9mm Spacer for STI Mags

[waddo29]

It has recently been suggested to me to glue these spacers in the tubes to keep them in place and from rattling around. The +1 base pads I am currently using leave a gap between the bottom of the spacer and the base pad. I had originally intended on replacing the base pads with something else in order to eliminate the gap, and that is when it was suggested to glue in the spacers. I am wondering if this is something that everyone does, because it seems like a really good idea to me, but what I am worried about is getting them back out. Is it going to ruin my mag tubes if I decide I want to take them back out because the tubes are for 38Super/9mm. If down the road I want to use them for 38 super I will need to take the spacers out.

[Hi-Power Jack]

It has recently been suggested to me to glue these spacers in the tubes to keep them in place and from rattling around.

Waddo, I've been using spacers in my STI mags for four

years and never saw a reason to glue them in. I would

worry about being able to clean the mags that way.

Jack

[Sarge]

Waddo I used silicone to put mine in. They stay firmly in place but will come out pretty easy if the need arises. My mags are just as easy to clean with the spacers as without and they don't rattle at all. My spacers would drop into the base pads as well causing the rounds to be a little harder to load so I raised them up and siliconed them in place. I only used about a 1/8" bead in a squiggly pattern on the spacer so it didn't build the spacers out at all. I used bubble wrap to cram into the tubes to hold them in place for 24 hours. Pack them super tight to get them as close to the mag tube as possible. I can run 9MAJOR with 121 IFP's out to beyond 1.17 oal.

[waddo29]

It has recently been suggested to me to glue these spacers in the tubes to keep them in place and from rattling around.

Waddo, I've been using spacers in my STI mags for four

years and never saw a reason to glue them in. I would

worry about being able to clean the mags that way.

Jack

Jack what are you using for base pads. Are you not having the same problem with the spacer moving in the mag?

[waddo29]

Waddo I used silicone to put mine in. They stay firmly in place but will come out pretty easy if the need arises. My mags are just as easy to clean with the spacers as without and they don't rattle at all. My spacers would drop into the base pads as well causing the rounds to be a little harder to load so I raised them up and siliconed them in place. I only used about a 1/8" bead in a squiggly pattern on the spacer so it didn't build the spacers out at all. I used bubble wrap to cram into the tubes to hold them in place for 24 hours. Pack them super tight to get them as close to the mag tube as possible. I can run 9MAJOR with 121 IFP's out to beyond 1.17 oal.

Sarge this is exactly what I was looking for thank you. I forgot to mention the mag reloading issues i've been having when the basepad doesn't push the spacer all the way to the top of the tube. I will follow your instructions as per and try it out.

[gng4life]

I have two STI mags I used with my 9Major (the rest are SV) and I didn't glue/silicone them to the mag. Yes, they rattle when they are empty only but that is not a big deal. These are my "drop" mags so they get pretty disgusting and I want to be able to clean them out thoroughly. I use Grams pads and don't have any problems loading rounds either. Good luck.

[Kingman]

I have Dawson +2. I used contact cement. Added no width, and tey are tight. I only used them in sti mags. Sv mags didn't need it.

[waddo29]

I have Dawson +2. I used contact cement. Added no width, and tey are tight. I only used them in sti mags. Sv mags didn't need it.

Kingman are you able to get them back out using the cement without ruining anything, or are they just dedicated 9mm mags?

[waddo29]

I have two STI mags I used with my 9Major (the rest are SV) and I didn't glue/silicone them to the mag. Yes, they rattle when they are empty only but that is not a big deal. These are my "drop" mags so they get pretty disgusting and I want to be able to clean them out thoroughly. I use Grams pads and don't have any problems loading rounds either. Good luck.

gng4life it's not just the rattling around I have a problem with, sometimes my follower and spring stick up in the middle of the mag and I am wondering if it has anything to do with that spacer flopping around in there. I have change to gram srpings and followers hoping they will work better, but I while I am at it I also wanted to take care of the spacer in case it is part of the problem.

[Sarge]

I have two STI mags I used with my 9Major (the rest are SV) and I didn't glue/silicone them to the mag. Yes, they rattle when they are empty only but that is not a big deal. These are my "drop" mags so they get pretty disgusting and I want to be able to clean them out thoroughly. I use Grams pads and don't have any problems loading rounds either. Good luck.

gng4life it's not just the rattling around I have a problem with, sometimes my follower and spring stick up in the middle of the mag and I am wondering if it has anything to do with that spacer flopping around in there. I have change to gram srpings and followers hoping they will work better, but I while I am at it I also wanted to take care of the spacer in case it is part of the problem.

In theory the spacer will move very little with rounds in the tube. I doubt the spacer flops around with a half full tube. Mine only rattled when empty. I siliconed mine because the spacer was sliding down inside the tube so far the follower would snag on it when getting the first few rounds started.

[Jaxshooter]

I have two STI mags that I use in place of my SV tubes if I am going to drop them in the sand or mud. I used metal spacers with Gram's spring and short follower.

I beveled the bottom edge of the spacer so that it sits on the ledge of the Dawson SNL base pad. Mine are not glued in and do not move when the mag is loaded. I also polished the side of the spacer that comes in contact with the bullets and it seems to make them feel much smoother when loading.

[J.L. Hardy]

Guys, I designed and build the stainless spacers sold at CPWSA and Shooters Connection. Dave Dawson also uses my spacers that are supplied through Shooters Connection. I highly discourage the use of anything being used to adhere these to the mag. They need to be pulled out when the mag is cleaned. They are also designed to have clearance to slide about 15 to 20 thousandths up and down. They do not rattle around when the mag is loaded. They are made to be used with Dawson +1 basepads. The only thing that needs to be done to them is the edge that mates with the back side of the mag could be beveled as needed to lay flat in some mags. I recommend the use of Grams 9mm followers and springs. If you use other base pads that are longer or shorter than the Dawsons then you will have to shorten either the 170 spacers or in some cases the 140's. STI and SV mags usually just drop in on the 140 and 170 length mags, although the lengths have varied slightly over the years and sometimes to require fitting on length to get the spacer to have the needed few thousandths of free play up and down.jlh

[Saffer]

J.L.H I notice that the spacers are all 170mm these days. If I am fitting to a 140mm mag, with a Dawson +1 basepad, what is your suggested length? Do I measure and cut to fit on the basepad ledge?

[mindcrime]

Mr. Hardy,

Thanks so much for the info, it is exactly what I need. Do you recommend adjusting the tubes so that the follower doesn't tip over?

[waddo29]

Guys, I designed and build the stainless spacers sold at CPWSA and Shooters Connection. Dave Dawson also uses my spacers that are supplied through Shooters Connection. I highly discourage the use of anything being used to adhere these to the mag. They need to be pulled out when the mag is cleaned. They are also designed to have clearance to slide about 15 to 20 thousandths up and down. They do not rattle around when the mag is loaded. They are made to be used with Dawson +1 basepads. The only thing that needs to be done to them is the edge that mates with the back side of the mag could be beveled as needed to lay flat in some mags. I recommend the use of Grams 9mm followers and springs. If you use other base pads that are longer or shorter than the Dawsons then you will have to shorten either the 170 spacers or in some cases the 140's. STI and SV mags usually just drop in on the 140 and 170 length mags, although the lengths have varied slightly over the years and sometimes to require fitting on length to get the spacer to have the needed few thousandths of free play up and down.jlh

I hadn't realized they were designed to travel up and down in the mag. I thought I was doing something wrong, like not using the correct parts. The whole reason I brought this thread up was because I wasn't sure if the movement of the spacers in the mag was contributing to the mag failures I have been having (follower getting stuck half way up the mag). I have already bought the gram 9mm followers and springs, so I will give it another go with the new guts and no glue.

[J.L. Hardy]

Saffer, I just sent Chuck (Shooters Connection) a supply of 140 length spacers. If you already have the 170's you could get one from him and use it to cut off those. As far as the question about adjusting the tube for follower tip over- I have never adjusted the ribs on any of the tubes I have tuned. This seems to be something done to 140 mags to get a longer basepad on so it will hold 23 or 24 rounds. I recommend just going with big sticks for this and no tube bending is needed. If you use the +1 base pads from Dawson the ribs do not cause an issue because the stack up of the compressed spring takes the follower higher than the bottom of the ribs. Arrendondo makes a spacer that has a section on the bottom that folds around to take up this space if you really need to use the longer basepads. I think Chuck carries them as well. The reason that I prefer the stainless ones over the polymer ones is the battering that occurs at the top of the spacer behind the top round. When they first changed the rule allowing the 9x19 loaded to factory length, I made the spacers out of delrin and they would just get flattened out and start contacting the disconnector rail on the bottom of the slide after repeated use. Arrendondo and Sti started making them as well out of a similar material and I tried them and had the same results. I just went to stainless and this didn't happen anymore.

Edited January 19, 2012 by J.L. Hardy

[waddo29]

I've ordered some tuned mags with my custom build that I should be taking delivery of shortly. I'll be intrested to see how the 9mm mags are set up and tuned buy a professional rather than me just buying all the parts and putting them together.

[Chip_E]

I've ordered some tuned mags with my custom build that I should be taking delivery of shortly. I'll be intrested to see how the 9mm mags are set up and tuned buy a professional rather than me just buying all the parts and putting them together.

I assembled mine prior to sending them off for tuning with the gun...but I'm sure they'll disassemble then. For one, they have to trim the follower...don't know what else they do. I'm hoping for high capacity (29 to 30) if it can be done without a sacrifice in reliability.