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Navigating The 1911 Magazine Market: Our Top Picks
The Colt 1911 has been around for over 100 years and has seen more combat than Patton, MacArthur, and Stonewall Jackson. From the First World War to every war afterward, whether in the hands of an American warfighter or not, the 1911 has remained on the battlefield.
The 1911 is still in service today, not only in .45 ACP like the original but also in 9mm. It’s a classic design that could never die, and we will never let it.
1911s have sure come a long way! Source
They come in many shapes and sizes, from concealed carry to full battle pistol configurations. However, this 1911 magazine buyer’s guide is meant for those who own a Government or Commander 1911 (larger frames).
Over the years, I’ve had the pleasure of shooting plenty of 1911s. My grandpa, who served in the Marines during Vietnam, has a large collection, and it isn’t getting any smaller.
Since every 1911 failure I’ve seen can usually be traced to the magazine, it’s essential to ensure you have a few good ones. So, to avoid ending up with a three-pound paperweight, let’s talk about magazines.
Throw a steak in this photo, and you’ll hear bald eagles cry. Source
Everyday Carry / Home Defense:
Tried and True
Mec-Gar has been producing magazines for law enforcement agencies that ran the 1911 for five decades and has gained quite a reputation for its quality. Heat-treated steel without all of the weight, you can count on these mags to get by during those tough times.
The reinforced steel on the feed lips prevents the possibility of breakage or deformation of the material, and the self-lubricating polymer follower reduces the risk of the follower hanging up on debris.
These will sit flush with full-sized 1911s, adding minimal length to the bottom (for grip purposes), which lowers the possibility of a snag. The side-facing round indicators will tell you how many rounds you have left.
If you’re looking for the best, you’ve found it.
Wilson Combat’s flagship
Wilson Combat 1911 .45 ACP 8 Round Elite Tactical Magazine
22 reviews
Price range: $36.99 through $39.99
Wilson Combat is famous for its aftermarket parts. All of my Sig Sauer fans are likely well-versed in its products.
The 8-Round Elite Tactical magazine is similar to the Mec-Gar 1911 magazine in size, adding little to the bottom of your 1911. Still, the side-facing round indicators are slotted instead of individual, so you can better understand how much juice you have left when it’s dark out.
The stainless steel magazine tower provides a sleek finish and allows for easier magazine removal, even when debris accumulates in the magazine well.
If you mind extra protrusion, keep reading.
7-round flush-fit option
For those who prefer a flush fit on their magazine, like it was back in the day, the Mec-Gar 7-Round magazine is as close as possible. As I’ve said before, Mec-Gar has been providing mags for law enforcement and military contracts worldwide.
So they have something suitable. Reliability and durability, check.
Much of the magazine is the same as the 8-Round magazine I mentioned above, but the round indicators are staggered instead of straight like the former. This is reminiscent of the older magazines that came with the 1911 in the ‘60s.
So, if you want no protrusion or have an older 1911, this magazine is for you.
Competition king
Chip McCormick Customs, or CMC, is well known for its competition-focused aftermarket parts. And if there’s one thing you should know about Chip, it’s that he loved the 1911—he was obsessed with it. Because of this, CMC is the leading manufacturer of aftermarket 1911 magazines.
Featuring staggered round indicators on a stainless steel mag tower, these are easy to get in and out of your pistol. Adding the optional rubber plate and ripping these out is easy for anyone.
If you’re running a competition with your 1911, there’s no reason not to trust a Chip McCormick product.
Reliable extra firepower
Wilson Combat 1911 .45 ACP 10 Round Elite Tactical Magazine with Base Pad
5 reviews
Price range: $44.99 through $47.99
Eight rounds are fine, but we can always use more. Wilson Combat extended the baseplate, squeezed two more rounds in there, extended the round indicator, and finished it all with a stainless steel magazine tower.
The extended baseplate gives you more room to grab onto when removing the magazine, and the two extra rounds give you the best magazine capacity you could find from a reputable company.
Whether or not you want the extra rounds for competition or self-defense, Wilson Combat has you covered.
Wilson Combat magazines with a Smith and Wesson SW1911. Source
Range
One of the best parts of Mec-Gar 1911 magazines is how well they remind you of the old 1911 magazines from World War II and the surplus from Vietnam.
Extending past the grip would have been extremely rare back then, but it is still cool to see on older-style 1911s.
Mec-Gar makes magazines for dozens of well-known manufacturers (like Sig Sauer) and is trusted to do so consistently. We’ve neither seen nor heard of any magazine-related issues coming from these.
I’ll bet that you won’t either.
SALE 
KCI 1911 .45 ACP 8 Round Magazine
26 reviews
Original price was: $16.99.$12.99Current price is: $12.99.
KCI has been making aftermarket magazines since 1984. It is another brand entrusted to make magazines for those who require reliable feeding and extraction and minimal magazine-related failures.
Its 8-round magazine is nothing fancy, but that’s a good thing since it focuses on reliability.
These steel magazines feature over-under round indicators, and best of all, they won’t break your wallet.
Are there any Sig 1911 fans out there? Source
The seven-round magazine from KCI is not different from the eight-round other than in terms of capacity; it still has the same steel mag tower and vertical round indicators, and they’re just as reliable.
They are solid training magazines, depending on the capacity you typically run in your carry or home defense gun, and do exceptionally well in indoor ranges. If that’s where you typically shoot and don’t want to break the bank, this is the mag for you.
Let’s say that you don’t care about how far that magazine extends past the pistol’s grip. That’s good because 15 rounds of .45 ACP are a great way to get used to the recoil, break in your new pistol, and have fun.
ProMag magazines aren’t the ones I would use for home defense or anything of that nature, but they are great for the range and fun.
This 15-round magazine is made of steel and has side-facing witness holes. Best of all, it won’t cost you an arm and a leg.
Now we’re talking business. Forty rounds of .45 ACP are unmatched in breaking in new 1911s and getting new shooters used to the recoil of the .45 ACP cartridge. Sure, it’s heavy, but this is America.
Drum mags in a 1911 could have been the national emblem, but the eagle will do. These Promag drums are made of a steel magazine tower and polymer drum, so you don’t have to worry about the weight too much.
And if you’re just looking to go wild and have fun, there’s nothing better than a drum mag.
Accessories
A magazine loader is the best long-term protection for your thumbs. Ask veteran shooters how the joints in their thumbs feel after all these years of loading magazines.
You should invest in a magazine loader to save your thumbs, time, and energy. This way, you’ll spend less time loading and more time shooting.
The maglula UpLULA pistol magazine loader loads 1911 magazines best with the 1911 magazine aligner insert.
Conclusion
As I said before, most, if not all, of your 1911’s failures will be magazine-related, so you don’t want to skimp out when it comes to them.
This list was curated by not only using these magazines but also listening to the buyers who purchased them on our website.
That’s a lot of opinions and feedback, so you don’t have to guess too much.
And whether you want a classic magazine or something new, you’ll find it here.
Be good and take care.
