Wilson Combat 1911 Magazines
BY Herschel Smith
7 years ago
Wilson Combat improved the design of its high-capacity 1911 magazines, bringing new technology and innovation into the company’s extended design that enhances the capabilities of any standard 1911 pistol.
The magazine redesign includes a new high-strength magazine spring that’s made entirely from stainless steel, which enhances the corrosion resistance and performance of the magazine, extending its service life and enhancing the reliability of the already-dependable design. The heavy-duty magazine spring also brings with it the added benefit of ensuring positive engagement of the slide stop, as well as retaining spring tension under load for extended periods of time, allowing owners to keep their pistol magazines loaded without fear of weakening the magazine spring.
The Wilson Combat 10-round 1911 magazines also include an ETM-style nylon follower that self-lubricates for enhanced operation, as well as a totally new wraparound base pad that is made from polymer and allows for a secure, extended grip as well as quick and easy reloading. The base pad also includes dimpled areas that allow for easy marking, ensuring that shooters can keep track of their magazines with simple numbered markings. The baseplate is also easily removed for maintenance and is designed to withstand repeated impacts often sustained by dropped magazines.
I agree with one of the commenters on this piece. This is an advertisement for Wilson Combat. I’d much prefer that they do some testing and report the results to us. On the other hand, I’ve heard very good things about Wilson Combat 1911 magazines, and their work to bring us a higher capacity magazine is smart.
I would also like to know how this stacks up against Chip McCormick magazines, especially with their newer feed rail technology.
Any comments from folks who have used both (or either) is appreciated. I’d like to benefit from your insights before I spend my money. Or … Wilson Combat and Chip McCormick could just send me some to review over the web site.
On October 26, 2017 at 1:01 am, DAN III said:
Mr. Smith,
I own and use both the Wilson and McCormick mags. I consider both brands equal in function and performance. However, I do prefer the slick follower of the Wilson’s. Re: McCormicks. I only use their extended capacity magazines. For standard cap mags I use the Wilsons exclusively.
IMO both brands will provide the user dependable, reliable service.
On October 26, 2017 at 2:38 am, ROFuher said:
Early in my voyage into USPSA competition, another competitor gifted me a few McCormick mags to “to solve my reliability issues.” I used them for one match and went to Wilson Combat mags. The solution was likely more of increasing experience than the mags at the time.
When the Single Stack class came around a few years later, however, I loaned my Wilson’s to several very experienced shooters on various occasions. I was only shooting C class, but was running my
.45 ACP reliably. The Wilson’s helped skilled people, shooting 1911’s of various age, make, and gunsmithing through matches.
I only use Wilson’s in my carry pieces to this day, and the Chip McCormick are buried somewhere in the “tried that-moved along” bucket.
On October 26, 2017 at 7:02 am, Jack said:
As I’m much newer to firearms than you and our readers, perhaps you can explain why magazine springs “get weak”.
In the rest of the world, a spring that goes soft or gets weak was either manufactured poorly or was spec’d incorrectly for the job.
On October 26, 2017 at 7:05 am, george said:
it looks like Wilson has copied or made an arrangement to copy the Tripp 1911 mags. they have been around for quite some time and are great.
See Tripp Research.
On October 26, 2017 at 10:30 am, BAP45 said:
Never used McCormicks but I have used the same Wilson mags I got about 15 years ago continuously and they have worked great. The only one or two issues I ever had with them was from them being excessively dirty.
On October 27, 2017 at 8:18 am, Ned said:
i prefer Wilson mags, but haven’t used the extended capacity. I’ve even fixed other mags with Wilson followers and Wolff springs. YMMV.