cheap 1911 magazines...

[Bapak2ja]

This is in no way a knock on how you view things but, we have all been through what you are going to do. I have thrown/given away more cheap mags than I care to remember. Been there done that. This is one area of owning a 1911 that is hard to get around Sometimes.

I wish you all the luck with your decision.

Well said. I took your advice and avoided the cheap ones. Thanks.

 

[88E30M50]

Has anyone tried to rebuild non WC mags with the WC mag rebuild kits? I've had good luck with doing that. My Kimber Compact mags were iffy and when one of my WC mags broke a follower, I decided to order a bunch of rebuild kits instead of only the needed one. Now, my Kimber mags run just as well as my WC 47Ds. I think I paid $14 ea. for the kits and brought a bunch of OE mags up to snuff for half the cost of replacing them with WC mags. Just a thought if you have some non-WC mags lying around that could be put to good range use.

 

[Sirshredalot]

Has anyone tried to rebuild non WC mags with the WC mag rebuild kits? I've had good luck with doing that. My Kimber Compact mags were iffy and when one of my WC mags broke a follower, I decided to order a bunch of rebuild kits instead of only the needed one. Now, my Kimber mags run just as well as my WC 47Ds. I think I paid $14 ea. for the kits and brought a bunch of OE mags up to snuff for half the cost of replacing them with WC mags. Just a thought if you have some non-WC mags lying around that could be put to good range use.

The mag lips are the most important.

I rebuilt two para mags and two colt mags with the wc kits...the para mags wouldn't work in my kimber even after the rebuild. The Colts wouldn't feed swc.

Rebuilt the oem kimber mag and it's fine.

My 47ds work without and mods.

God bless
- Shred

 

[Nam1911]

I put Wilson combat 7 round kits in my 10+ year old chip Mccormick shooting star mags. They both are my main carry magazines for my commander 1911. Both have been loaded 24/7 for the past 2 years and still feel like new. The CMC springs were getting old and failing in the commander. They still worked perfectly for the 5 inch though.

The strength of the magazine body and feed lips is the most important aspect IMO. I don't want to have the lips Crack and spread causing malfunctions when I need it to save my life. The CMC stainless mags have withstood countless hard slide lock reloads.

I can't say the same for the crap Promag I tried. It died and cracked the lips on the second slide lock reload 10 minutes after coming out of the package.

 

[worddoer]

This is in no way a knock on how you view things but, we have all been through what you are going to do. I have thrown/given away more cheap mags than I care to remember. Been there done that. This is one area of owning a 1911 that is hard to get around Sometimes.

I wish you all the luck with your decision.

Churchmouse...

I have been using Cobra Tripp mags in my 9mm 1911. So far they have seemed to work well. But I don't have many rounds through them yet.

In your expert 1911 knowledge, do you consider Cobra Tripps to be a quality mag? Is there another mag you would recommend for a 9mm 1911?

Linky...

https://www.trippresearch.com/store/store_1911.html

 

[bobzilla]

I know I'll catch flack for this..... but I bought many of the cheap ACT mags with the plastic buttplates and have not had a single issue in hundreds of rounds through them. Even had a couple for hte 1991A1 Compact and they were always super reliable. To be honest, the only mags I've ever hadan issue with were the Colt 8-rd flat bottoms, but YMMV.

 

[Hornett]

Tripp Cobra mags easily rival Wilsons for quality.

 

[LCSOSgt11]

Cheap mags=malfunctions. Do not use "cheap" anything. Especially when your life may depend on it. I use Wilson mags, and change the springs regularly. What's one's life worth???

 

[Leadeye]

Colt mags made in 1914, still giving good service today.

 

[Drail]

They actually used better steel and heat treat back in 1914 than most manufacturers bother with today. Those magazines should go for many years. Almost all of the "G.I." spec magazines made today will not.

 

[Johnnn]

Appreciate all the input but as I've said the cheap magazines are NOT TO CARRY. Personally don't like the size of the 1911 gun on my body to carry, still one of my favorites, but I carry a 38 snub. Magazines are solely used for range and target practice and if it happens to jam or ftf or fte while I'm at the range I can just practice dealing with issues if they were to arise if I was using this firearm in a serious situation which never hurts.

 

[Johnnn]

Cheap mags=malfunctions. Do not use "cheap" anything. Especially when your life may depend on it. I use Wilson mags, and change the springs regularly. What's one's life worth???

If you read comments I've already said at least one time these are not magazines going to be used for carrying or anything other than going to the range... I would love to get 10+ Wilson mags but will not break the bank for target practice. It's a convenience thing, not a life or death situation. Just don't want to reload magazines all afternoon while wanting to throw some lead down range.

 

[tinhle01]

Check out cdnnsports.com, they have the lowest 1911 mags

 

[churchmouse]

Tripp Cobra mags easily rival Wilsons for quality.

Have a friend that runs them in competition.....loves them.

 

[Nam1911]

For cheap range mags I would try the sarco mags for 9 bucks a pop.

 

[Johnnn]

For cheap range mags I would try the sarco mags for 9 bucks a pop.

Ooooo now your speaking my language thanks

 

[Drail]

Keep in mind that "cheap" magazines are almost always going to be copies of Mil spec G.I. magazines - which were designed to feed ball rounds. They might feed ball rounds pretty well but load them with hollow points or wadcutters and they will usually fail to feed. The best magazine on the market for the lowest price is going to be McCormick Shooting Stars. They are all I have used since 1990. They still feed perfectly - wadcutters, hollowpoints and ball. You should buy some Wolff extra power springs for them because the factory springs won't last too long - especially if left loaded 24/7. As soon as you have a last round or second to last round misfeed - replace the springs. If you have an aluminum framed gun - do not use the McCormick followers. The followers can chew on your feed ramp. Replace them with any quality round top follower (Pachmayr from Brownells) and you'll be good. The Wilson 47 magazines are good but the plastic followers won't hold up against the slide stop and they will eventually cause the gun to stop locking open on empty (but will still feed).

 

[Hornett]

If you have an aluminum framed gun - do not use the McCormick followers. The followers can chew on your feed ramp.

Excellent advice.
QFT and repped for brutal honesty.

I have never used Shooting Stars because I have an aluminum framed 1911.
People who use them, seem to love them.
Admittedly, it will chew up your feed ramp below the area where the bullet makes contact, but I still never liked the idea.

 

[Drail]

Thank you.

 

[Cameramonkey]

I know I'll catch flack for this..... but I bought many of the cheap ACT mags with the plastic buttplates and have not had a single issue in hundreds of rounds through them. Even had a couple for hte 1991A1 Compact and they were always super reliable. To be honest, the only mags I've ever hadan issue with were the Colt 8-rd flat bottoms, but YMMV.

More so than with modern designs, the reliability issue with cheap mags is more of a gun issue than a mag issue.

Cheap mags may work 100% in one particular 1911, but will fail in another, even the same model.