cripple Posted February 5, 2010 Share Posted February 5, 2010 My son has a STI Edge and regardless of what we do we cant get more than 16 rounds in any of the three 140mm magazines. We changed springs, followers, etc. Has anyone else had this issue or are we just doing something extremely wrong? Any advice is appreciated! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kevin Spencer Posted February 5, 2010 Share Posted February 5, 2010 You will need to change out the follower, spring and base pad. Bevan Grams or Bolen are probably the best followers at this time. For the base pad, your choices are Bevan Grams, Dawson or Bolen. Buy the spring from same person you get the follower from. This should get your magazine capacity up to around 18 or possibly 19. To get 20 rounds in the mag, you will have to send it to someone to be tuned. You can do a search and find several who are highly recommended on this forum. Kevin Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yoshidaex Posted February 5, 2010 Share Posted February 5, 2010 if the basepads, springs and followers have been changed to aftermarket units, usa a Uplula to get the last few rounds in. How many coil springs are you using? I use Grams 11 coil springs in my 40 s&w and get 19 reloadable and a tight 20 in all my STI mags. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aircooled6racer Posted February 5, 2010 Share Posted February 5, 2010 Hello: Is it a 45acp pistol? I like to use either the Dawson +1 or SNL base pads or the Grams 4mm base pad. These will fit the gauge but you will have to check. The Grams spring and follower setup will give you 19 rounds. The Dawson follower and ISMI spring will give you 20 rounds. The Bolen setup will give you 20 but you have to make sure the follower doesn't fall over and make a salt shaker. The most reliable setup for the STI tubes is the Dawson one. I am talking about STI mags. Hope this helps. Thanks, Eric Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cripple Posted February 5, 2010 Author Share Posted February 5, 2010 (edited) You will need to change out the follower, spring and base pad. Bevan Grams or Bolen are probably the best followers at this time. For the base pad, your choices are Bevan Grams, Dawson or Bolen. Buy the spring from same person you get the follower from. This should get your magazine capacity up to around 18 or possibly 19. To get 20 rounds in the mag, you will have to send it to someone to be tuned. You can do a search and find several who are highly recommended on this forum. Kevin Sorry I should have been more specific. The mags already have Dawson Base Pads, Grahams Springs and Followers, but they are 13 coil springs. Can they be cut? It is a STI Edge .40. Thanks Edited February 5, 2010 by cripple Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yoshidaex Posted February 5, 2010 Share Posted February 5, 2010 cut it to 11 and apply the appropriate bend at the end. you should be able to get 19 reloadable rounds. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cripple Posted February 5, 2010 Author Share Posted February 5, 2010 I went back and took the mags apart and I was wrong...they are already 11 coil springs. We tried once again and there is no way we can get more than 15 rounds in them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bkeeler Posted February 5, 2010 Share Posted February 5, 2010 Maybe send them to Bobby Keigans http://www.freedomgunworks.com/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tunakilla Posted February 5, 2010 Share Posted February 5, 2010 Are you sure they are .40 tubes, not 9/38? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kevin Spencer Posted February 5, 2010 Share Posted February 5, 2010 Sounds to me like the follower or springs are not Grams. If we are talking about only 1 magazine, its possible, there is something inside the tube preventing the spring from fully collapsing. But it sounds like you have more than one tube and your experiencing the same problem on all of the tubes. I would suspect a problem with the spring, and I would buy new springs and try that. Your going to need to replace the springs in the future anyway, so it will not be wasted money. You should be able to find a picture of a Grams follower to compare your follower to, so you can confirm you have the correct one. Kevin Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cripple Posted February 5, 2010 Author Share Posted February 5, 2010 Not only am I sure they are grahams, but I have removed the springs/followers from my open 140mm mags (also grahams) and I still have the same issue. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BMartens Posted February 5, 2010 Share Posted February 5, 2010 Are you certain they are 140mm? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris Keen Posted February 5, 2010 Share Posted February 5, 2010 Sounds like the tubes themselves are the problem. Time to send 'em to Bobby Keigans @ Freedom Gun Works. Since you already have the springs, followers, and basepads it shouldn't cost too much to get the tuned. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aircooled6racer Posted February 5, 2010 Share Posted February 5, 2010 Hello: Next question. Are they preban 140mm tubes or post ban 140mm tubes? The post ban are longer and would hold about 15-16 rounds. Also which Dawson base pads do you have? Are the Grams springs you have bent at weird angles? If so try to straighten the spring so it is all in line and not twisted. I have a new STI tube here and just put in the Grams setup with the Dawson +1 base pad and it holds 19 rounds with no tuning. It will hold 20 if I tune it. Thanks, Eric Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
