[A-Team]

Can someone point me in the best direction of the most reliable AND least expensive 1911 magazines.

So far it seems like Wilson and Chip McCormic are leading the pack, but they are all expensive. (I just got the Chip M 10 rounder. It performed flawlessly.)

I really like to have a lot of extra magazines, but obviously the cost of 1911 magazines... especially good ones... is high.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

(I'm probably going to pull the trigger tonight and order two more of the Chip M 10 round mags from Cheaper than Dirt. they have them for $25 each.)

 

[Grumpy]

Gun shows and pawn shops are where I *usually* find the best prices for mags. You just gotta shop around.

 

[Grumpy]

Oh yeah.......
Don't shy away from the less expensive ones either.
I have a couple of oddballs in my bag that feed better than the "name brands".
I keep a KRD mag in my Llama that resides under my pillow, an ACT-MAG came with my RIA, and I have one without a name just a shooting star logo on the bumper.
The rest are a hodge-podge of Wilson, McCormick, Colt, and*gag* Kimber.

 

[LLX45]

Bad magazines will cause the vast majority of malfunctions that occur in a 1911. Don't take the cheap route. I highly recommend Wilson Combat model 47-D magazines.
http://shopwilsoncombat.com/Wilson-...ze-8-Round-Standard-Base-Pad/productinfo/47D/
You won't go wrong with them.

 

[A-Team]

Bad magazines will cause the vast majority of malfunctions that occur in a 1911. Don't take the cheap route. I highly recommend Wilson Combat model 47-D magazines.
http://shopwilsoncombat.com/Wilson-...ze-8-Round-Standard-Base-Pad/productinfo/47D/
You won't go wrong with them.

Are Wilson mags better than McCormick or is it apples and oranges? I like the 10 round advantage of McCormick... but I like reliability better than 2 extra bullets.

 

[Grumpy]

See my previous post.

Off brand does not mean bad magazine, name brand does not nessecarily mean good.

My off brands are just as reliable as the others (except the POS I still have from my POS Kimber).

I won't pay over $20 for a mag, PERIOD! I don't care who's name is on it.
If it functions properly in MY guns, I keep it. If not, I'll sell it or trade it off.

Just because it has a fancy name engaved on the baseplate doesn't mean it's any better or worse than any other.

I've been messing with 1911's for close to 30 years now, and unless you get your hands on some origional G.I. mags from pre-198something, they will ALL feed any ammo.

The lips on G.I. mags were designed for ball ammo, newer mags have slightly different lips to allow HP ammo.

However, the followers in the G.I. mags are worth their weight in semi-precious metals, as opposed to other earlier aftermarkets( McCormick being one)
Be Right back with pics.

 

[Grumpy]

ACT-MAG follower

KRD follower

Kimber

McCormick

The bottom mag is my least reliable, the follower gets sticky on the last two rounds from tilt.

 

[LLX45]

Are Wilson mags better than McCormick or is it apples and oranges? I like the 10 round advantage of McCormick... but I like reliability better than 2 extra bullets.

In my experience, yes, Wilson mags are the best that I've used. I've owned several Chip McCormick mags, which I sold or gave away after purchasing Wilson mags to replace them. McCormick are better than most factory mags from Kimber, Colt, and etc, but they are not quite as good as Wilson, YMMV.

At the present time I only use Wilson Combat 47-D (eight rounds), Wilson Elite (8rds, which came with my Wilson Combat Professional), and Wilson 10 round mags. I kept the standard mags that came with each gun, for the purpose of resale, if I ever sell the gun.

I haven't bought McCormick mags in the last handful of years, so I'm not 100% sure of their price, but the price between McCormick and Wilson mags isn't that big of a deal, from what I can remember.

If you don't go with Wilson mags, McCormick mags are pretty good. Better than factory mags. I hope this helps.

 

[charlie501]

I think wilson combat are probably the best 1911 mags around. That's all I will shoot in my Kimbers. They are a little more expensive, but you get what you pay for and they have a lifetime guarantee.

 

[madcritter]

I own several 1911 the only one I did build is my colt officers model. I only use Wilson and Chip McCormick magazines. Have no problems with them and they are very dependable.

