Chip McCormick magazines; any experience?

A

Arizona Fusilier

New member
Contemplating the purchase of McCormick's 7-round Officers Model mags for my Colt Officer's Enhanced model. I'm sure they are a solid product line, but it always helps to here from friends.

So friends, how about it?
 
I have some of their 7 8 and 10 rounders. The 7's are 100%. I've had a jam or 2 with the 8's when I stuff 8 in them. The 8's are 100% with 7 rounds. The 10's, well, I had to do some work there.

I think the 10's will be OK as they break in. They are real stiff at first and I'm letting them sit for a month or so stuffed full of ammo.

The lips on the 10's weren't smooth. I stripped them and took scotch bright (real fine type sandpaper stuff) to the lips. It took a long time but now the bearing surface on the lips is slicker than baby poop.

I didn't have to do any drop free "fitting" with any McCormick mags. They all worked fine in that respect.

Nobody's mags are perfect all of the time. A friend of mine even had a bad Wilson, the follower would lift the slide stop before the last round fed. I had 1 Wilson that required a new follower also. No problemo, the company sent out new followers for free.

I'll give McCormick 7 round mags 10 stars out of 10.
I'll give McCormick 8 round mags 8 stars out of 10.
I'll give McCormick 10 round mags 7 stars out of 10.
Wilson 7 round combat mags get 9 stars out of 10.
King's 7 rounders get 10 stars out of 10.
Well, at least that's what I think anyway :)
 
I have three 8 rounders in .45 and four 9 rounders in 10mm.

I am rather high on them now as they cleared up some feed problems in my 10mm. The Metalforms simply would not work right.
 
I have two of the McCormick's 7-round Officer's mags, and I'm pleased. One is a bit balky (infrequently) with LSWC handloads, but both are flawless with jacketed ammo, either factory or handload.

I have also used the 8-round (full size) McCormick's mags in the Officer's ACP-frame gun, and they work great too. (Of course, they stick out from the bottom of the grip a bit.)
 
Most people shooting them in local IDPA matches switch to something more reliable within a year or so. (Wilson's newest are popular.)
 
I have a 10 round McCormick that works flawlessly (230 grain FMJ and HydraShok) in my full-sized pre-WWII Colt government, my Kimber Custom/Classic and my Springfield loaded. I prefer Wilson magazines, but they extend at least an inch from the full-size 1911A1s' grips, while the McCormick is shorter. Therefore, I load the McCormick in my CCW 1911A1 (right now the Springfield) and carry a Wilson as my reload.
 
All my CMC/Shooting Star mags are 100% reliable and have been for years. So are my Wilsons. I like them both.
 
I've got a 10 that has been great, and an 8 that I am suspicious of. I don't think it feeds in a just the right angle, but I'm going to take it out and play with it some before I write it off.

And a stupid question. How do you break these down for cleaning. I was trying to figure that out last night, but I was stumped. There is a little hole in the front just above the base pad, but it looks almost like it is crimped on the side. How do I get that thing off of there?
 
Usually I use Wilson magazines, but I bought two 10 round McCormick magazines for 1911s a year ago because I like the way the part of the magazine which protrudes out of the butt is protected. So far they have worked quite well with no problems of any kind.
 
I can't speak to the short 7-rounders, but eight different 8-rounders have worked perfectly in my Colt.
 
I've got 4 of the 8-rounders that I have used for 6 years for IPSC matches and daily carry. I got 3 of the 10-rd mags a couple of years ago and they did nothing but misfeed in the same gun.
 
I have been using several 8 rounders for over 10 years or more and they work perfectly in my Colt Gov't model, 2 different Kimbers and few SA.

I did have to replace the spring after about 6 or 7 years because the slide would not always lock back after the last shot but I think thats because I accidently kept them loaded with 8 rounds for over 3 years.

I still have those same mags and trust them enough to use them in my carry gun.
 
I have 5 of the 8 rounders and they have worked well without a problem. Probably have 1,000 rounds though each of them.
 
hi all.

I've been Shooting IDPA in my Colt 11991a1 Da and my 1951 Colt commander, with3 8 shot "shooting star" mags and 2 colt mags. These are the only aftermarket mags my Colt likes. No feeding problems with fmj or target wadcutters or slivertips. Hyrdashocks have me some stovepipes until i polished the feed ramp, so that didn't seem to be magazine related.

A friend of mine in IDPA who shoots a Kimber really dislikes the Chip mags, though he's never really said why.
 
had 5 8-rounders which i used in my combat commander on duty. had 4 7-rds mags that i carried off duty when i switch to an officer's acp. never had a problem with any of them, i rotate mags monthly out of habit. i even had 2 8rd devel (before chip bought the company and renamed it shooting star) mags that worked great. sold both guns but keeping the stainless 7rd mags for my next 1911.

correia - the shooting star come apart for cleaning just like the original 1911 mags...depress follower, insert pin to hold spring, shake out follower, CAREFULLY release spring, remove and clean.
 
I have several CMcC Shooting Star seven-rounders that are the only mags I use in my Kimber Ultra Carry: probably 1500 rounds by now without one single glitch. I have started using them some in a Les Baer Stinger, so far with equal success. As you might guess, I highly recommend them, at least as far as their function in these two guns is concerned.
 
I'm not sure why people have so much trouble with magazines. I have McCormicks, Wilsons and the Kings that I think were supplied with my SpringField Armory 1911. All are 7 round. I don't fool around with them beyond loading and firing and blowing debris out of them with an air hose. They all work flawlessly. I also have a few "Colts" which have been used a lot less that are also OK.

I would be a repeat buyer on any of these.

"OFF" brands must be where the problems arise.

PigPen
 
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