Posted: 12/6/2009 11:25:41 AM EDT
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There was a post recently about the scarcity of .38 Super magazines.
I have two (2) .38 Super "1911" pistols - a Colt Lightweight Commander and a RIA "1911" (my Para Ordnance gunsmithing frame double-stack is under construction). I have a number of Colt 9-round OEM magazines that I procured with my Commander. They work. Recently I bought a number of Chip McCormick (CMC) 10-round "Shooting Star" .38 Super magazines. Extremely well-made and reliable. CDNN had these for less than $20, but Midway and Brownells has them (I have a C&R FFL, so they are less than $30 at Brownells and less than $25 at Midway). These work exceptionally well in both my Colt and my RIA. With CDNN out of the CMC's, I decided to try some other recent variations. One was a Metalform .38 Super stainless steel 10-round with a round follower with a removable base (SKU 620-000-018 at Brownells). "Dealer price" at Brownells is $29.33. I would say these are equal to the CMC 10-round "Shooting Star" magazines. The others were from CDNN. These were the 9-round blued MecGars ($17.99) and the stainless steel 9-round Metalform ($16.99). Both did not have pads, but I installed the pads CDNN sells (which are screw-on like the CMC pads). 
The MecGar feels more substantial than the Metalform 9-rounder. The blue finish is "slicker" and highly polished while the 9-round Metalform is dull and slightly rough (or just not "slick") All three drop free. All three had no malfunctions and locked the slide back on the last round. The 10-round Metalforms are easily the equivalent of the CMC 10-round "Shooting Stars". Cost is comparable. The MecGars have an edge on finish, but the 9-round Metalforms are at least equivalent to OEM Colt (they probably are OEM Colt). So there are four option, ranging from $16.99 to around $30. |