$17.30 ea
http://www.cheaperthandirt.com/31065-36.html

$15.97
http://www.cheaperthandirt.com/MAG282-36.html

$19.99
http://www.midwayusa.com/viewProduct/default.aspx?productNumber=697475

 

[LuniticFringeInc]

The Wilson Mags are hands down my favorite mags for my 1911. Yeah they are a bit on the pricey side at 35-40 bucks the last time I ordered a few. Initially I started out with a dozen surplus Mags that I used primarily for practice only at the range as I slowly built up my collection of Wilson 8 round flush fit and 10 round (sticks below gun butt a couple of inches) Mags. A couple of dozen mags later I am not sure if I could find my collection of surplus and Kimber factory mags! While there are some reliably functioning mags out there that are more budget priced than Wilson I haven't found any as smooth or reliably functioning and I bet I have tried them all at one time or another! As previously mentioned, any malfunctions with a 1911 and standard pressure level ammo can almost always be traced back to a poorly functioning Magazine. Why spend the kind of money you spend on a 1911 these days and not spring for a little extra and buy the best magazines money can buy? Not trying to beat you up, just saying...

 

[A-Team]

Interesting to hear from so many of you that the typical failures caused in 1911s come from the mags. I always wondered why the 1911 had such a fanatical following... but then the ones I saw at the range seemed like jam-o-matics.

It looks like it is going to be Wilson 47ds for me. I wish the Wilson 10 rounder was as highly endorsed as the 47D... but I'll give up the extra 2 rounds for now. I've got a Chip McCormick and I'll be watching at the range over the next year to see if the McCormick 10 round PowerMag performs as well as the Wilson 47d... or as some say gets finicky on the last two rounds.

But boy is it going to be slow accumulating 1911 magazines with the Wilson 47d at $30. I have to get extra mags and ammo past my wife without getting caught... which is going to mean 1-2 at a time. (She doesn't understand why it is perfectly logical to have 12 mags for one handgun. )

 

[LLX45]

Good choice A-Team, the 47-D mags are great. Wilson also makes great 10 round mags. I only have two of them, but they are top quality as well. I have bunch of 47-D mags and my wife questions that as too. Buy them slow, one every month or two, and you will have all that you will ever need in a year or two.

 

[pinetree64]

I have two 1911s, an officer-sized (Kimber) and a full-sized (Springfield). Both rely on CMC Shooting Stars and both sets of mags have worked very well in my guns. I am sure Wilson are good but I do not see the need in paying more at this point. My mags are from 10 to 6 years in age. The Kimber factory mag is/was made my Mec-Gar and it is performed flawlessly but I prefer the +1 in the CMC SSs. I do have two of CMC 10 rounders which are from there more premium line. I plan on a couple more for competition.

 

[rjsixgun]

Mec gar is all I trust my life with. All else is for range use only.

 

[I be he]

Shooting stars work just fine when i used to own over priced guns.:thumb:

 

[drobs]

I prefer the ACT mags. The springs on every McCormick mag, I've ever had (8 of them) have quickly gone bad after being left loaded for a month or 2.

I wasn't impressed by the Wilson 47D. Have had 4 which the springs also became mushy on quickly.

Some day I will try some of the new Wilson mags.

Old timer friend of mine who is a gunsmith swears by factory Colt 7rd mags.

 

[AKpredator]

I have 4 custom 1911's from Wilson, Rogers and Les Baer and I like Wilson mags in all of them. Over 150k through them. The Dillon Catalog used to have the best price on them @ $25.00 for the 8 rd.

Wilson 47D's, McCormick Power Mags and Cobra mags. Depends on what your gun likes. ACT, Novak, and many others pretty much suck. Nobody has surpassed a Wilson 47D yet. Not even close.

Tripp Research Cobra mags have found a good following. Some like the very similar Wilson ETM. I don't like either of them because the longer mag with the raised base pad can over-seat in many guns and I have yet to see that problem with the standard 47D. Be advised... it locks up the gun when you do that. It doesn't fall, doesn't release, and the slide won't go forward. It happens on slide-lock reloads.

The standard 7 rd Wilson 47D Match is my favorite mag for practice and general carry. It has the rounded follower and is slightly more durable and reliable. They seat a little easier under durress as well. The 10 rounders also have a rounded follower and have proven to be excellent in all my guns. They are both in common usage with elite units.

I replace the plastic floor plate with the steel one on the 10's but it will not allow the 7 rd mags to seat properly so leave the .250 pad on there if you get them.

 

[A-Team]

I've got a variety mags now... Wilson... MCM and others... will post how eaach perfformsin the RIA in a month or so once I have a few hundred through each.

 

[BurntEyes]

Add another vote for Wilson. That is all that goes in my 1911s.