new sv thin aluminum followers

[open67]

Any one have any experience with the SV thin aluminum follower and spring? Saw them in the latest issue of front sight and was wondering how they worked? Understand you have to get there spring with these. Thanks. P.S. This is for a .38 super.

Edited August 26, 2011 by open67

[al503]

I've had no issues with the 9/38 springs and followers in my SV tubes. They give you about the same capacity as the Bolen spring/follower combo.

I tried the .40 follower and springs in my Brazos tuned STI tubes and the followers will not come up all the way in any of them (five). The feed lip ribs that centers bullet is too narrow. I don't have any stock STI tubes so I have no idea if this would be an issue for them. I tried them in my SV tubes and while the follower comes all the way up, I get a round under the follower when loading them to capacity. I only get 20 reloadable (no possible way to get 21 reloadable or not) in untuned SV tubes measuring exactly the legal limit with Bolen basepads.

I purchased the SV springs for the above but I think you can use any spring made for the stock S_I stock followers. I just ordered some ISMI mag springs to try with the .40 and see if I still have the issue with them.

Edited August 26, 2011 by al503

[BlueOvalBruin]

I use them in my 140mm 40 mags. They are the newer style signature mags. I've been using the 13 coil springs with them and I get an easily reloadable 20 but can't squeeze in that 21st unfortunately. Maybe with 10 coil springs I could get 21 but they're just so dang smooth and reliable in their current state. I also get the occasional round underneath the follower but it almost always happens when the mag hits the ground and it has never affected reliability.

A friend shoots the aluminum followers in the same signature svi limited mags but with 10 coil springs and he gets 21 reloadable.

[al503]

I'm getting the round underneath just by loading and hand stripping them out. If the ismi springs don't help, I'm not going to take the chance that something bad is going to happen during a stage. I cut one of the springs down to 11 coils and I'm still not close to 21.

Maybe the new signature mag tubes hold more.

[BlueOvalBruin]

I'm getting the round underneath just by loading and hand stripping them out. If the ismi springs don't help, I'm not going to take the chance that something bad is going to happen during a stage. I cut one of the springs down to 11 coils and I'm still not close to 21.

Maybe the new signature mag tubes hold more.

I think the new signature mags are thicker at the top, probably why they don't fit as well in STI frames and why they might hold more rounds. I had to file my frame to create a clearance chamfer so they could fit. I don’t know if the Al followers were only designed for the signature mags or not, I suppose it’s possible. Did you talk to Brandon when you bought the followers? Just make sure if you use non-SVI springs to follow the directions on the website for spring clipping so the followers can clip on properly.

[Jon Merricks]

Mine work great, but are in the SV signature mags.

[al503]

I think the new signature mags are thicker at the top, probably why they don't fit as well in STI frames and why they might hold more rounds. I had to file my frame to create a clearance chamfer so they could fit. I don’t know if the Al followers were only designed for the signature mags or not, I suppose it’s possible. Did you talk to Brandon when you bought the followers? Just make sure if you use non-SVI springs to follow the directions on the website for spring clipping so the followers can clip on properly.

I've got a couple of the signature mags in 9/38 and they do seem to be thicker up top.

I tried the ISMI springs (11 coils made for 140mm tubes) and I actually got 21 rounds in the mag. (You do have to clip ~1/8" off the front of the top coil.) There is no way I could seat it, as I had to use the side of the bench to get the last round in. I was in a hurry so I only loaded it up and stripped it once by hand with no issue. I'll do it a few more times and if there are no issues, I'll test fire it during a practice session.

I'll talk to Brandon about the followers and whether they were designed only for the signature tubes.

[B.Diddy]

For our aluminum follower we suggest using our spring as well to insure a proper fit and lock between the components.

At the factory we install a small kink outward on the top locking coil to offer a very positive lock between the follower and spring.

If the follower can pivot left or right on the spring a round can get underneath the but this is the nature of the beast with a shorter follower skirt.

We focus on reliability as a key factor in design.

We chose the aluminum material to thin the cross section between the follower and the spring without compromising strength.

Until we push forward with a new magazine design for further capacity this will be an intermediate step which puts 21+1 in our 40-140mm magazines reliably.