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Pistol Mags and Mag Components

nitesite

Average Guy
Moderator
"Philanthropist"
Rossignol said:
I'm def gonna look up those magazines you mentioned... I almost bought those couple of magazines I saw yesterday at $15.99 ea. They were a great fit, no wiggle at all.

I think your Springer mags are almost certainly wadcutter feel lip design. And Colt factory mags use what's called a Hybrid lip which have tapered (but shorter) lips. Hybrids are good for lots of varying shapes and weights of bullets. The USGI/Hardball works with full length tapered lips and they work great on all but the very shortest bullets while giving full control over the cartridge throughout the feed cycle (known as controlled round feed).

Where I like the Hardball lips are how utterly smooth and effortlessly cartridges slip up and into the chamber almost horizontally and not at a steep angle like the other designs. It's noticaeable. No loud cha-chunk noise. And because they are my duty mags, I trust them to keep my round in controlled feed no matter what angle I'm subjecting the weapon to. I don't need a cartridge to be hanging in space somewhere inside the open ejection port, free from the magazine but not yet chambered.

Here's a pic from the checkmate industries web site showing the difference(s).
http://www.checkmatemagazines.com

45caliberfeedlips_2148_detail.jpg


If you shoot me a PM with an address I'll mail you one of my Checkmate stainless 7-rounders with USGI/Hardball lips for you to borrow and try out.
 
Re: 1911: Pics and Discussion

Ah, yes... Thanks for the pics, I hadnt noticed all this before!
 
Re: 1911: Pics and Discussion

nitesite said:
Where I like the Hardball lips are how utterly smooth and effortlessly cartridges slip up and into the chamber almost horizontally and not at a steep angle like the other designs. It's noticaeable.

My sig 1911 came with 3 of the wadcutter Checkmate mags. Zero failures. I think I'll order one of the GI models and see how that works. Hopefully it feeds everything I shoot. If not I'm sure it'll feed the JHPs I shoot, and I'll use them for SD mags. Looks like they only come in 7 shot not 8 though...
 
Re: 1911: Pics and Discussion

I got my ammo yesterday and have been cycling the action by hand and watching how the CheckMate magazine feeds, the round stays in contact the entire way through cycling right up to where it contacts the bolt and is sent to battery! Excellent!
 
Picked up a half dozen Checkmate 9mm Match magazines for the STI Spartan V 9mm...



SKU: CM9MM-9-S
Finish: Stainless Steel
Rd Capacity: 9rd
Floor Plate: Welded Base
Follower: CMI Patented
Feed Lips: Wadcutter
Spring: 9mm 9rd Spring

9mm 1911 mags are unique in comparison to most other 1911 caliber mags in that they are made from modified .38 super mag tubes. Because .38 super rounds are longer, manufacturers have come up with various means to shorten the inside of the mag tubes to ensure proper bullet seating and reliable feeding of the shorted 9mm rounds. Checkmate welds a spacer bracket into the rear surface of the mag tube that keeps the 9mm rounds seated to the front of the magazine...



The Spartan came with a 9 round stainless Metalform mag. Where Checkmate uses a spacer in the rear of the mag tube to push the rounds forward, Metalform creases the front surface of the mag tube inward to seat the 9mm rounds against the back wall of the magazine. The photo below shows the creased front surface in the Metalform mag compared to the rounded surface of the Checkmate...


Top: Checkmate / Bottom: Metalform

You can clearly see the difference in seating of the first round. In the Checkmate mags the rounds sit further forward and higher up, more level with the feed ramp and chamber. There is less distance to travel for the round to close into battery. Here's a couple more photos illustrating the difference in seating...


Left: Checkmate / Right: Metalform


Left: Checkmate / Right: Metalform

Overall, the Chackmate mags keep the rounds seated more firmly in place. Because of the gap at the front of the mag tube, the Metalform followers allow a bit of downward tilt in the nose of the top round. The upside is that I had zero feed issues from the Metalform mag through the 250 rounds I put through the Spartan last week, but the inconsistency in seating could potentially end up creating feed issues, especially once the mag springs have been loosened up a bit from use. I'm looking to put the Chackmate mags through the paces at the range tomorrow.
 
Great pics, and great thread!

Especially since I'm gonna need to be lookin for 9 mm magazines now! ;)
 
Thank you Sir,

I ordered mine from Thunder Mountain Custom, $21.99 each...

Check-Mate 9MM Match Magazine

I was originally going to go with Wilson Combat ETM 9mm mags, but couldn't find 'em anywhere for under $40. When I saw this price on the Checkmates I jumped on it in a heartbeat...
 
Just posted to the Need Advice thread... go look! :D

Thanks for the link!
 
Just took a look over there, CONGRATS brother!!!

