Our Story

Our Mission

Chip McCormick Custom is dedicated to providing unique and innovative products to the firearms enthusiast that exhibit the best in American engineering and quality backed by industry leading customer service.

From Humble Beginnings

Since our founding in 1986, Chip McCormick Custom has been the manufacturer of the World Famous Chip McCormick Shooting Star 1911 pistol magazines. The goal of Chip McCormick Custom products is to be the preferred source of high quality and innovative practical firearms accessories for shooters of all skill levels. You can shop our expanded line of products with confidence that you will experience fast shipping and industry leading customer service.

Quality Is Our Product

All Power Mag™ Series and Match Grade™ Series mags are designed for extra heavy duty usage and 100% built in the USA on Chip McCormick Custom’s own complete sets of tooling (which is quite rare since almost all other 1911mags are built on the same generic tooling and then re-labeled by dozens of other brands). Chip McCormick Custom’s higher quality and innovative designs are unique. Chip McCormick Custom are held to die controlled tolerances that are 75% tighter than the decades old Military Specifications common among all the generic re-labeled 1911 mags.

The Passing Of an Icon

Michael "Chip" McCormick and I met at a match back in 1981 and quickly became friends. At that point, neither of us had two cents to rub together, but we both had an intense desire to shoot matches and excel. While we began as competitors on the range, we eventually became competitors in business, all the while remaining good friends with mutual respect.

Years later from the time we met, Chip told me something I hadn't realized at the time, his comment was something like this; "Remember back in the early 80s when you bought me dinner at the XYZ match? Well I want to tell you I had NO money then and was not going to even eat that day, I just want to thank you again."

Looking back, we were so poor we didn't even realize it - staying at Motel 6 and eating at McDonald's in order to be able to attend matches. From this humble beginning, Chip went on to become one of the top shooters of the era and a very successful businessman that was revered within the firearms industry. He did this with hard work, business risk-taking, and honesty. If Chip told you something, you knew it was true and you could take it to the bank so to speak.

When Chip decided to retire and sell Chip McCormick Custom LLC, he called me first, I took this as an indicator of how strong our friendship was through all the years and we quickly made a deal for the sale. In some ways, Chip was a maverick, but to those of us who knew him well, he was just a down-to-earth good ole Texas boy that will be deeply missed by all who knew him.

RIP my old friend.

Bill Wilson, June 2021

From left to right: Chip McCormick, Bill Laughridge, Bill Wilson
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