Ed Brown 1911 Magazines

Koda94 · October 3, 2018, 12:41 AM

Can anyone tell me who makes Ed Brown 1911 magazines or do they make them themselves?

RickB · October 3, 2018, 11:40 AM

I see mags marked "8-Pack" with Check-Mate followers, but I also see some with followers I associate with Metalform.

KyJim · October 3, 2018, 09:43 PM

At one time, Brown did use Metalform followers. Mags and recoil springs used to be the only parts they did not make.

The latest magazines I have seen on Brown's website have Checkmate's patented followers. Both the Brown and CM 7-round mags have similar 5-hole mag bodies. The Brown 8-round mag has 7 holes and the CM 8-rounders have 6 holes. In addition, the area toward the rear of the feed lips on all the Brown mags are a little different, perhaps reinforced.

Keep in mind that CM makes a variety of OEM mags in different configuration. They could make the mags at Brown's specs. But, Brown certainly has the facilities to make them and perhaps just license or buy the followers from CM. My guess is they make the mag bodies and either buy or license the followers from CM.

RickB · October 4, 2018, 10:31 AM

The 1911 mag business can be more than a little hazy regarding who "makes"
magazines.

I've had Colt "factory" mags, as indicated by the presence of Colt's logo, with a "C" in the corner of the baseplate indicating the tube was made by Check-Mate, fitted with a Chip McCormick follower lacking CMC's Shooting Star logo, but with the Devel/McCormick patent number applied.
I suspect the followers were made by Check-Mate, under license from CMC.

Check-Mate's own follower is essentially a product-improved version of the Devel/McCormick design, and it is also used in Wilson Combat's "service" mags.

claydoctor · October 4, 2018, 08:53 PM

Not sure if they are made in-house but recently, Brown has been promoting their brand of magazine and putting them on sale. I bought two in .38 Super and they appear very high quality. Cheaper than Wilsons.

Gary Wells · October 5, 2018, 06:38 PM

IMHO they'emabout 1 step above import. I use WC 47D ETM's & NetakForm mags only.

claydoctor · October 5, 2018, 06:58 PM

"1 step above import" based on what criteria. Have you see the new ones? I think one of the most overworked topics on any forum is the subject of the "best magazine". I have a ton of different makes of magazines and guess what? They all work. Admittedly you can look at some mags and see shoddy workmanship. In the case of the Browns, the fit and finish are equal to the Wilsons and some might say superior
and...they work . Why pay more for Wilson, who every six months or so seems to come up with a new magazine design, even more expensive than the last one. Ed Brown is not going to put their name on something that quality-wise is inferior to their chief rival. My advice is buy as many as you can, while they are on sale.

KyJim · October 5, 2018, 07:27 PM

Quote:

1 step above import. I use WC 47D ETM's & NetakForm mags only.

Haven't tried the new Brown mags yet. I do have some of the older Brown mags that came with my Browns and none of them have ever malfunctioned (they appear to be MetalForms). I've also had good luck with Checkmates. The only magazine that I can say with 100% certainty that caused malfunctions was a Wilson 10mm, but I have Wilson mags in .45 that run fine.

Like claydoctor, I own a variety of other 1911 mags that have all run well including the aforementioned Browns, Checkmates, (most) Wilsons, McCormick (before Wilson bought McCormick), ACT, Tripp, and MecGar.

Gary Wells · October 6, 2018, 01:55 PM

My LB PII is a '99 production model, or LB's 2nd year of production. Love the gun, but the mags weren't all that great. My EB ET was bought in about '12 or so. Love the gun, didn't like the mags. My SA TM was 1 of the 1st ones out but I can't put a yr to it. Love the gun, but the mags weren't good enough for me to keep around. My SA TGO1 was bought in about '14 or so. Again love the gun & again didn't care for the mags. My WC Classic SG was bought in about '11 or so. Love the gun but over priced & over rated, but love the ETM mags. The 6 or 7 mags came with the gun but I really don't know if I would buy the mags at their current price. Probably would. My 4 MF's were bought in late '80's or so & I love them. The difference between love & hate for me providing that they work is how smooth they collapse & return to battery, how hard they are to compress, how easy do the accept rounds put into them, & form, fit, & function of the followers. I prefer round followers with no sharp edges. YMMV.

dewcrew8 · October 7, 2018, 09:15 AM

Ed has a magazine exchange program going on that you trade in any 1911 mag and pay 10$ stainless $15 black nitride per new mag plus 12.95 shipping up to 20 mags,

KyJim · October 8, 2018, 04:59 PM

I've been trying to find two made-in-Taiwan mags I have so I can trade them in for some Browns. A local dealer gave them to me for free when I bought a pistol one time. They actually fed okay but wouldn't lock back the slides of any of the guns used them in. I forgot to include these in my earlier post about most mags working okay.

Koda94 · October 17, 2018, 12:39 AM

for some reason Im not getting email notifications that you all replied to my thread... so Im just now checking in and seeing the conversation here.

It sounds mostly like a vote of confidence in these EB mags, regardless of who makes them. I still havent decided if I wanted to spend the money, I have about 6 cheap mage Ive acquired over the years that have issues that I will never use.... ironically, 5 of them are Metalforms, which is why I was asking.

