I think we are talking about the same thing but using different terms. From what I can remember of my shooting days the match lips or taper if you like, were made for the SWC match loads because they would feed better.
The first time we seen that type of mag was with Gold Cups and they had an M stamped on the base. Maybe we were wrong in thinking it meant Match, and was for the SWC match loads.
Any way in the target shooting world that's what most all of us thought it meant as they worked a lot better than the standard lips for SWC match ammo.
Not long after Colt came out with that type of mag gunsmiths started to convert the standard mags to what they called the "M" or Match type, of course they were the same as the Colt Gold Cup type lips.
I'm sure they will work just fine in Combat Commanders or a Series 80 Government Model or
any other old or current 45.
I cant see any reason why in this day Colt or anyone would want to make or use the old type mags as the new ones worked so much better.
I P
<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by dfariswheel:
Check Kuhnhausen's book on the 1911, pages 155 and 156 for pictures.
To ID parallel or tapered lips, look down on the magazine lips.
The early magazine has the feed lips parallel to each other, and a very, very slight "notch" about 1/2 of the way forward.
This slight "notch" is the cartridge release point.
The new style lips don't have the small notch, and the lips are tapered, narrow at the rear, wider at the front.
Slightly more than 1/2 of the way forward, about even with the dimple in the follower, the taper suddenly opens up wider. This is the tapered mag release point.
With the older style mags, the "notch" makes it difficult to tune the magazine for release.
The newer tapered lips are much easier to tune, and control the cartridge longer then the parallel type, which is the reason for the change.
The new style are the current factory type, and have been around since at least the 70's, if not before.
Looking at a set of 20 standard model mags, blued and stainless with the new style tapered lips, all are marked with the "M", the stainless mags also with the "S".
In this case, at least, the "M" does not denote Match since these are for a Combat Commander and a Series 80 Mark IV Government Model.
One former customer was absolutely SURE the "C" and the "S" meant the Colt Custom Shop.
Frankly, it's been so long, I just can't remember the early Gold Cups having a special magazine.
I've checked my old parts catalogs, and as far back as I looked, the Gold Cup, the Government Model, and the Commander all had the same part number for the magazines.
Many gunsmith's did alter magazines for shooting the lead wadcutter Match ammo, since that ammo didn't feed well without tuning.
For what it's worth, my interest in magazines was how they worked, not what was stamped on them, so I may be all wet.
In my opinion the marks are for the maker of the mag, and the finish, since stainless mags always seem to have the "S", and as I said I SEEM to remember "N" on nickel mags.
I've been wrong before.<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>
[This message has been edited by Ira Paine (edited 08-15-2004).]