Tripp Cobra Mags.... any good?

[TedG]

Anybody using Virgil's magazines?
How about his "upgrade" internals in Wilsons or stock Colt mags?

Just wanted to get some opinions before I buy a couple.

Thanks.

[aglocker1911]

Haven't used the upgrade kits, but I did have a Cobra mag for a short while. Functioned fine in my Springer GI model. But it was not better, in my opinion, than the Wilsons and Power mags I've always used, and for some reason, I absolutely hated the baseplate design used by Tripp, so I traded it. All in all seemed like a nice quality mag, I just didn't care for the "looks" of it. Good luck.

[cal s.fingers]

hi,i have a sti 40 s&w trojan 1911,i bought 5 tripp 10 round mags they would not run i my gun.i called tripp he said he would refund my cash or make them work by sending him the gun.he did this for free the gun know runs great you could not deal with a better guy.

[rebby]

I have several for my .45's. They've always run 100%.

[brownie]

When I built the captioned sightless 45 for QK classes, the gun would not run on rounded top or flat top follower mags, having issues with feeding the first round and locking the slide back.

I bought the upgrade kits for 6 mags, and this gun has not bobbled since. The mags are 20 years old and always ran other 45's with no problems.

Obviously I like them;f

Robin Brown

[SAWBONES]

I have a fourteen Tripp Cobra mags in full and Officer's Model sizes plus four Tripp "upgrade kits" in mag bodies of various brands, and they all run flawlessly in my 1911s. I've found them very reliable, and consider Virgil's spring and follower to be top notch, perhaps the best in the industry.

[brownie]

^6

"I've found them very reliable, and consider Virgil's spring and follower to be top notch, perhaps the best in the industry."

I concur completely.

Robin Brown

[Alaskapopo]

They function fine but about half of mine would not drop free. Of those most required a lot of effort to remove them from the pistol. The weld in back of the mag looks hidious. Metlaform is using his design in a mag called eliet mags and they look to be a lot better made. For now I am back to my 7 round wilson mags.
Pat

[SAWBONES]

355sigfan, others too have noted that Virgil's mag bodies show a fair degree of variability with respect to width, and that some don't drop free readily because they're wider than spec, usually at the upper part of the mag body, at or close below the feed lips.

I've had this failure-to-drop-free occur with two of his mags, and he replaced them promptly, FWIW.

And as you noted, the mag bodies and welds also look rather "rough" compared to some others, though this doesn't seem to affect function as long as the mag bodies aren't too wide.

I believe the Wilson 47 mag bodies are the most dimensionally-consistent of all those made. They're NEVER too wide in ANY 1911 I've ever used them in, and always drop free instantly. They're also quite well finished. If only you could buy them separately!

[Undead Jed]

You would think for how much they cost, they could as least get rid of the weld seam in the back. They are nice mags though.

[pangris]

I personally haven't found a better mag than the FBI spec metalform, at any price... flawless.

That said, Mr Tripp is a great guy who makes an exceptional product with great customer service - I just never saw the need to spend the extra bucks on these mags.

Paul