1911 Magazines

[Petrol & Powder]

If it is for self-defense,
Wilson and never look back.

If you are just talking about a range toy, you can spend a little less money but for serious work, Wilson is the way to go.

I was in the 1911 game, got out and after many years got back in the game.
Back 25+ years ago, Wilson was the go-to magazine for serious work. When I returned to the 1911, I wasn't sure if Wilson was still the top dog but it turns out they are.

You don't need huge base pads or other gizmos. Just a solid, reliable magazine. Most semi-auto functioning problems can be traced to the magazine - don't go cheap on magazines if the gun must function.

The Wilson 47 series mags are top-notch. I prefer the stainless models with the smaller base pads.
The steel is high quality. The feed lips retain their form. The springs are strong and don't weaken with use. The follower is plastic (self lubricating and will not rust) and is large enough to stay aligned in the body of the magazine. The Wilson 47 series will feed SWC, RN and RN hollow point reliably.

Almost any magazine will work when new. The question is, "How long will it work and WHEN WILL IT FAIL"?

[Petrol & Powder]

my personal favorite is the wilson combat #47d. Very reliable and durable.

/\ this /\

[jakharath]

Tripp Cobra. Replaced all my other mags with them.

[Uncle R.]

You don't need huge base pads or other gizmos. Just a solid, reliable magazine. Most semi-auto functioning problems can be traced to the magazine - don't go cheap on magazines if the gun must function.

The Wilson 47 series mags are top-notch. I prefer the stainless models with the smaller base pads.
The steel is high quality. The feed lips retain their form. The springs are strong and don't weaken with use. The follower is plastic (self lubricating and will not rust) and is large enough to stay aligned in the body of the magazine. The Wilson 47 series will feed SWC, RN and RN hollow point reliably.

Almost any magazine will work when new. The question is, "How long will it work and WHEN WILL IT FAIL"?

This. ^^^^
Matches my experience exactly.

I haven't tried every 1911 mag out there, but I've tried a bunch of 'em.
Many of them start out great, but break down after hard use.
Even genuine Colt mags have failed when they get old, and have been used a lot.

I've never had a Wilson mag fail.
I have several that are probably 30 years old and they still work perfectly.
The feed lips don't deform, the body holds its shape, and the springs stay strong.
Wilson mags function very well, and they keep functioning for a long, long time.

I've had extensive experience with Wilson mags over several decades, and they're reliable as an anvil. I don't want anything else.

Uncle R.

[Reverend Recoil]

Springfield Armory magazines work great for me.

[bigboredad]

I hate the Wilson on several of my guns they won't lock the slide back. I really l one checkmate and the newer railed version of Chip McCormicks work good but after I bought the cobra Tripp mags they have became my favorite. The price is a long the lines of Wilson however the cobra mags are way more robust and work fabulous plus replacement parts are available at a decent price. These are by far the most robust mags I've ever seen.

The way I see it I paid a chunk of change for my Dan Wesson why use cheap mags

Sent from my SM-T377V using Tapatalk

[Loudy13]

My personal favorite is the Wilson Combat #47D. Very reliable and durable.

ditto on these and you can find 2,3 or 4 packs on fleabay for a decent price

[rintinglen]

My opinion is worth little, I am not a huge 1911 fan, but the Wilson, McCormick, and Mec-gar magazines have all worked well for me.

[Baltimoreed]

I also had issues with wilson 1911 mags being undersized but bought 10 ss chip McCormick mags that I’ve used for years. Also have ss and blue oem colt mags that work fine.

[Mk42gunner]

I don't like any 1911 magazine that has a plastic floor plate, they tend to get banged up and broken when dropped.

I have had good luck with GI mags, and if I wanted eight round capacity I used to used Chip McCormick's Shooting Star mags. They were the least expensive eight rounder's ~thirty years ago when I was carrying a 1911.

Robert

[Laguna Freak]

The Chip McCormick 8 round mags are flawless.

[downzero]

I don't like any 1911 magazine that has a plastic floor plate, they tend to get banged up and broken when dropped.

