new 1911 mag?

[nemesisenforcer]

Thinking I need new mags for my Taurus 1911 for my cast bullets. The ones I got work with jacketed bullets, but jam up on my home grown ones.

My dad has an old nice nickel mag that seems to work perfectly, but I don't think that kind are available any more.

Any suggestions?

[Love Life]

Have you checked Wilson Combat or looked for the newer Colt magazines? There are other manufacturers, but I can't recall them right now.

Where are they jamming up on the magazines? What boolit profile? SWC, RN, WFN?

[hylander]

I run Chip McCormick 8 round Power Mags. and have never had a failure or feed issue.
I have run 185, 200, 230 gr. Jacketed and Hollow points.
TC and RN jacketed.
200 SWC and 230 RB lead
Again never a single mag. issue

http://www.cmcmags.com/Powermags.html

[gmsharps]

I have had great luck with metal form mags. Get the ones with rounded and extended followers. Removable floorplates alow you to clean the magazines with a less chance of damaging the mags lips . A lot of other good mags out there but these worked for me when others wouldn't.

gmsharps

[imashooter2]

I run Chip McCormick 8 round Power Mags. and have never had a failure or feed issue.
I have run 185, 200, 230 gr. Jacketed and Hollow points.
TC and RN jacketed.
200 SWC and 230 RB lead
Again never a single mag. issue

http://www.cmcmags.com/Powermags.html

Some claim Wilson are better, but Chips have always been 100% for me. The follower design can chew up alloy frames though. All my guns are steel, so no worries.

[Dave C.]

Wilson. The best.

Dave C.

[littlejack]

Something is wrong, my Taurus PT1911, has no problems at all with any factory (very little amount) or my handloads (thousands). I use the factory Taurus mags. I would take a good look at your reloads and make sure everything is to spec, and the cartridges fit the magazine properly. It could be that the c.o.l I too long or short, or the seated diameter in too large.
Regards
Jack

[bobthenailer]

I use Wilsons in all of my 1911's for the past 25 years in 45 acp & 38super, all have been flawless ! about 18 magazines total.

[nemesisenforcer]

The bullets are 230 gr. round nose, ball profile. They're coming in at app. 1.255 OAL (max OAL 1.275 for 45 ACP.) When hand fed into the chamber they fit just fine and like I said, my dad's old Colt nickel mag fed flawlessly, but the ones I'm using (Shooting Star) won't work with the cast stuff, but work great with jackets.

[wrench]

I've got a hodge podge of 1911 mags, but most of them are Chip McCormick shooting stars, and Metalforms. No issues with either one with cast.
I do like Wilson's for my Officer sized pistol.

[35remington]

Nearly all of the "name brand" magazines do not feed the 1911 the way it was intended to be fed. This is a news flash for too many 1911 users.

For ball ammo, use ball magazines. This have the full tapered lip profile. No other magazine design can pretend to feed better, as this magazine will be feeding exactly the ammo it was designed to feed. The hybrid type, also known as the Colt factory seven shot, are versatile all around magazines that feed the gun the way JMB intended the gun to be fed. Most of the other touted brands do not.

Simple fact.

Checkmate industries sells these magazines, but, like most mag makers, are backordered right now. When the panic subsides, order a couple of the hybrids and one of the ball magazines with the Xtra Power spring option. Best way to do it.

This is known by too few 1911 users, which is a shame. Lately we've been turning this around, and the magazine is getting the attention it deserves.

Remember the 1911 passed its acceptance trials, 6 thousand rounds without a jam, using this magazine type. That is, JMB's original design.

[35remington]

BTW, Shooting Star magazines were never, ever intended to be used with full power ball ammo. If you want to know why, ask, but the ball type ammo gives these magazines fits in a lot of pistols, due to feed lip shape not meshing well with the length and ogive of the ammo, and also due to excessively weak magazine springs.

Shooting Stars were intended for short SWC ammo loaded to low power levels. Outside of this use they get problematic.

Keep in mind that some of your feeding issues could be due to using the wrong bullet design, loaded to the wrong overall length, used in a magazine that was not designed to feed it.

