US GI 45 ACP 1911 style magazine

C

cjw3cma

New member
Found a few sources on the web (searched Google all the way to page 27) for the US GI 45 ACP 1911 style magazines, complete in their mil-spec packaging for what I consider a good price.

So, as compared to all of the other aftermarket 1911 magazines, how do these rate? Of the (3) links that I kept prices range from $$8.50 to $10 each to what could be a screamin' deal of $6.50 ea. (in lots of 12 in their mil-spec packaging) for $88 delivered.

These are the exact magazines that the military is / was issued. One site ($8.50 ea.) states - New factory sealed in no rust packaging for long term storage. These are the same mags being used by US GI's. Extremely reliable and well constructed. The site that has them for $88 for 12 delivered states - These U.S.G.I Surplus Magazines are the real thing. They come individually packed manufactured by Various Government Contractors. Both magazines and packages are marked/stamped.. These magazines are one of the finest available today. They are all steel construction with a dark blue finish. They are packed one per sealed bag and are BRAND-NEW. 100% guaranteed to work in all 1911 type pistols that take 7 round single stacked magazines.

So- what do you think? Out of 12 can I find a couple of carry quality (since the US forces are using them) or are there concerns using these magazines?

BTW - my 1911 is a custom build using middle of the road valued parts - lapped / buffed & polished / fitted together with +/- 4 lb. pull and less than 3" groups at 25yds. (bench rest - I'm not that good - yet :cool:).

Thanks for the replies.
 
Even mags that are in "military" packaging, and with "military" markings, are often discovered to be cheap fakes. However, if they are guaranteed by the seller to work, and that's what you really are trying to accomplish, then they might be a great deal. Or not. You're willing to spend $88 for a couple that work? I'd spend my money on Checkmate Industries mags. They are of excellent quality, so you should get one good one for each one that you buy.
 
Metalform mags can be had in stainless and blue. I bought some stainless ones for 18$ a pop, not too bad when compared to factory mags and IMO they are gonna work 100%. That has been my experience with them sinc the 80's. You can spend more for other mags that will work 100% if you want to pay for the name I guess. So called GI mags may or may not work good, I have really not had alot of mag troubles in thee 1911. But if you need alot of mags for range use, why not save some bux. Just keep the 100% ones for the real deal instead of practice only.
 
I have a couple of the unused 30745 mags and a pouch that I picked up dirt cheap too. The mags have a rather uneven looking weld on the front seam. Polished over but gaps visible. May or may not fall apart but I have not used them for anything yet. Just spares. Well at least the GI ammo pouch is real and still has an old inventory paper hang tag attached from 1989. Colts and Metalforms perform, probably all the big name mags work if you want to plop down the big money for the gunsmith,s name brands. Never ever cheap out on the mags for a SD gun or use the unmarked big bin mags from a gunshow for anything but practice, except maybe an emergency if they prove themselves?
 
Frankly I have heard more horror stories of poor function with alleged GI mags than any other and I would steer clear.

Furthermore I very much question many of the GI mags out there. Uncle Sam has not bought 1911 stuff in any apreciable numbers for a LONG time and all through the late 80's and 90's he has been on a base closing and wharehouse purging spree; thus I see very little legit stuff out there that pre-dates the mid 80's in terms of surplus, and 1911 mags don't fit in here. Heck guys that I know who are still in USED to see the occasonal 1911, or part or something other than a M16 / M4 kicking around the arms room. NO MORE for the post part, our leaner, meaner military has been purging the old / unused stuff at a heroic rate; right or wrong.

Furthermore I'd add that with the price of ammo where it's at, one is best off having mags that WORK period then having to fiddle with them, as for every 2 boxes of ammo one wastes dinking around you COULD have jsut bought whoever's name brand mag you like most.
 
Decided to PASS on the low priced surplus magazines. Instead am picking up a couple of Chip McCormick 8 rd. Shooting Star Blued and (2) MecGar 7 rd. Nickel ones. That should do it. Thanks for the replies.
 
I picked up three of these MFR. 30745, in the military looking packaging at a gun show this past weekend. What I woild like to know is where I can access a data base in order to determine whao theis contractor is. I have googled until my fingers are numb. Can anyone help? I have only opened one and as someone else mentioned, the front seam is not perfect, but not unacceptable to me as well. Depending on what vendor had them, if you purchased 3 the price was either $20.00 or $25.00. The package add on was dated 10/91, however, the package itself was dated 07/2007.- Thanks - James @ Foxfire Rod & Gun
 
I'd be sort of surprised if a G.I. mag had a welded seam on the front of the tube? I have a bunch of WWII G.I. mags, a bunch of commercial mags, and have never seen a mag with the seam on the front of the tube?
 
The label on the package reads:
1005-00-694-8644 - Cage 1M291 - MFR P/N 550 8694 - Magazine Cartridge - 1 Ea. - DAAE18-91-E03745 - A/B - 10/91.
The only way that a seam is noticable is because of the very slight imperfections in three different locations. One at the bottom, and two towards the very top. - James
 
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CAGE 1M291 turns out to be Checkmate Industries.

