Colt .45 ACP Magazines

[Buckshot Bear]

Gotta' buy some  mags for WB are these Colt .45 ACP Magazines good?

 

(I can't get into the WB Forum, its always a flaky site for me )

 

 

[bgavin]

I’m interested also, for my PM7 thinking Wilson combat but so many to choose from

[Widder, SASS #59054]

Lots of good mags on the market..... and some iffy ones also.

 

By my own experience, I like Wilson Combat.  They have worked great in

my Springfield Armory 1911's, Kimber 1911's, Magnum Research 1911's, BUL 1911's,

RIA 1911's and my 2 new Savage 1911's.

 

Also from my own personal experience, the factory Kimber mags just didn't seem to feed as

well as the Wilson Combat in my Kimbers.

 

Although I haven't tried them yet, the TRIPP COBRA mags seem to have a growing reputation

for being top notch.   I hope to try them soon.

 

..........Widder

 

[Sgt. C.J. Sabre, SASS #46770]

As far as I know the Colts should be fine. The Wilsons will work, but he's REAL proud of them. If you can find them, Chip McCormick Shooting Stars are good. Those are what I carry in Bigmouth. 

[Buckshot Bear]

They are for my Ruger SR1911, these Colt ones are advertised at half the price of the Rugers @ $60 instead of $120 

[Crooked River Pete, SASS 43485]

I've always had good luck with genuine Colt Mags, but I only been using them for 45 years so what would I know? I've had good luck with the others mentioned also, but some of them may not be legal for wild bunch.

[ShadowCatcher]

Never had an issue with Colt factory mags, and also like the Wilson mags,

along with the McCormick Shooting Star mags.  Been using some of those for

45 years now.

 

Tripp mags have given me round tipping problems with the 9mm mags though.

 

YMMV,

 

SC

[Abilene Slim SASS 81783]

Ditto, for Chip McCormick Shooting Stars in my Colt (8 rounds). 

[LawMan Mark, SASS #57095L]

The three big names are Wilson Combat, Tripp Research and Chip McCormick.  For Wild Bunch, they need to be the flat bottomed mags, without the bumper pad (except a leather one that can't exceed 1/4" in thickness).  I've found that the Wilson 7 round flat bottom mags work great.  https://wilsoncombat.com/magazine-1911-45-acp-full-size-7-round-920-series-black-oxide-finish.html  

 

They're in stock, and under $17 each.  

 

 

[Rye Miles #13621]

Colt and Wilson is what I have for my Colt 1911, never fails!

[Jack Spade]

I have a mixture of Colt, Chip McCormick shooting star and Springfield mags that I run in my wild bunch guns.  I prefer the flush 8 round mags because they load easier.  The important thing is to test each and every magazine in your gun before using them in a match.  I load them to full capacity and shoot every one making sure they not only feed right but also that they lock into the gun on the first try and I don't have to fiddle with them and they drop free when I hit the mag release.    A lot of 1911 malfunctions are due to a problem with the magazine.  You also have to keep them clean.  With quick mag changes you can't always drop the mags on a table or prop and they fall in the dirt.  I also bring more mags to a match than just what is required.  Because you are dropping them out they can get full of dirt or even get bent and I like to have extras.  I haven't tried any Tripp mags yet but plan to as mine need replaced.

[Badlands Bob #61228]

When I first started in Wild Bunch, Wilson didn't offer the flat bottom welded mag.  They were all slide in bottom plate type mags, which apparently were not acceptable.  I used Chip McCormick shooting star magazines with great success for years.  I misplaced them during the great basement water heater flood last year and had to buy more.  This time I bought Tripp magazines.  They worked great and I had no feeding problems at all.  These were 45 acp magazines.  

 

Both of the above magazines are welded bases.  I have not glued leather onto the bottoms. but some do.  After the Tripp magazines came in, I found the McCormick magazines, so now I have lots of magazines.  

 

Wild Bunch Tip:

Getting your 1911 to feed lead 45 acp reloaded ammunition reliably is the key to doing well in Wild Bunch.   Don't go cheap on the magazines.

[Dantankerous]

My experience with genuine Colt magazines is different from others here. A number of years ago with the purchase of a new Colt 1911 came 2 brand new Colt magazines as usual and one I couldn’t get more than two rounds in and the other only five. I’ve never seen a magazine that wouldn’t take ammo, but might have a problem dispensing it. I called Colt, and they sent me two more magazines as replacements and neither one of these would work either although they suffered from feeding reliability issues from the get-go. I dismissed Colt magazines and threw them away. I have used Kimber and Tripp and Wilson and none of those have ever given me a lick of trouble.

 

I of course thought it’s too bad Colt magazines can’t be perfection like Glock magazines are. 

[Rye Miles #13621]

13 minutes ago, Dantankerous said:

My experience with genuine Colt magazines is different from others here. A number of years ago with the purchase of a new Colt 1911 came 2 brand new Colt magazines as usual and one I couldn’t get more than two rounds in and the other only five. I’ve never seen a magazine that wouldn’t take ammo, but might have a problem dispensing it. I called Colt, and they sent me two more magazines as replacements and neither one of these would work either although they suffered from feeding reliability issues from the get-go. I dismissed Colt magazines and threw them away. I have used Kimber and Tripp and Wilson and none of those have ever given me a lick of trouble.

 

I of course thought it’s too bad Colt magazines can’t be perfection like Glock magazines are. 

I've NEVER had a problem with Colt mags! I have 4 of them and one Wilson. My only 1911 is a Colt Gov't model.

[Chantry]

I have a mix of Wilson 8 rounds with the plastic/rubber base pad and Chip McCormick 8 rounds with flush bases and both brands work great

 

Stay away from the no name cheap 1911 magazines, although they may not be as common in Australia as they are here in the U.S., they are almost always unreliable.

[Chili Ron]

Howdy,

Years ago there was conversation about using colt mag case and Tripp innards.

This was to get the right look and good reliability.

I remember trying this with a cheap colt mag from a local gunshow and

tripp innards.  Worked great.

Then med problems hit and all those goodies have been stuck in a box.

I always thought there should be a modern wild bunch allowing little variations

in barrel length, look of mags, finish,

It just always rubbed the wrong way that I couldnt shoot my favorite colt because

the barrel was a tiny bit too short.

Maybe things have changed,  I see docs instead of rifle range. Both expensive.....

Best

CR

 

[Crooked River Pete, SASS 43485]

One thing about Colt magazines, I don't think Colt makes them. They are farmed out to the lowest bidder. My understanding is that small "M"  you see in the corner of the mag stands for Metalform, the maker, might be other makers also. Metalform makes good mags, they used to make some with a lanyard loop, I bought a couple for my WWI repop, work great but you don't want to slam one in.

[Trigger Mike]

I carry a colt defender often and usually it has Colt magazines in it.  Otherwise it is carrying a Wilson.  

[Happy Jack, SASS #20451]

TRIPP cobra mags !!!!!

[Trigger Mike]

Gunny Tom Highway used to carry women’s magazines in his truck like vanity fair etc .

 

my wife’s step brother went to jail once and when we cleaned out his stuff from her aunts house where he lived with them, we found he carried a lot of playboy magazines. That was long ago though.  

[Sgt. C.J. Sabre, SASS #46770]

10 minutes ago, Trigger Mike said:

Gunny Tom Highway used to carry women’s magazines in his truck like vanity fair etc .

 

my wife’s step brother went to jail once and when we cleaned out his stuff from her aunts house where he lived with them, we found he carried a lot of playboy magazines. That was long ago though.  

I don't think that those qualify for Wild Bunch.

[Tex Jones, SASS 2263]

Colt mags will work, so will Tripps, Wilson and Kimber.  I have mags from all four companies and all work.  Just for information purposes, are pistol magazines a regulated item down under?

[Buckshot Bear]

3 hours ago, Tex Jones, SASS 2263 said:

  Just for information purposes, are pistol magazines a regulated item down under?

 

Mail order from any gun shop and posted to your door........ My State does have a 10 round mag limit. 

[bgavin]

Wilson offers a bewildering array of mags for Full Size 1911.
I have no clue which is best suited for my DW PM7.
I suppose it would be a good idea to get those that are WB blessed, in case I ever want to go that route in future.

[Dapper Dynamite Dick]

I have found Colt magazines are hit and miss, My IPSC mags come from Wilson and my Wild Bunch mags are from Tripp Research.

[Sgt. C.J. Sabre, SASS #46770]

One maker to avoid is Mec-Gar. I know that they make factory magazines for a lot of pistols, but they don't make a good 1911 magazine. I had several some years back, and they ALL cracked at the left "ear", causing failures to feed, and making it very difficult to even remove the magazine from the gun. 

[DeaconKC]

Sgt, I gotta disagree with you. Mec-Gars are excellent mags. Call them, if there were bad ones, they will replace them for you!

[Sgt. C.J. Sabre, SASS #46770]

22 minutes ago, DeaconKC said:

Sgt, I gotta disagree with you. Mec-Gars are excellent mags. Call them, if there were bad ones, they will replace them for you!

Maybe I got a bad batch. Like I said, I know that they make OEM magazines for a lot of guns. I'll just stick with my Chip McCormick's. And I doubt that they would honor a warranty on purchases from 20 years or so ago anyway.   

[Texas Lizard]

On 11/6/2023 at 12:51 PM, Buckshot Bear said:

 

Mail order from any gun shop and posted to your door........ My State does have a 10 round mag limit. 

But can you get anything right now????

 

Texas Lizard

[Wild Eagle]

Mec-Gar is my favorite 1911 magazine.  I have others, but find the Mec-Gar is more reliable, easier to load, and cheaper than any other.  I don't know if they are legal for Wild Bunch though. 

 

Now, ProMag is an entirely different story.  You can't give me a ProMag for any gun.

[bgavin]

Wilson Combat had a 10% off sale, so I picked up four 800A mags for my new PM7, which is paroled from CA Waiting Jail on 11/14.

[Chickasaw Bill SASS #70001]

I used Mil 7 rd mags for many years , I had axcess to a big supply , of NOS , still in the package 

 

  them were the old days , 

 

Mec-Gar had a bad run of 40 S&W mags a few years back , follower not heat treated right , called , them , 

they wanted to replace the mags , I told em , just send me the followers , and I can replace em myself , the body and srping were fine 

 

 I do not care for Wilsons , feed lips crack , 

 

   CB 

[Pat Riot]

On 11/5/2023 at 11:39 PM, ShadowCatcher said:

Never had an issue with Colt factory mags, and also like the Wilson mags,

along with the McCormick Shooting Star mags.  Been using some of those for

45 years now.

 

Tripp mags have given me round tipping problems with the 9mm mags though.

 

YMMV,

 

SC

Agreed. 
 

I was going to say nearly the same thing.

 

I did have two Colt mags that malfunctioned, but I am pretty sure were clones. Really good clones. You cannot trust “Colt” mags that do not come from a reputable source. 

[Buckshot Bear]

21 hours ago, Texas Lizard said:

But can you get anything right now????

 

Texas Lizard

 

Not sure what you mean? 

[Alpo]

I would guess that he's referring to the AMERICA IS NOT GOING TO SEND GUNS OR AMMUNITION OR GUN STUFF TO ANYBODY EXCEPT UKRAINE crap that Brandon came up with.