In other words, the problem could also be you.

[waksupi]

I have some McCormick 8 round magazines. I would get failure to feed on the seventh round. Contacted the company, half way convinced them I wasn't a total idiot, and exchanged several emails. Finally chatted with the boss. He told me I had to shoot a certain bullet to function correctly, and could not leave the magazines loaded. I carry my .Combat commander every day, and it is a night time companion. Just when am I supposed to not have it loaded? I ended up buying new springs and followers from Brownells for standard 7 shots, and they are fine now. I thought Chip was pretty damned lame.

[nemesisenforcer]

BTW, Shooting Star magazines were never, ever intended to be used with full power ball ammo. If you want to know why, ask, but the ball type ammo gives these magazines fits in a lot of pistols, due to feed lip shape not meshing well with the length and ogive of the ammo, and also due to excessively weak magazine springs.

Shooting Stars were intended for short SWC ammo loaded to low power levels. Outside of this use they get problematic.

Keep in mind that some of your feeding issues could be due to using the wrong bullet design, loaded to the wrong overall length, used in a magazine that was not designed to feed it.

In other words, the problem could also be you.

Then why would they feed full power jacketed ball ammo just fine and only give me fits with the same profile and pressure of cast projectile?

[nemesisenforcer]

Nearly all of the "name brand" magazines do not feed the 1911 the way it was intended to be fed. This is a news flash for too many 1911 users.

For ball ammo, use ball magazines. This have the full tapered lip profile. No other magazine design can pretend to feed better, as this magazine will be feeding exactly the ammo it was designed to feed. The hybrid type, also known as the Colt factory seven shot, are versatile all around magazines that feed the gun the way JMB intended the gun to be fed. Most of the other touted brands do not.

Simple fact.

Checkmate industries sells these magazines, but, like most mag makers, are backordered right now. When the panic subsides, order a couple of the hybrids and one of the ball magazines with the Xtra Power spring option. Best way to do it.

This is known by too few 1911 users, which is a shame. Lately we've been turning this around, and the magazine is getting the attention it deserves.

Remember the 1911 passed its acceptance trials, 6 thousand rounds without a jam, using this magazine type. That is, JMB's original design.

Wow. Good info. I had no idea, and I consider myself pretty well versed in firearm history and design.:o

[MtGun44]

Three designs of lips out there.
1) Browning's original tapered style, only Checkmate offers these today.

2) Hybrid, tapered with an "early release" that is fairly late in the game. Colt used to ship these, not
sure what they ship today.

3) Most common style today is parallel lips with early release. Best for SWCs at shorter LOAs, but most
guns feed anything well from these.

I have a Commander that demands the original style to feed smoothly with Speer 230 Gold Dots. Never
jammed but just feels rough when hand cycling. With the original lip design, it is slicker than owl
snot, clearly superior feeding in this gun with that cartridge.

Nickel plated mags feed better than any other metal or finish.

Metalform makes really good mags, formed 3D sheet metal follower is the best. Wilson's
follower is a plastic copy of this follower. Wilson's are pretty good, prefer the metal follower.
This was originally the Laka magazine in the late 70s and early 80s, was only a 5 shot mag
for bullseye. I have heard that Metalform was the vendor and when Laka went out of business
(rumor that he died) Metalform took over and made them 7 shot mags. We cut the long tails
on the followers and made them 7 shot mags in the 80s when they were still Laka.

YMMV.

Bill

[DRNurse1]

A lot of good information precedes this post of my anecdotal experience. My summary is I carry stainless steel magazines with curved followers due to no failure to feed issues over 20 years and many thousands of rounds with a variety of cartridges and loads.

The longer version is that I have a variety of magazines for 1911A1 and Officers Model Springfield V-10. I carry 7 round stainless steel and practice with them regularly, some of which are 20+years old. I changed the springs twice and expect to do so again in 2 or 3 years. I also have two of the nickel plated versions for my carry gun (8 magazines total in rotation for carry) but I usually carry only one nickel at a time and only for reloads (I sweat A LOT).

