1911 .22 Conversion Mags?

[Bladewurk]

Will a mag from a Ciener conversion work in the Kimber and vice versa?
I heard they will because they are same design by Ciener but would like to be sure.......the Ciener mags are nicer billet aluminum instead of Polymer...
maybe I'll call Kimber

[jammer2k]

Will a mag from a Ciener conversion work in the Kimber and vice versa?
I heard they will because they are same design by Ciener but would like to be sure.......the Ciener mags are nicer billet aluminum instead of Polymer...
maybe I'll call Kimber

add another one interested in knowing. Anyone? Beuller? Beuller?

[oghl888]

Bring me the Ciener mag and I'll let you know I just got a Kimber kit and took it out to the range for the first time yesterday. It likes Mini Mags and Mini Game loads (higher velocity/more ooomph). It did not like the standard velocity Federal Champion loads, which at times make it a single shot.

[The SoCal Gunner]

Bring me the Ciener mag and I'll let you know I just got a Kimber kit and took it out to the range for the first time yesterday. It likes Mini Mags and Mini Game loads (higher velocity/more ooomph). It did not like the standard velocity Federal Champion loads, which at times make it a single shot.

How much did you get the kit for? I've been thinking about it but than again I might just go out and buy a Ruger.

[oghl888]

How much did you get the kit for? I've been thinking about it but than again I might just go out and buy a Ruger.

Mine was on the expensive side. About $335 plus tax. But I was able to try it out on 3 of my frames to check the fit before buying, and found that it fits my Norinco the best. The Norinco has about $900 worth of work on it, done back in the mid 1990's, so it's got a great trigger (and a huge Armand Swanson thumb safety that you won't see often). The fit is near perfect. I did have to manually cycle the slide 50-70 times to get it moving smoothly (the aluminium slide rails lost the blueing in some places during this process, as it mates to the frame). I do business with that shop often, and don't mind paying a little more occassionally.

FYI, the other two frame I tried were a S&W PC 1911, and a regular S&W 1911. Both of them had some play on the rails, and the magazine did not seat fully with the magwell in place (the mag well prevents the magazine from fully seating).

I think the only thing keeping this kimber kit/norinco frame combo from achieving best accuracy now is the slightly loose bushing. The barrel has a little play inside the bushing. i am not shooting bullseye with it, so I don't really care. But it can be fixed if needed.

You should be able to find the kit on the internet for less than $300. The Ruger is a little more ($350 -$500), and is not a 1911 in touch and feel. If a .22 plinker is what you are after, there is no need for a conversion kit. If you want trigger time with your 1911, then the kit makes sense. The Ruger will probably digest low cost loads better, as the Kimber kit likes premium high velocity .22LR like MiniMag and Minigames. So in the end, the Ruger will cost you less, but the conversion kit will give you more 1911 range time at a much lower cost ($350/1000 rds of 45, vs $60 per 1000 rds of minimag 22LR).