Magazine preferences?

[YeeeahSteve]

I recently acquired a Springfield 1911-A1 in stainless as a Christmas gift from my brother. It's a used gun, not sure how many rounds are through it but its well broken in. I think I've shot around 300 rounds of FMJ through it thus far with no issues of any kind (other than the dreaded hammer bite). Anyway, I'd like to get more magazines for it and I was wondering if any of you 1911 guys have a magazine brand preference.

[Nathan]

Wilson Combat magazines is the only 1911 magazine I trust. 1911s are finicky bastards (magazine related failures more common than anything else) and the WC magazines will at least minimize if not eliminate magazine related failures.

[YeeeahSteve]

Funny you mention Wilson Combat, I was looking at some of their parts today for a beavertail grip safety and I did look at their magazines. I thought $35 was a little steep for a magazine but then again Wilson Combat is a premium brand. Perhaps I can find them a little cheaper elsewhere.

[Hand and Steel]

Wilson Combat makes great magazines. Personally I am quite fond of Mec-Gar's 8 round "anti-friction" coated magazines.

http://shop.mec-gar.com/Magazines/1911/ ... e-Follower

If I have a choice between Mec-Gar and something else, I go with Mec-Gar, and frankly I have been very pleased with the results.

[hkguy]

I run tripp cobras in my DW, Dawson mags in my STI Spartan, and Wilson, CHip, Metealform, and Kimber mags in my Kimber.

IMO for range duty, its hard to be the brownells/metalform mags which are pretty cheap. for carry or competition i would pony up and get wilson/chip McCormic/Tripp/Dawson etc.

[Nathan]

I thought $35 was a little steep for a magazine

I agree....but if you are going to carry a 1911 and depend on it for your life and knowing that the most common 1911 failure is magazine related, that $35 seems like cheap insurance. If for range duty then "run what ya brung", but for carry...

Magazines seem to the be the failure point for so many good guns. I've yet to purchase a production grade 1911 that didn't come with magazines. While not 1911 related, the original Bren Ten parent company went bankrupt because they contracted out magazine production to a company in Italy who couldn't export them because the Italian government declared them to be tools of war and banned the export. This left them with guns that they had no magazines for and this ultimately bankrupted them. Magazine problems....they just ruin a good thing time and time again. Spend the $35.

[YeeeahSteve]

While I'm on the fence as to whether or not I'll actually carry the Springfield, I went ahead and ordered two WC mags. If I ever do decide to carry it or at the very least need it for any type of self defense situation, I'll have the two WC's at my disposal. While the mags that came with it have work flawlessly (so far)perhaps I'll pick up some cheaper mags for range use only. Can never have enough mags and if nothing else I'll be able to get some clearing practice.

[Tye]

OK you have your 2 wilson combat mags. I have one. Now go buy a bunch more innexpensive mags. Annecdotal, yes. My only 1911 failures (2) were coincident with Chip McC shootingstars. No failures yet with their power mag or MecGar 7 and 8s, Springfield, Colt, Check Mate, Remington, or WC. I might be missing one or two as well. I must admit I don't drop abuse them in competition, etc. I love Mecgar also for Beretta and CZ.handguns in addition to 1911s.

[robalo23]

Wilson 47D"s

[Tye]

Oops. Just had a premature slide lock with one more round to go with a Mecgar 8 round mag. Hmmmmm....

My 1911 mags pretty much see the same number of rounds, being all stuffed awaiting duty and emptied one after another. Lather, rinse, repeat.