Sarge Posted January 15, 2011 Share Posted January 15, 2011 Ordering up my parts this weekend. Then I'll send the kits off to be tuned. My questions are: Should I leave the spacers free for removal/cleaning? I hear they rattle like this. Any other problems? Should I silicone them? Does it hold? Finally should I have them tack welded in? This would seem permanent. If I ever went to 38 from 9mm could they be cut out or would I need new mags? Thanks All! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave.O Posted January 15, 2011 Share Posted January 15, 2011 Go ahead and fit the spacers and glue them in. If they ever come loose,re-glue and move on. If you have thoughts of a 38 gun definately glue them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
colt Posted January 15, 2011 Share Posted January 15, 2011 (edited) The guy that welded mine said he could drill out the plug and get them out. Didn't like the rattle but they shoot fine with them loose. I was worried about him welding a $150 or so mag. He welds medical stuff for a living and turned out good. Edited January 15, 2011 by colt Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JThompson Posted January 15, 2011 Share Posted January 15, 2011 Glue will come loose and you'll have a mess. You can even change the spacing when it does, so my opinion is to either weld them or leave them loose. All mine are loose and they run 100%. JT Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BrianATL Posted January 15, 2011 Share Posted January 15, 2011 Leave loose Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SLM Posted January 15, 2011 Share Posted January 15, 2011 I talked with two different mag builders / tuners that participate here and both were adamant that the spacers had to be secured in the tube, either welded or glued. I took mine to work and fit them to the tubes on a diamond grinding wheel. The spacers are flat, the tubes are not. I then used a silicon adhesive for glass and metal (designed for hard, non-porous materials) to fix them in the tubes. They've been there for three years so I guess the company was right when they said the adhesive had to be heated to be removed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DougCarden Posted January 15, 2011 Share Posted January 15, 2011 I am sure that Bevin may chime in, but I was told by two tuners to use Black RTV gasket material, available in auto shops and some box stores. Fit your spacers and cut off the extra so there is a little space on the bottom, polish and make every thing mirror smooth with some 1500 grit wet/dry paper inside the tube and on the spacer itself. Hose them down with some brake cleaner or the like, let dry, then put a little bit on the spacer and coat the whole thing, then carefully put it in the tube. Figure out how to clamp the spacer down tight to the tube, and let sit overnight. You can then use an xacto knife to cut and get rid of the excess glue, but it helps to wipe off any globs before they dry. I haven't had to do anything to mine in over 3 years.... Good luck, DougC Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JThompson Posted January 28, 2011 Share Posted January 28, 2011 All I can say is mine are 100% and they are loose. One point I forgot to post... I always get the 170s even for 140s. I cut them to the proper size with the base-pads that I use so they are held in the proper position and can't drop down. If they have nowhere to go there is no reason to glue them. This, like so many other tips and tricks, is subjective and there is no one way. 100% reliability can be achieved either way. When I first had a 9MM open built everyone told me that 9s wouldn't run. I smiled and said okaaaaay... JT Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aircooled6racer Posted January 28, 2011 Share Posted January 28, 2011 Hello: I would leave them loose so you can can clean them better when they fall in the sandy mud. If you weld them in they will be very strong but if the mag gets bent it will be harder to straighten them. RTV will work but does move around a little and could cause problems. I would just fit them well and leave them loose. Thanks, Eric Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gregory_k Posted January 31, 2011 Share Posted January 31, 2011 I run SV mags no spacers or tuning and they run 100% with 9mm major. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blkbrd Posted January 31, 2011 Share Posted January 31, 2011 Shoe goo will hold them in incredibly well. The stuff is amazing, not like cheap silicone. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pro2AInPA Posted January 31, 2011 Share Posted January 31, 2011 Mine are loose and my mags work 100%. I didn't spend the money to have them tuned either. I just removed the slide stop tap from the Gram's followers and rounded the back edge of the spacers. A few minutes per mag and they run 100% and the money I would have paid for mag tuning was spent on ammo components. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sarge Posted January 31, 2011 Author Share Posted January 31, 2011 Mine are loose and my mags work 100%. I didn't spend the money to have them tuned either. I just removed the slide stop tap from the Gram's followers and rounded the back edge of the spacers. A few minutes per mag and they run 100% and the money I would have paid for mag tuning was spent on ammo components. Do you get the same capacities as tuned mags? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
