The Art and Science of Keeping Your 1911 Running

[JTQ]

You’re all going to think I’m crazy but I’ve had really good luck with the Sig brand 8 round magazines. Not just a couple rounds through a few magazines but several thousand rounds through several of them. A lot of those rounds were semi wad cutters.

I believe they are made by Metalform. This looks like the same magazine. I’ll order a couple soon to compare. They have a taller base pad on them that works well with magwells.

If your SIG mags have a metal, round top follower, perhaps. However, I suspect your follower looks like this ...

https://shop.1911parts.com/Follower-...FOL-FLX-45.htm

if so, they are made by CheckMate who is the major supplier of OEM 1911 mags.

This is probably the mag you have, without the SIG stamp, https://www.topgunsupply.com/check-m...-s-rb-ext.html

[JTQ]

For instance, this SIG mag is a CheckMate https://www.sigsauer.com/store/1911-...-magazine.html

[RevolverRob]

FYI folks - Brownells has 3-packs of Wilson ETMs in Stainless on sale - comes with a cheapo plastic mag pouch too! ()

But the price is pretty damn good, 3 ETMs for $82.99

[TC215]

If your SIG mags have a metal, round top follower, perhaps. However, I suspect your follower looks like this ...

https://shop.1911parts.com/Follower-...FOL-FLX-45.htm

if so, they are made by CheckMate who is the major supplier of OEM 1911 mags.

This is probably the mag you have, without the SIG stamp, https://www.topgunsupply.com/check-m...-s-rb-ext.html

We were issued Sig 1911’s on the SWAT team at my old department. The Sig-supplied Checkmate magazines were terrible and did not hold up to hard use. We only used them for training, and used Wilson ETM’s for duty.

[JTQ]

FYI folks - Brownells has 3-packs of Wilson ETMs in Stainless on sale - comes with a cheapo plastic mag pouch too! ()

But the price is pretty damn good, 3 ETMs for $82.99

For clarity, to get the 3-pack and mag pouch, it'll cost you $125. Just the 3-pack, and no pouch, is $82, which is a really good price.

[JTQ]

We were issued Sig 1911’s on the SWAT team at my old department. The Sig-supplied Checkmate magazines were terrible and did not hold up to hard use. We only used them for training, and used Wilson ETM’s for duty.

I'm hesitant to make any blanket statement about how good, or bad, CheckMate mags are as CheckMate has a big line-up of mags, and a variety of features. There are some within their line-up that I do like, but there are other models that I avoid.

[TC215]

I'm hesitant to make any blanket statement about how good, or bad, CheckMate mags are as CheckMate has a big line-up of mags, and a variety of features. There are some within their line-up that I do like, but there are other models that I avoid.

Oh, I’ve used good Checkmate mags before, for sure. But with these, Sig gave us 5 magazines with each gun (about 20 guns), and they did not hold up at all, across the board.

[RevolverRob]

For clarity, to get the 3-pack and mag pouch, it'll cost you $125. Just the 3-pack, and no pouch, is $82, which is a really good price.

Ah, thanks! I didn't read closely enough.

It obviously doesn't matter much to me, I'm more interested in the magazines.

[MGW]

If your SIG mags have a metal, round top follower, perhaps. However, I suspect your follower looks like this ...

https://shop.1911parts.com/Follower-...FOL-FLX-45.htm

if so, they are made by CheckMate who is the major supplier of OEM 1911 mags.

This is probably the mag you have, without the SIG stamp, https://www.topgunsupply.com/check-m...-s-rb-ext.html

Looks like they are Checkmates SKU: CM45-8-S-RB-EXT

[MGW]

Oh, I’ve used good Checkmate mags before, for sure. But with these, Sig gave us 5 magazines with each gun (about 20 guns), and they did not hold up at all, across the board.

What about the Checkmate mags didn’t hold up? Baseplates?

I stumbled on these by accident. I have a Springfield Operator that would run with ETM’s. Someone loaned me a Sig mag and it ran like a top. Not sure how many rounds I have through the original two I bought but it’s a lot over the last two years. I would have gladly ran the Wilsons they just didn’t work in my gun.