In that case, allow me to point you in another direction...

Beretta Mags

CDNN Sports has the best prices on Beretta mags and components, hands-down. They've even got a sale on used factory mags for $9.99!!! There are a few different manufacturers out there, but I'd stick with factory or Mec-Gar. The USGI govt. contract mags are notorious for feeding issues. Many of us Beretta guys actually prefer Mec-Gar over Beretta factory mags. My go-to mags for the range are the Mec-Gar 20 rounders (18rd tube w/ +2 floor-plate)...



Mec-Gar 92F 9mm 20rd Semi Flush Anti-Friction Mag

Man, I can't wait 'til you get that booger in your hands so we can compare notes...
 
Excellent LES, thanks for the advice there! A 20 round magazine! :shock:

ooooh, exciting!!! Hellooo full size 9! :D
 
No problem Sir,

Those Mec-Gar mags run like a champ! They product all the factory mags for several firearms manufacturers including SIG SAUER. I did get excited when I saw CDNN added the used 15rd Beretta factory mags for $9.99. I might have to order a few...
 
I have accumulated quite a few in the last year.
6 - 13 rd. Glock 21 mags (5 with +2 plates)
1 - 27 rd. Glock 21 mag.
5 - 17 rd. Sig P250F 9mm mags.
3 - 9 rd. Sig P250C .45acp mags.
3 - 15 rd. mags w/ X grip for Sig P250SC 9mm.
3 - 12 rd. mags for Sig P250SC 9mm.
6 - 30 rd. USGI M16 mags. (I had 26)
 
The bummer was that I came back from Iraq with 26 USGI 30 round M16 mags, most of them had been loaded once and set aside in pouches. Nobody wanted them and they were letting us take them home so I grabbed as many as I could. I did not have an AR and still don't so I sold all but 6. Now I am wishing that I had not sold them, because the next weapon I get will be an AR of some sort.
 
Glock Magazines $22 ea - no tax, free shipping

http://www.botachtactical.com/glockmagazines.html

Looks like the whole Glock line is at $22 ea. currently.

My source for good used mags is currently out of 17 / 34 mags - Mark at Summit Guns (super on-line dealer).

I just sent an order for 6 mags - $132, not bad for new.

I've been shooting my G22 (#1 HD Pistol) in IDPa and improving so I sold my Sig 250C (great gun but no hope of a competition trigger) and my NIB G3 G34 is due in tomorrow. Mags are always at the top of the list!! 9mm ammo is already well stocked. Planning long range trip Wed. :D
 
The latest inventory as of 12/29/12
I know a couple of items are off topic, but I surprised myself with the final count, so I thought I would include them all. It is amazing how many you can acquire and not realize it.
BTW, I do not think I am finished yet, my personal minimum is 4 mags/speedloaders for each weapon. :D In the current state our country is in, I am glad I bought what I did.
Total = 83 magazines, 11 speedloaders, 4 Bianchi Speedstrips.

Sig Sauer M400 .223/5.56
10 ea. Magpul 30 rd. PMAGs in OD Green with Ranger Plates.
1 ea. Magpul 30 rd. PMAG in Foliage Green.
6 ea. USGI 30 rd. mags.
2 ea. Bushmaster 30 rd. mags.

Sig Sauer P250F 9mm = 9 – 17 rd. factory mags.

Sig Sauer P250C .45 ACP = 4 – 9 rd. factory mags.

Sig Sauer P250SC 9mm = 3 – 12 rd. factory mags, 3 – 15 rd. factory mags. w/ X-Grip adapters.

Glock 21 .45 ACP = 6 – 13 rd. mags with +2 baseplates, 1 – 27 rd. Scherer mag.

Glock 23 .40 S&W = 5 - 13 rd. factory mags

Glock 30 .45 ACP = 4 – 10 rd. factory mags.

S&W Model 22A-1 .22LR = 4 – 10 rd. factory mags.

S&W Model 5906 9mm = 2-15 rd. factory mags

S&W Model 4516-1 .45 ACP = 5-7rd. factory mags

1911 mags = 3 - 7 rd., 4 - 8 rd., and 3 - 10 rd.

Ruger LCP .380 ACP = 2 factory 6 rd. mags, 2 Pro-Mag 6 rd. mags.

Taurus Model 709 9mm = 4 factory 7 rd. mags.

S&W Model 67-1 .38 Special = 4 – 6 rd. HKS Model 10A Speedloaders

S&W Model 042 & Taurus Model 85 .38 Specials = 4 – 5 rd. HKS Model 36A Speedloaders, 4 Bianchi Speedstrips.

Ruger Super Redhawk and S&W Model 329 .44 Mag. = 3 HKS model 29-M speedloaders.
 
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