Come on now, do mags really need to be tuned

texarkana · February 11, 2011

Years ago when when we firsr got the wide body super we didn't need tuned mags. Why now?

Sarge · February 11, 2011

From my limited understanding it boils down to getting the highest capacity possible out of a given magazine.

outerlimits · February 11, 2011

From my limited understanding it boils down to getting the highest capacity possible out of a given magazine.

That and bringing those older tubes back into spec in terms of damaged feed lips.

mildot1 · February 11, 2011

Depends, what do you consider tuning??

I have two seperate trains of thought.

My 140MM and two 170MM tuning consists of making sure they run 100% every time, bringing back into specs,checking feed lips, changing springs and followers and cleaning.

I do have two other 170mm that have been tuned for CAPACITY gains,30rnds reloadable. They are never put in the gun with the plan of "dropping them", that only happens in a unforseen situation.

I use them to try to gain an advantage of not making a mag change on a 30 round course.

I think all mags need some tuning, but do I need to spend a ton of cash? probably not but only YOU can decide what you want.

Mildot

larry cazes · February 11, 2011

Learn to tune for reliability and maintain your own mags. I do not chase that extra round of capacity since in the average long COF there is almost always a decent place to reload off the clock. I consider this to be part of the basics since most of us dont have a gunsmith on retainer. Im baffled by some of the responses lately that suggest you never drop a big stick. Other than initially tuning and polishing the insides of the tubes, I rarely have to do anything but clean them after they are dropped. Has the race for that extra round made 2011 mags highly finicky?

BigTinVA · February 11, 2011

Im baffled by some of the responses lately that suggest you never drop a big stick.

I noticed that lately as well. What is the thought process for not dropping a big stick, the price of the mag?

D__ · February 11, 2011

Mags aren't cheap dude.

Foxbat · February 11, 2011

Don't know if that falls under the name of tuning, but there is another form of adjustment - trying to make all your mags work in all of your guns. I have already spent great deal of time making all my SVI tubes work in all my open guns. The STI tubes seem to not have that issue, they work in all of them. So far I was able to make the 8 SVI tubes work in three guns, with a couple more to go. The trick is in not butchering them too much, removing as little as possible. The other side of that tuning comes from working the gun grips - some have wider openings than others, by pretty good amount. I am tired of the constant "These three work with this gun, those four - with that, but not with this..." drill.

larry cazes · February 11, 2011

Mags aren't cheap dude.

Shooting open is not cheap "dude". I have yet to retire ANY of my mags. Since witching to Gramms guts all I change out is the springs.

larry cazes · February 11, 2011

I am tired of the constant "These three work with this gun, those four - with that, but not with this..." drill.

Guess I am just lucky.....My SV 170s ALL work in ALL of my guns with just a little initial tuning. You might look for other issues on the gun that they dont work in.

TMC · February 11, 2011

I have a total of 20 S_I widebody mag in both 40 and 9mm with a random combination of springs and followers and all run in any of my guns (2 SV's and 2 STI's). During practice my friends have used them without issue.

I did have an odd situation with my one STI 40's that would hold 21 with Bolen parts. This mag ran fine for well over a year and then last year (1st stage at the 3 Multi Nationals) started to fail on the 3 round, always on the 3rd. I replaced the spring but the problem persists. If it only has 19 its 100%. It does get dropped allot but only on the 3rd round thing is wierd.

BritinUSA · February 11, 2011

I may be investing in Dawson's mag tuning kit in the near future. Just so I can fix any issues myself, but so far with standard STI magazines I have not had any problems. I'm not a big fan of the 'jam every last conceivable round into a 170mm' method... as others have stated there are always places to do a time-neutral reload.

Edited February 11, 2011 by BritinUSA

Foxbat · February 11, 2011

It seems to have to do with whether your gun was built around the STI or SVI mags to begin with. The STI mags (I have over two dozen of them) work in all guns. The 8 SVI's do not.

The explanation is simple. When you compare the brand new tubes from the two companies, the STI tubes are about .5mm shorter front to back, consistently. Their front surface is also flatter and better defined. So if your smith opened up the grip to accept the SVI tubes, then you are all set. The other way around is crap shoot.