03k64 Posted January 31, 2011 Share Posted January 31, 2011 Mine are loose too and run fine. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gregory_k Posted January 31, 2011 Share Posted January 31, 2011 Mine are loose and my mags work 100%. I didn't spend the money to have them tuned either. I just removed the slide stop tap from the Gram's followers and rounded the back edge of the spacers. A few minutes per mag and they run 100% and the money I would have paid for mag tuning was spent on ammo components. Do you get the same capacities as tuned mags? Whats a tunned mag hold? 1, maybe 2 rounds extra for what cost? If I made 120k a year maybe I would pay someone to "tune" my mags, but right now all that extra cash goes for ammo, and at my skill level, I need a lot of ammo. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JThompson Posted February 26, 2011 Share Posted February 26, 2011 Mine are loose and my mags work 100%. I didn't spend the money to have them tuned either. I just removed the slide stop tap from the Gram's followers and rounded the back edge of the spacers. A few minutes per mag and they run 100% and the money I would have paid for mag tuning was spent on ammo components. Do you get the same capacities as tuned mags? I get 28 or 29 depending on the stick. I quit looking for the 30 or 31 it just eats springs and sometime you get a salt shaker. I know there are people who get 30 reliable, but for me the extra round is just not worth the time and money. JT Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sarge Posted April 4, 2011 Author Share Posted April 4, 2011 I cut them to the proper size with the base-pads that I use so they are held in the proper position and can't drop down. JT I bought some spacers from another member here. They fit perfect in the mags except they do fall into the base pads. They drop pretty far into the pads. Does this change things? Now should I glue them? Maybe I should just wait and see if the gun runs fine without spacers as some have said their's do? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TwoShot Posted April 4, 2011 Share Posted April 4, 2011 When I first started I dropped the @#$*% spacer every time I took the basepad off for cleaning. I had a conversation with B. Grams a few years ago on this topic. He told me to glue them in with clear RTV silicon using about a 1/8 inch bead. To hold them in place to dry, stuff the mag full of Styrofoam peanuts. It worked like a charm. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nealio Posted April 5, 2011 Share Posted April 5, 2011 I used 3m double sided foam tape on the spacers I made for my Tanfoglio mags and they haven't moved. But you'd need a thinner spacer than you have to do that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sfpmb Posted April 7, 2011 Share Posted April 7, 2011 Have SV mags that run, no spacers. My STI mags had some nose diving. Bought the Arrendondo plastic spacers, STI mags (140 and 170's) now work perfect, no rattle, no nose dive, fitted with only a razor. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jaxshooter Posted April 7, 2011 Share Posted April 7, 2011 I also use the plastic spacers in a few STI mags and do not glue them in. I think gluing them in tends to hold dirt and grit around the edges. I just slide them out when I clean the mags. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
40S&W Posted April 9, 2011 Share Posted April 9, 2011 (edited) I run mine loose and they work 100% of the time. If I want to change from 9mm to 38SC all I do is change the guts including removing the spacers. No fuss no mess. So what if they rattle a little? I use stainless spacers in the 170mm & plastic spacers in the 140mm. Edited April 9, 2011 by 40S&W Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pointblanktx Posted May 13, 2015 Share Posted May 13, 2015 Those of you that have the Hardy spacers, are you leaving them as is or are you polishing them? I know mine kind of have a bushed metal look and feel to them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sarge Posted May 13, 2015 Author Share Posted May 13, 2015 Those of you that have the Hardy spacers, are you leaving them as is or are you polishing them? I know mine kind of have a bushed metal look and feel to them. I polished the bejesus out of the exposed side and roughed up the other. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
echotango Posted May 13, 2015 Share Posted May 13, 2015 (edited) I have hardy's in all 5 mags(front polished) and they are all loose. easier to clean and the rattle doesn't bother me. Edited May 13, 2015 by echotango Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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