My target guns have a selection of stainless and nickel plated magazines (no blue steel yet) in 7 and 8 round versions. I recently purchased the Kimber magazines for a steel plate application and am using those in bullseye competition because they are easy to load and I want to see how long the plastic (Kydex?) followers last. These seem to feed SWC and RN lead with no difficulty and the JRN, JHP, and JTC (jacketed Truncated Cone) are also working well, though I have only put 250 or so through my guns. The Pb boolits are 185, 200, 225 SWC and 230 RN and the J-words are all 230 grain.

The only finicky magazines I own have flat metal followers. They are from different after manufacturers so I suspect the follower not the magazine. I did not buy any more flat followers until the Kimbers mentioned above.

I have had only one catastrophic magazine failure (base plate detached) in these many rounds and magazines. That magazine was from an after-market, non-premium manufacturer. I have not purchased any more of those magazines.

My long form summary is to carry the best magazine you can buy and practice often, your life may depend on it. For competition, your wallet may have a greater influence. I would not turn down a good buy (that is how the nickel carry magazines landed in my rotation: $10? Sure I'll take it!) but I would not depend on a "good buy" without significant testing. The bottom line is to trust your tools and your gut feeling developed by using them.

Happy hunting for that elusive holy grail magazine that puts every round in the chamber and on target.

[35remington]

Colt still ships their 7 round magazines that are hybrid style. Aside from needing a stronger spring they are what the doctor ordered.

nemesis, "my gun jams" is new guy's speak for yes, the gun's not working, but I'm not being specific enough.

Tell us:

Which round in the magazine, if any, jams.

The location of the rim in relation to the extractor.

A picture of the jam would be most helpful. "It jams" covers a malady of ills. Not a specific statement, and impossible to diagnose your problem until you are more specific.

The Devel type follower found in the Power Mag and Shooting Star is, frankly, an utterly poor design. That many 1911's work with them is more a testament to the 1911's forgiving nature than an endorsement of the magazine. Ol' Chip himself has recently admitted the magazines are flawed with a design correction. But he gives you, the unwitting beta tester, the opportunity to find out just how his magazines are deficient.

Hint: Smooth follower and exceptionally weak spring in the Shooting Star often lose the rounds in the magazine under recoil impact, allowing the rounds to get ejected instead of fed, or have live round stovepipes or push feeds or double feeds.

Not good. My 1911's are extremely allergic to them with ball. The SWC feed lips found in these magazines have more problems with longer overall length rounds in some guns.

The fact that most 1911 users do not use the magazines it was intended to use is part tragedy and part crime. This is a big reason why the 1911 has a spotty reputation for feeding. Use the magazine design it was designed to use and you'll be ahead of the game.

[wv109323]

I have used Metalform for many years. I never upgraded to the Chip McCormick or Wilson because I never has to. Metalform are one of the least expensive in the aftermarket and supply magazines to Colt.

[Moonie]

My PT1911 mags have never had jacketed ammo run through them and out of any malfunctions they have had none have been magazine related, I have even shot them through my compact 1911 with no issues (being very careful not to push them in too far of course). From Miha's 200gr HP to lee's 200gr SWC and 230 TC, all function perfectly through the mags.

[yotatrd4x4]

Alot of good info here for sure. When I first got into 1911 pistols I had no idea of all the different mags. I as of now have 3 different brand mags and here is what I noticed. the original 7rd WWII mags I have work great with ball but not hollow points or semi wadcutters. I also have some ACT mags that came with my SW1911 and my Citadel 1911. They work good as range mags but I dont like the plastic base plate or the way they feed my semi wadcutter hollow points that I like to carry in the woods. They will feed my ball ammo just fine. I also have some of the stainless Chip McCormick shooting stars that work really well with anything I have used with them. I use these for my carry mags and have complete confidence in them. I tried a wilson 47D and really liked it too but expensive as I can get the McCormick mags for $20 each vs $40+.

[btroj]

I use strictly Checkmate mags with hybrid feed lips. They just work. Ordered online for under 20 bucks each.
I did buy extra power springs for them.

[Love Life]

All I shoot is ball, as my gun is for desert loafing and self defense. Because of that I use the hybrids and tapered.