aftermarket kits that you can use to convert a Wilson, McCormick, etc. with their spring and follower.

PGM

 

[coltsr]

Colt factory 7 rd. made by Checkmate or Metalform.

 

[Chris Stephens]

Hi there all,

I made an interesting trip to the range today with a friend of mine who was practicing to qual for his upcoming CWP class here in SC.

While I was in the range prepping to shoot, he walked back after making a purchase and had purchased two Triple K magazines. When shooting, neither would lock the slide back and he quickly returned them when he finished his session.

I came home and ordered 3 Mec Gar 8 rounders for him from www.midwayusa.com and hope that these will do the trick. I believe the OEM Taurus magazines are made by ACT, but they didn't have any on their site.

My prefered magazine is the SA (metalform) factory magazines and I have had very good luck with them.

Any more thoughts on Mec Gars?

Chris