racegun9 Posted February 5, 2010 Share Posted February 5, 2010 Not only am I sure they are grahams, but I have removed the springs/followers from my open 140mm mags (also grahams) and I still have the same issue. You need to post some pictures of the tubes with a good shot of the side ribs, maybe with a ruler along side or length measurement. Post the spring and follower too and we should be able to see what you have. If you have the right parts you should be getting 18-19 pretty easy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ebg3 Posted February 5, 2010 Share Posted February 5, 2010 I have a friend that was having a similar problem. I could load them to 19 rds by hitting the mags down on my knee as I tried to seat a round. This may be different than what you are talking about but you may want to try it. The mags felt like they had some kind of coating on them that caused friction. Maybe it was just the finish of the stainless steel. EG Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
z40acp Posted February 5, 2010 Share Posted February 5, 2010 (edited) My son had the same problem as you when he bought new STI 40/ 140mm tubes. It is the tube at the top where it transitions. We called Chris at STI and he had him send his tubes back. They came back holding the correct amount. Another indication this is the problem is even when you can load more, anything over say 15 is very difficult. My older tubes and the older tubes he bought later don't seem to have this problem. Call Chris unless you are going to send them to be tuned anyway. With Grams guts and Dawson +1's they should hold 19 easy. Edited February 5, 2010 by z40acp Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Josh Biondi Posted February 5, 2010 Share Posted February 5, 2010 SVI follower red, Wolff spring cut to 10 coil, similar SVI basepad. With this set up you'll get 18 relodable rounds Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mike4045 Posted February 5, 2010 Share Posted February 5, 2010 I had to squeeze a few in a vice. I had one mag that held 20 comfortably. I measured it and worked the other tubes to match. They hold 19 easily and 20 if I push it. I use 11 coil ISMI springs and Dawson pads. It is easier just to send them out to be tuned. Mike Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
STIGUY Posted February 19, 2010 Share Posted February 19, 2010 Just wondering....I ordered three complete 140MM magazines from Dawson...if all STI tubes are created equal? If not...that is if some are truer (more capacity) then where do I order from? I bought a gun on here that came with two magazines. These have bolen followers (guessing springs also) and Dawson SNL basepads. The most I can get is 18. I would definately like to get 19. At this point I have read several posts about the components and it seems to be clear as mud? I will be ordering completion components to rework the complete mags (only $8 more expensive than tubes) to obtain maximum capacity. I'm thinking Grams follower, spring and basepad. Hopes this gets me 19 reloadable without the tuning route. $125 for a single tuned mag seems rather excessive. Thoughts are as always....greatly appreciated!!!! THANKS! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
STIGUY Posted March 2, 2010 Share Posted March 2, 2010 Just wondering....I ordered three complete 140MM magazines from Dawson...if all STI tubes are created equal? If not...that is if some are truer (more capacity) then where do I order from? I bought a gun on here that came with two magazines. These have bolen followers (guessing springs also) and Dawson SNL basepads. The most I can get is 18. I would definately like to get 19. At this point I have read several posts about the components and it seems to be clear as mud? I will be ordering completion components to rework the complete mags (only $8 more expensive than tubes) to obtain maximum capacity. I'm thinking Grams follower, spring and basepad. Hopes this gets me 19 reloadable without the tuning route. $125 for a single tuned mag seems rather excessive. Thoughts are as always....greatly appreciated!!!! THANKS! Received the Mags and the Bolen followers (from the Mags purchased with Gun) does not fit past the feed lips of the new mags. Should I get a dremel tool to the followers of try to adjust the feed lips. Kind of have other "stuff" to buy....belt, mag pouches, mag internals that I really don't want to spend the $$$ to send the for tuning. Any suggestions....should I buy a mag tuning kit? Is it very good...the kit and dvd? THANKS! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
G-ManBart Posted March 2, 2010 Share Posted March 2, 2010 You will need to change out the follower, spring and base pad. Bevan Grams or Bolen are probably the best followers at this time. For the base pad, your choices are Bevan Grams, Dawson or Bolen. Buy the spring from same person you get the follower from. This should get your magazine capacity up to around 18 or possibly 19. To get 20 rounds in the mag, you will have to send it to someone to be tuned. You can do a search and find several who are highly recommended on this forum. Kevin Not in my experience. A standard STI 140mm tube with a Grams 11-coil spring and follower and a Dawson +1SNL or Grams 4mm basepad has gotten me 20 reloadable every time I've tried that combo....none were tuned tubes. R, Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Singlestack Posted March 3, 2010 Share Posted March 3, 2010 You will need to change out the follower, spring and base pad. Bevan Grams or Bolen are probably the best followers at this time. For the base pad, your choices are Bevan Grams, Dawson or Bolen. Buy the spring from same person you get the follower from. This should get your magazine capacity up to around 18 or possibly 19. To get 20 rounds in the mag, you will have to send it to someone to be tuned. You can do a search and find several who are highly recommended on this forum. Kevin Not in my experience. A standard STI 140mm tube with a Grams 11-coil spring and follower and a Dawson +1SNL or Grams 4mm basepad has gotten me 20 reloadable every time I've tried that combo....none were tuned tubes. R, +1 except I don't like the Dawson base pads. I have had good luck with a Bolen pad too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kgunz11 Posted March 3, 2010 Share Posted March 3, 2010 Go to my dealer forum, there is contact information in there. I'll do my best to help you out via telephone to save you some headaches without having to send the tubes out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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