50cal Posted April 2, 2004 Share Posted April 2, 2004 how important or how much benefit is realized from "tuned" mags? is tuning more or less important depending on the tube length (tune 170's, leave 140's stock)? Also, do base pads play a role in performance? Thanks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rob Bagnato Posted April 2, 2004 Share Posted April 2, 2004 Tuned magazines are extremley important. Magazines cause more failuires than anything else. Spend the money get the extra round but more importantley magazines the are 100% priceless. Give Beven Grams a call he has spring follower and base pad that are just awsome. You'll gain an extra round with that setup. Tune both the 140's and 170's. Beven will also drills holes so you can look at the magazine and know how many rounds are in it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shred Posted April 2, 2004 Share Posted April 2, 2004 Mags that work 100% are very important. If you are lucky and get a combination of mag parts and blaster that works 100% as-is, you don't need tuning. Otherwise, it's money well spent. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chriss Grube Posted April 2, 2004 Share Posted April 2, 2004 I've read a lot about the tuned mags. It is either total BS or I've been lucky as heck with parts. The SV mags are flawless out of the box. The Paras need a little work. Polish the inside of the tube and the front and rear of the followers. Grand total of time and money invested= 5 min. and a piece of fine grit paper. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Larry Cazes Posted April 2, 2004 Share Posted April 2, 2004 Not that I don't believe in "tuned" mags but......The big disadvantage that I see with getting someone else to tune your mags is that you never learn the boundaries of the devices yourself. You are dependant on someone else to keep them running. My SV mags are 100% but I had to find the right springs and learn how to trim and prepare them to get to this point. My para mags took a lot more work to get them running 100%. The point is, though, that I now have the knowledge to be pretty much self sufficient with both setups. I am pretty hard on mags in this game and they require maintenance to keep them running. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TeamGE Posted April 2, 2004 Share Posted April 2, 2004 You are truely one of the lucky ones, Chriss. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Loves2Shoot Posted April 2, 2004 Share Posted April 2, 2004 I've read a lot about the tuned mags. It is either total BS or I've been lucky as heck with parts. The SV mags are flawless out of the box. The Paras need a little work. Polish the inside of the tube and the front and rear of the followers. Grand total of time and money invested= 5 min. and a piece of fine grit paper. I've been lucky too, but then again I only have 15 mags New springs and replacing followers once they crack is all I've ever had to do to maintain mine, but I think Bevens new followers will last forever. You must use Grams new followers and springs they are AWESOME, Beven is that man if you are unlucky and need mags tuned. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jon Merricks Posted April 2, 2004 Share Posted April 2, 2004 The only STI mags I have ever owned that ran 100% with 20 rounds of 40 were tuned at grams. My SV 38 tubes run but I'm not pushing the max amount of rounds. When I save up the 170's are off to Beven. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
old shooter Posted April 2, 2004 Share Posted April 2, 2004 Chris, I was just wondering, are your "flawless" mags for 9mm or 38. My mags haven't needed tuning but they are for 9. I am wondering if the 9 is just an easier feed. Mike Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
warpspeed Posted April 2, 2004 Share Posted April 2, 2004 The only STI mags I have ever owned that ran 100% with 20 rounds of 40 were tuned at grams. My SV 38 tubes run but I'm not pushing the max amount of rounds. When I save up the 170's are off to Beven. I had the opposite expierence. My 40's were perfect but teh 38's would not run at all until The MagMaster worked his magic The thing is that some mags are closer to the ideal dimensions than others. If you get lucky, like Chriss and L2S, that is great. But they are the exception, not the rule. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
.40AET Posted April 2, 2004 Share Posted April 2, 2004 All of my mags are 100% reliable with SV springs and followers. I have also tried everyone elses springs and followers thinking maybe something works better. BTW-Beven's new followers are super cool, and they don't fall off of the springs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cpty1 Posted April 2, 2004 Share Posted April 2, 2004 Old Shooter, IMO the 9 is a tougher feed than the super. I've had better luck with the STI mags using spacers with the 9. I sell, therefore use, Grams springs and kits and use spacers cut from Delrin. I've had mixed success with the SV mags both with and without spacers. Every once in a while with the SV mags, the bullet would nose dive in the mag. Did it worse without the spacer than with, but it still would happen at times. Usually caused by a round being pulled forward by the next round on top as the upper round was stripped out of the mag. The SV mag has a shorter distance from the back of the mag before the lips start to open up. Compare a SV with a STI and you'll see what I mean. I absolutely cannot stand, and will not tolerate a gun/mag combination that will not run. I'm also of the mindset that if your mags work 100% you don't need tuning. If they work, they'll work better with the Grams kits. If you don't want the hassel of messing with them, send them to Beven. His work is the ultimate. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DogmaDog Posted April 2, 2004 Share Posted April 2, 2004 Definitely use your mags for a while to see if they need tuning before you have them tuned. I bought a used gun that came with 4 mags with Grams base pads and STI (I think...they're black plastic) followers. I can only get 18 rounds of .40 into them, but so far they run 100% I bought one of Grams' new spring/follower kits (the guy who sold me the gun had dremelled on one of the old followers in an attempt to get more rounds in). That mag will hold 19 easily, and 20 with some effort. As long as the mags are reliable, leave well enough alone (and then buy Grams spring/followers when you need/want/can afford them). DD Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chriss Grube Posted April 2, 2004 Share Posted April 2, 2004 Old Shooter, Mine are in 9mm but my .40's are the same way. I can shoot factory 9mm out of the SV tubes w/o a spacer and they work 100%. STI's won't do that. I use the SV followers and the Comp Followers, Wolff +10% springs and Dawson Pads. TJ showed me the follower trick on the Paras when I was shooting them. Never had a problem after that with them either. I like the look of Bevan's new Follower but don't want to give up the extra round. The SV followers look like crap but they work. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TeamGE Posted April 2, 2004 Share Posted April 2, 2004 Chriss, Where are you loosing one round with my Follower Kit? Is this in your SV 9mm or Para .40 mags? What kind of round count are you getting in each? I have yet to see my Follower Kit get less then a SV follower and spring that works. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ong45 Posted April 2, 2004 Share Posted April 2, 2004 At 40$ or so(before followers or springs) it is cheap insurance. And the good thing , Beven will fix them if you have problems down the road for free. Spend the money, you won't be sorry. James Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chriss Grube Posted April 3, 2004 Share Posted April 3, 2004 Bevan, SV 170 tube, SV comp follower(the hacked up ones),Dawson pad. I get 29 +1 in 9mm. It runs 100%. The standard Follower will only get 28 + 1. Looking at your follower it is just long enough that the 29 round won't go. It is tight with the SV comp now. If yours will get me the 29+1 I'll buy 2 of them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Loves2Shoot Posted April 3, 2004 Share Posted April 3, 2004 Bevan,SV 170 tube, SV comp follower(the hacked up ones),Dawson pad. I get 29 +1 in 9mm. It runs 100%. The standard Follower will only get 28 + 1. Looking at your follower it is just long enough that the 29 round won't go. It is tight with the SV comp now. If yours will get me the 29+1 I'll buy 2 of them. Proof that open guys need to learn to reload Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeeper Posted April 3, 2004 Share Posted April 3, 2004 I sent mine off to beven before they ever went into my new gun. I figured it was a chepa way to make sure that they always worked which they do. I also had him drill the round count hols in the back which is the best thing since sliced bread. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chriss Grube Posted April 3, 2004 Share Posted April 3, 2004 No problems reloading but that is for the limited gun. In open why waste time reloading when you can just rock and roll! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TeamGE Posted April 3, 2004 Share Posted April 3, 2004 Chriss, I can't tell by your posts if you have tried one of my Follower Kits or just looked at one. I can get 29 Supercomp or 9 x 19 in my mag, and every mag that I tune. It is tight, but it runs everytime. 28 loads like butter. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chriss Grube Posted April 3, 2004 Share Posted April 3, 2004 Bevan, Just saw the design on the website. The follower looks longer than the SV Comp. It is tight with 29 and the SV. I'll try one of your setups down the road. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TeamGE Posted April 3, 2004 Share Posted April 3, 2004 Ok Chriss, Let me know when you are ready to try one. Then you will be able to tell first hand if my Follower kit will match the round count you are getting now. Just looking at a picture of the follower does not give it a fair evaluation of capacity or function. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colt1991 Posted April 3, 2004 Share Posted April 3, 2004 What does it cost for Bevan to tune mags? I looked on his web site and couldn't find any thing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kevin c Posted April 4, 2004 Share Posted April 4, 2004 For my .40 factory Para tubes, $40 got me the tube spec'd to factory standard, feed lip adjustment as needed, three witness holes drilled (at the 10, 15 and 20 rd mark), and plating (recommended for Para factory tubes, not needed for SV tubes, from what I hear). Parts (follower kits and basepads) extra. Turn around depends on Beven's schedule, and he is a busy man. I think it is worth both the money and the wait to get utterly reliable 21 round Para mags for my .40. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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