Torogi · February 11, 2011

I bought Dawson's tuning kit and it helped alot for the older tubes. Just spend extra for a brass hammer, the heavier the better.

Now for the tuning part, i had an new SVI stamped tube, drop in Bolen follower and spring, Dawson basepad, 28+1 (170mm in 9mm), runs flawless. Didnt even do anything special.

Flatland Shooter · February 11, 2011

I have already spent great deal of time making all my SVI tubes work in all my open guns. The STI tubes seem to not have that issue, they work in all of them.

Interesting. It must vary by gun.

For 140's, all my STI mags needed tuning to run reliably. All my SVI mags ran good untuned but went ahead and got two of the four tuned to see if it made a difference. Only improvement the tuning did for the SVI mags was the round count holes.

For 170's, I cannot keep the STI running even after tuning. I have one tuned SVI 170 (thanks to Howard) that has run flawlessly from day one.

I'm in the camp that tunes for reliability. Future mags will be purchased and ran. If they puke on me, then its off to the tuners.

Bill

Edited February 11, 2011 by Flatland Shooter

shootingchef · February 11, 2011

I think all mags need tuning. I have mags from STI and SV, and have seen all different measurements, no two were the same. SV's are tuned at the factory. I did get the Dawson tuning kit, loaned it out and never saw it again :rolleyes: . I've had better luck with SV tubes. Be careful who you get to tune your mags...

Steve J · February 11, 2011

Some pistol are Volkswagens. Some pistol are Ferraris. What do you think needs to be tuned and maintained regularly?

Mo Zee · February 11, 2011

I only purchase SPS mags. I shove grams follower and spring and a bolen pad. works flawlessly out of the box in both of my supers.

Foxbat · February 11, 2011

I only purchase SPS mags. I shove grams follower and spring and a bolen pad. works flawlessly out of the box in both of my supers.

And why not Bolen follower/spring?

diehli · February 12, 2011

Some pistol are Volkswagens. Some pistol are Ferraris. What do you think needs to be tuned and maintained regularly?

Exactly. And the mag is the fuel pump. If your fuel pump works, you're golden. If you've got issues, why not take that factor out? And, of course, an ounce of prevention....

markcic · February 12, 2011

It depends. You don't need to run mags. My open gun is in ( and it run flawlessly with SVI tube and a mix of Grams and Bolen internals in both my 140s and 170s. I have a tuned 170 that I can get 30 in which has been dropped a bunch. The untuned 170 can only hold 28 reliably, 29 and the follower gets stuck under the ridge at the bottom of the tube.

Forrest Halley · February 12, 2011

I only purchase SPS mags. I shove grams follower and spring and a bolen pad. works flawlessly out of the box in both of my supers.

And why not Bolen follower/spring?

Probably because they are so thin/tippy and rounds getting under them is a fun thing to resolve. That being said bevel/polish the ends of the creases and this problem magically disappears. Seriously though why not the grams base too? It's easier to remove for cleaning. I am now thinking that the awesome setup would be bolen insides and a 4mm grams base with prayer to make the gauge.

So does anyone know which base has more volume the bolen or grams in a given length?

Mo Zee · February 12, 2011

I only purchase SPS mags. I shove grams follower and spring and a bolen pad. works flawlessly out of the box in both of my supers.

And why not Bolen follower/spring?

Probably because they are so thin/tippy and rounds getting under them is a fun thing to resolve. That being said bevel/polish the ends of the creases and this problem magically disappears. Seriously though why not the grams base too? It's easier to remove for cleaning. I am now thinking that the awesome setup would be bolen insides and a 4mm grams base with prayer to make the gauge.

So does anyone know which base has more volume the bolen or grams in a given length?

I had stock of the grams kit already. When I purchase stuff from abroad I always ending up purchasing more than what I need so I was not going to spend additional cash on the Bolen stuff. I needed new base pads and went for the bolen. The reason not grams is because I found the plastic ones tend to crack near the holes. I can describe it in detail if required and take pics. The grams is alum so it holds up a bit more.

Edited February 12, 2011 by Mo Zee

Forrest Halley · February 12, 2011

Please do if you don't mind.

G-ManBart · February 12, 2011

I'd say this one has been covered pretty thoroughly...heck, there were posts on this three or four years ago that were closed and merged for duplication :surprise: