Pablo Posted March 13, 2011 Report Share Posted March 13, 2011 Does anyone know if Colt actually made and/or still makes 10 round magazines for the 1911 45 gov? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BarryinIN Posted March 13, 2011 Report Share Posted March 13, 2011 They may have sold some Colt-marked ones, but I am pretty sure Colt has not made a magazine in-house for a long time. A long time, perhaps decades.There is often a letter in the corner of the floorplate that corresponds to a manufacturer. I have seen a code chart somewhere, but don't recall when and where it was. They have used Metalform, Checkmate, McCormick and no doubt others. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BarryinIN Posted March 13, 2011 Report Share Posted March 13, 2011 This doesn't completely apply to Pablo's question, but maybe this is as good a time as any for me to go off on my 1911 magazine rant. Here we go.Most of the big gun forums on the web have this question regularly: What is the most reliable/dependable magazine for 1911s?The forum will light up with responses, most of them saying "Wilson" (which only narrows it down to four basic models and several more sub-models), with some McCormick Power Mag fans, the occasional Tripp Cobra Mag connoisseur, and always some guy saying that nothing but gen-yoo-ine GI will do, even though odds are they have never seen an actual USGI magazine since they practically dried up 50 years ago.Besides the fact it's hard to say anything is "best" without having tried everything available, there is another problem with answering this question: You can't tell the guy what mag is best for his gun without trying them in his gun.You see, what works well in one gun might not work well in another.There have been dozens of 1911 manufacturers.There have been dozens of 1911 magazine manufacturers.They have made millions of guns and magazines.Not every combination will be a perfect match, even if most might.The Wilsons are wonderful. Specifically, the 47 series is the type everyone is familiar with and has been made by the barge load. They have worked great in almost every 1911 I've had.But not in all.I've had two Springfields that wouldn't lock open on the 8-rd version. They fed fine, but wouldn't lock open when empty. The 7-rd ones did. I've seen some other SAs that did the very same thing. Still, they were the exception.Every other 1911 I've owned, and most I've seen used with them ran fine.Most guns like them, but some do not.Chip McCormick Power Mags came out a few years ago and I think they are way better than their old Shooting Star and "Match" models. The Springfields I had that didn't lock open on the Wilsons lock open on the Power Mags. I have had no trouble with them in any of my guns, and I use them for carry. But some people I shoot IDPA and IPSC with say they have had trouble in their guns.Most guns like them, but some do not.Colt factory mags can come from various sources, but usually seem to be Metalform from what I've seen. Most of these have been OK with me, but not always. It depends on the gun.Most guns like them, but some do not.Ed Brown sells a magazine or two. I don't know if he makes it or buys it and remarks it. I have one and it works fine in all my guns, but I have heard others rank it below the Wilsons. There you go.Most guns like them, but some do not.ACT is an Italian company that made the first S&W 1911 mags, and maybe they still do. I have two, and while they feed fine, they are just a little wider than normal and stick in the magwell of some guns when released.Most guns like them, but some do not.And on it goes.My point is, if someone buys a new 1911, try a brand of magazine before buying a bunch of them. Don't go online and ask what is "the best" and buy two dozen of them. You may hear Magazine A is the best in the world, but don't order a bucketful before trying any of them or you may be stuck with a bucketful of expensive magazines that "mostly work". You yourself might have had great luck with that mag in another gun 10 years ago, but that doesn't mean it will go well now.It is slower, and may cost a bit at first, but I'd suggest buying one each of as many good brands as one can, trying them, then getting more of what the gun tells you to get. If it likes them all, you have eliminated the most important factor and can move down the list. Get the one that's five cents cheaper or has a more rounded base pad that doesn't gouge your side as bad when in the belt pouch.If nothing else, it might keep someone from being another who curses 1911s as clunkers "even after buying the best magazine money could buy".Try before you buy, or at least before you buy in quantity. What's the best 1911 magazine? The one that works in your gun. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pablo Posted March 13, 2011 Author Report Share Posted March 13, 2011 Nice clues. Yeah I know they aren't made in house. I'm trying to ID two that I bought at the WAC Gun Show yesterday. They look high quality - nothing about them is cheap but I became suspicious when I see that Colt does NOT sell 10 rnd mags at their online store. These have "G" and "S" stamped on the bottom. The G may mean Mec-Gar. My factory 4 each 8 rounders have "C" and "S". Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BarryinIN Posted March 13, 2011 Report Share Posted March 13, 2011 I know I've seen a chart that breaks down the codes, but I can't remember where. I'm pretty sure it was online. I'll look around.Please don't hold me to this, but I think the "C" is a Metalform code. I want to say the "S" means stainless steel, but am even less sure of that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BarryinIN Posted March 13, 2011 Report Share Posted March 13, 2011 Well that took about five seconds, although it isn't what I was thinking of:http://forum.m1911.org/showthread.php?t=28256It says "C" is Checkmate, which I thought about, but also thought was too obvious. It also says the secondary "S" is stainless. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pablo Posted March 14, 2011 Author Report Share Posted March 14, 2011 According to the guys on M1911 Greek site, they are fakes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pablo Posted March 19, 2011 Author Report Share Posted March 19, 2011 All 8 of the mags worked flawlessly with 3 or 4 ammo brands. Including the 10 rounders. Sweet!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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