I am looking to buy some additional magazines for my Kimber 1911. My 1911 uses 8 round magazines. Are all of them universal? Do I have to buy Kimber mags? Or any maker?

I know Kimber and springfield mix and match each other

A 1911 is a 1911. Unless it is one of the rarer hi-cap staggered column models they all interchange. The seven and eight rounders are identical except for the follower.

 

however the standard Springfield (and probably Kimber and others ) are crap. I'd go with a better quality Chip McCormack or Wilson. Once I switched magazines to the CM, most of the problems disappeared. A 1911 can be a finicky firearm at times. cost for the CM aren't much more than the standard stock models. Brownell's, Midway and others sell them at a decent price.

+1 for the Chip McCormick mags

I hate to be the differentiating opinion here, but my Chip McCormick mags kind of suck.

 

My Wilsons are rock solid, and I've never had a problem with the Mec-gar mag either.

 

Don't get suckered into buying those 3 for $10 gun show mags that come in the brown paper.. they wont feed at all.. only buy those if you already have the rebuild kits.

I just ran a bunch of different mags threw my ParaUSA without any problems.

 

ParaUSA stock mag

Chip Mackormic (spell check?)

Wilson Combat

S&W

Kimber stock mag

Wilson 47d.

 

http://www.wilsoncombat.com/a_magazines.asp

out of the 3 mags I got for my kimber, I love the Power Mag by Mccormick Corp... it's easy to load, slides out with ease, I think you can get a ... whatever you call it for the bottom of the mag so it's faster to slide out, but it slides out on it's own so you really dont need that.

 

A base pad. They are available for retrofit to any 1911 magazine. however it won't make it more reliable.

A 1911 is a 1911. Unless it is one of the rarer hi-cap staggered column models they all interchange.

 

S&W recommends a skirted follower with their Scandium framed guns.

I like Wilson Mags.

The Ed Brown 8 packs are top notch as well.

I love extended followers like Tripp offers in certain mags and rebuild kits.

Wolff Springs are a great addition to any mag - In my experience, they last the longest before reliability issues related to a weak mag spring start popping up.

 

 

RayRay - Isn't it great when you try a bunch of different mags in your 1911 and have no issues. I'd hang on to that PARA if I were you! Sounds like a good one.

Wilson 47D. I have tried Chip Mccormick mags with no problems. I just feel the Wilson are more polished. Most of the problems with a bottom feeder are mag related because folks like to buy the cheapest aftermarket mag they can. Kinda like 87 octane in a Viper.

1911fan, the only mags I haven't tried are those old Government issue and Colt. Aren't Colt mags a little picky?

I have had great success with the Kimber Tactical magazines.

 

My Wilsons are rock solid, and I've never had a problem with the Mec-gar mag either.

quote]

 

+1

I have 2 extra 1911 smith/wesson / wilson mags. =P send a pm.

Wilson 47d.

 

http://www.wilsoncombat.com/a_magazines.asp

 

 

+1

 

The Wilson mags solved a failure-to-feed problem in my Sig 1911.

I bought 2 of the CM 10rd Power Mags and they have worked flawlessly.

I bought 2 of the CM 10rd Power Mags and they have worked flawlessly.

 

How bad do they stick out? Do they look decent or weird?

I have always used Colt or GI magazines with no problems. The 8 rd mags that came with my PT1911 also work well.

 

I do have some crappy aftermarket mags made only God knows where. They work most of the time and I still use them for practice as the malfunctions they induce are good training. Floor plates are painted red so I don't mistake them for service magazines.

I bought 2 of the CM 10rd Power Mags and they have worked flawlessly.

 

How bad do they stick out? Do they look decent or weird?

 

It doesn't look that bad. At first I thought it looked a little funny, but after they both worked without problems, I didn't care what they looked like. They might not be perfect for CC, but since we can't do that in this state anyway, they are GREAT for range use.