Doesn't mean it can't be a counterfeit label on a junk part, of course.
Doesn't mean it is not out of a bad batch of Checkmates, either.
You've got it, try it out.
 
Checkmate Industries

Where did you find this info? I am seeking defense contractor code number info as well. I am going to try all three out in my Colt 1911 as soon as this monsoon in VA stops. Over two inches of rain so far and it isn't over yet. - James
 
I recalled that the Cage number was the key to the manufacturer and fed it into Google. Got lots of threads on various shooting boards, several of which mentioned Checkmate. I did not try to sort out all the rest of the alpha-numeric soup, that is an exercise left to the student.
 
I picked up three of these MFR. 30745, in the military looking packaging at a gun show this past weekend. What I woild like to know is where I can access a data base in order to determine whao theis contractor is.
Click to expand...

See: http://www.ammoman.com/index.htm
10-GI-45-ACP-7-RD-MAG.jpg


Also, do some searches regarding "ammoman"; "1911"; and "mag/mags/magazine/magazines". Otherwise, I've no personal experience with these mags. I just wanted to refer you to info which is already on the web regarding the "30745" magazines.
 
I found the info I was looking for.

Scroll down to the red highlighted area

GI Magazines

Look on the toe of the floorplate for a letter identification. It'll be a single letter. S G L R One of the four.
On the bottom, you may notice two letters...one will be a C with a hyphen between'em...but the letter on the toe identifies the manufacturer.
S=Scovill
G=General Shaver
L=MS Little
R=Risdon
Umarked=Colt

The C+one of the letters identifies a Colt contract with whichever vendor made the magazine.

A CAGE code on the bottom of the floorplate is a post-war USGI magazine

Some of the early post-war magazines were marked with the above manufacturer codes, or were assembled from surplus components. The qualify as genuine, though not exactly era-correct...and it's beyond my eyeball skills to determine the difference.

Cage Codes
This is a list of known cage codes posted by Doran

MFR. 8R611
KASCO METAL PRODUCTS
Status: P - Cancelled Without Replacement Record Parent
BROOKLYN, NY 11200
Date CAGE Code Established: 4/8/1979

MFR. 30745
MASON-RUST CO
Status: F - Obsolete Record Parent
PITTSBURGH, PA 15200
Date CAGE Code Established: 11/4/1974

MFR. 1M291
CHECK-MATE INDUSTRIES INC
Status Code: ACTIVE
777 MOUNT AVE
WYANDANCH, NY 11798-0000
Date CAGE Code Established: 1/11/1975
 
foxfirerodandgun: Good summation of data that has been listed here (and other 1911 sites).

After my research into the 30745 marked mags in "what looks like" official packaging is that most of them are not real (counterfeit) - not that the printing on the package and stamping on the mags was not at one time official but the majority of the ones talked about here and other 1911 sites are that they are fakes (not to say that there are some REAL ones out there - just like all the fake COLT marked mags. There was a recent case where a online retailer was using a picture of a COLT magazine with the C in the upper right corner of the bottomplate, but the product they were selling was not even close to the picture and they had to change their web site to avoid a misrepresentation suit - I know because I pointed it out to them and they changed their web page).

With all the good, reliable data found here concerning magazines for the 1911 - the bottom line for me is buy mags that have been proven by actual shooters. That list has been mentioned many times.
 
Even if they are "the real thing" (which I doubt) why do you believe that the military issue mags are any better than aftermarket mags? I used to believe that our military had the best equipment until I had to use it. Lowest bidder. Political favors.
 
cjw3cma: In posting this data, it was strickly in the spirit of sharing information with others who either do not have the time or desire to search for it in the multitude of posts in these forums. To address my take on these mags verses proven aftermarket ones, it simply revolves around the fact that the price was right; I needed several more range mags; I do not use my Colt 1918 recreation for anything other than informal target shooting; if they don't function correctly, my investment loss will be insugnificant and they will make interesting targets or paper weights.

drail: I don't recall conveying the idea that I thought, or had the opinion that, USGI equipment of any kind was of superior quality to aftermarket options. I was simply interested in who used that particular MFG. #. Plain & simple. I understand about the military bidding process and high dollar toilet seats, etc. :D As mentioned above, I simply needed a few more range mags. If they are "the real thing" or not really doesn't matter as long as they function properly. If I happened to be a re-enacter, which I am not, I would want "original" looking items for my use and would not care if they were actually period original or not.

FR&G
 
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As armorer for a Military Police Company prior to the M-9 being issued we had tons of magazines. I found many of the 1M291 magazines were defective from the Manufacturer. After loading the follower would stick and not push the rounds up. these were marked in the pkg. DAAA09-91-C-0675 9/30/91 I found that after taking a dremel tool to the leading edge of the follower after removing it the function 100% When we went to the M-9 I ended up with 70 brand new magazines.
 
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