I have had good luck with GI mags, and if I wanted eight round capacity I used to used Chip McCormick's Shooting Star mags. They were the least expensive eight rounder's ~thirty years ago when I was carrying a 1911.

Robert

I'm pretty sure I shot 40,000 rounds through the same magazines with plastic floorplates and never had one break.

[nicholst55]

Wilson own the Chip McCormick name now, and so your new CMC mags are really Wilsons. Checkmate makes Ed Brown's mags, and probably several others, as well. Over on the 1911 Addicts forum, they tend to poo-poo the Springfield factory mags. I dunno, but that's what they say.

Anyone who has a few trashed mags in their junk drawer, get over to Ed Brown's website. They have a magazine trade-in program - send them your old mag and $10, and they'll send you a brand new Ed Brown branded mag!

https://www.edbrown.com/magexchange/

[imashooter2]

The Chip McCormick 8 round mags are flawless.

I’m a McCormick fan as well. Can’t get any more reliable than 100%.

[JonB_in_Glencoe]

Here's what I learned from reading this thread and the other thread about 9mm 1911 mags.

For any 1911 Mag, you will find a buyer/owner who says they are the best, and you will also find someone that has had some negative experience with it.

I guess a fella just has to pick one, buy it, then try it in your gun. If it works great, then buy some more.

[Silver Jack Hammer]

I used Wilson 7 round magazines for my Colt’s 1911 when I was a peace officer. Never had any problem with them. Encountered a guy who needed shooting, the Wilson mag obliged him with fail.

[catboat]

Give consideration of what style bullet you will shoot with your 1911( presuming it is a 45 acp). Roundnose? SWC?

Then look at the feed lip design of the magazine. The lip designs are:

"USGI" (for round nose/hardball), lips are straight, but taper more open toward the front. Shooting a SWC design bullet can have feed/jamming issues if you load them in a USGI lip design mag, as this design has a higher angle of feed into the chamber.

SWC: Lips are parallel, then open up toward the front of the mag. The design lowers the angle of feed into the chamber to minimize (avoid?) having the shoulder of the SWC get caught on feed. This can cause a jam.

"hybrid" : generally work for both round nose and SWC, depending on the gun. They are a combination of the above two lip designs.

Excellent article with pictures to see the lip designs:
http://how-i-did-it.org/magazines2/read-my-lips.html

http://how-i-did-it.org/magazines2/conclusion.html

I like Checkmate 7-round mags with with either hybrid or "USGI" / round nose lips for my 4 Springfield Armory 1911 45 acp ( stock MILSPEC, stock Range Officer, custom hardball and wad gun on Springfield Armory MILSPEC platforms. The hybrid lip design works 100% reliable for either my swc or round nose loads for any of the Springfield 1911 I have. Got them at TopGun supply.

added: The above being written, the factory blued Springfield Armory 7-round mags have worked without a bobble in my Springers.

[Bazoo]

I have had several new checkmate mags with tapered GI feed lips. One would not feed the lee TC bullet. I have a 1M291 mag that will feed anything. Why I can't determine. I've had the best luck with hybrid lip mags, but I'll use anything if I can get it reasonable.

While I don't care for Wilson mags, I carry one for my reload. It never has failed with ball type ammo, but won't feed the TC bullet reliably. I carry it to have an extra round in a mag known for long service life. I rarely empty it, just carry it. I keep another in my glovebox.

The mag in my gun is the 1M291 normally.

Right now I have
2 Wilson 8 round
1 Springfield factory
1 1M291
1 Ruger 7 round
1 Colt 8 round flush fit
1 Kimber 8 round tacmag

The Kim mag is super hard to seat on a closed slide if loaded with 8.

[Silver Jack Hammer]

I used Wilson 7 round magazines for my Colt’s 1911 when I was a peace officer. Never had any problem with them. Encountered a guy who needed shooting, the Wilson mag obliged him with fail.

The Wilson Mag was without fail. Not with fail.

[DDriller]

Tripp mags for me, followed by Wilson 47d.