October 3, 2018, 12:41 AM	#1
Koda94 Senior Member Join Date: November 25, 2012 Location: Cascadia Posts: 1,294	Ed Brown 1911 Magazines Can anyone tell me who makes Ed Brown 1911 magazines or do they make them themselves? __________________ lightweight, cheap, strong... pick 2

October 3, 2018, 11:40 AM	#2
RickB Senior Member Join Date: March 1, 2000 Location: Boise, ID Posts: 8,518	I see mags marked "8-Pack" with Check-Mate followers, but I also see some with followers I associate with Metalform. __________________ Runs off at the mouth about anything 1911 related on this site and half the time is flat out wrong.

October 4, 2018, 10:31 AM	#4
RickB Senior Member Join Date: March 1, 2000 Location: Boise, ID Posts: 8,518	The 1911 mag business can be more than a little hazy regarding who "makes" magazines. I've had Colt "factory" mags, as indicated by the presence of Colt's logo, with a "C" in the corner of the baseplate indicating the tube was made by Check-Mate, fitted with a Chip McCormick follower lacking CMC's Shooting Star logo, but with the Devel/McCormick patent number applied. I suspect the followers were made by Check-Mate, under license from CMC. Check-Mate's own follower is essentially a product-improved version of the Devel/McCormick design, and it is also used in Wilson Combat's "service" mags. __________________ Runs off at the mouth about anything 1911 related on this site and half the time is flat out wrong.

October 7, 2018, 09:15 AM	#10
dewcrew8 Senior Member Join Date: August 7, 2009 Posts: 214	Ed has a magazine exchange program going on that you trade in any 1911 mag and pay 10$ stainless $15 black nitride per new mag plus 12.95 shipping up to 20 mags, Last edited by dewcrew8; October 7, 2018 at 09:44 AM.

October 17, 2018, 12:39 AM	#12
Koda94 Senior Member Join Date: November 25, 2012 Location: Cascadia Posts: 1,294	for some reason Im not getting email notifications that you all replied to my thread... so Im just now checking in and seeing the conversation here. It sounds mostly like a vote of confidence in these EB mags, regardless of who makes them. I still havent decided if I wanted to spend the money, I have about 6 cheap mage Ive acquired over the years that have issues that I will never use.... ironically, 5 of them are Metalforms, which is why I was asking. __________________ lightweight, cheap, strong... pick 2

October 3, 2018, 09:43 PM	#3
KyJim Senior Member Join Date: July 26, 2005 Location: The Bluegrass Posts: 9,142	At one time, Brown did use Metalform followers. Mags and recoil springs used to be the only parts they did not make. The latest magazines I have seen on Brown's website have Checkmate's patented followers. Both the Brown and CM 7-round mags have similar 5-hole mag bodies. The Brown 8-round mag has 7 holes and the CM 8-rounders have 6 holes. In addition, the area toward the rear of the feed lips on all the Brown mags are a little different, perhaps reinforced. Keep in mind that CM makes a variety of OEM mags in different configuration. They could make the mags at Brown's specs. But, Brown certainly has the facilities to make them and perhaps just license or buy the followers from CM. My guess is they make the mag bodies and either buy or license the followers from CM.

October 4, 2018, 08:53 PM	#5
claydoctor Senior Member Join Date: August 26, 2010 Location: Virginia Posts: 450	Not sure if they are made in-house but recently, Brown has been promoting their brand of magazine and putting them on sale. I bought two in .38 Super and they appear very high quality. Cheaper than Wilsons.

October 5, 2018, 06:38 PM	#6
Gary Wells Senior Member Join Date: August 22, 2009 Posts: 180	IMHO they'emabout 1 step above import. I use WC 47D ETM's & NetakForm mags only.

October 5, 2018, 06:58 PM	#7
claydoctor Senior Member Join Date: August 26, 2010 Location: Virginia Posts: 450	"1 step above import" based on what criteria. Have you see the new ones? I think one of the most overworked topics on any forum is the subject of the "best magazine". I have a ton of different makes of magazines and guess what? They all work. Admittedly you can look at some mags and see shoddy workmanship. In the case of the Browns, the fit and finish are equal to the Wilsons and some might say superior and...they work . Why pay more for Wilson, who every six months or so seems to come up with a new magazine design, even more expensive than the last one. Ed Brown is not going to put their name on something that quality-wise is inferior to their chief rival. My advice is buy as many as you can, while they are on sale.

October 6, 2018, 01:55 PM	#9
Gary Wells Senior Member Join Date: August 22, 2009 Posts: 180	My LB PII is a '99 production model, or LB's 2nd year of production. Love the gun, but the mags weren't all that great. My EB ET was bought in about '12 or so. Love the gun, didn't like the mags. My SA TM was 1 of the 1st ones out but I can't put a yr to it. Love the gun, but the mags weren't good enough for me to keep around. My SA TGO1 was bought in about '14 or so. Again love the gun & again didn't care for the mags. My WC Classic SG was bought in about '11 or so. Love the gun but over priced & over rated, but love the ETM mags. The 6 or 7 mags came with the gun but I really don't know if I would buy the mags at their current price. Probably would. My 4 MF's were bought in late '80's or so & I love them. The difference between love & hate for me providing that they work is how smooth they collapse & return to battery, how hard they are to compress, how easy do the accept rounds put into them, & form, fit, & function of the followers. I prefer round followers with no sharp edges. YMMV.

October 8, 2018, 04:59 PM	#11
KyJim Senior Member Join Date: July 26, 2005 Location: The Bluegrass Posts: 9,142	I've been trying to find two made-in-Taiwan mags I have so I can trade them in for some Browns. A local dealer gave them to me for free when I bought a pistol one time. They actually fed okay but wouldn't lock back the slides of any of the guns used them in. I forgot to include these in my earlier post about most mags working okay.