gunner40sw Posted March 30, 2013 Share Posted March 30, 2013 I have a 9mm edge I am going to start shooting and I have 8 sti stock mags so what I was wanting to know is how are people setting up the internals followers, springs. Will I need to add spacers and how do the taran butler base pads work Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chowellacsbd Posted March 30, 2013 Share Posted March 30, 2013 I'm using hardy steel spacers in my 140 and 170s with grams guts. TTI 4mm on the 140s and 3mm on the 170s Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gunner40sw Posted March 30, 2013 Author Share Posted March 30, 2013 Did you glue in your spacers or are they loose. And do you have to use the spacers cause that's what I don't get if it is a 9mm mag why the spacers Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sarge Posted March 30, 2013 Share Posted March 30, 2013 I think there is a difference between true 9mm STI mags and 9/38 tubes which are common among open shooters? I'm thinking you don't need spacers for your 9mm mags. But I'm not 100% sure as I have only bought and used 9/38's. They need spacers for 9mm usually. I silicone mine in and they usually make it all season before they come loose. Then I take them all the way down and clean and reapply silicone. You will get more capacity by switching to Grams internals and aftermarket base pads. I use Bolens/TT's on mine. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jaxshooter Posted March 31, 2013 Share Posted March 31, 2013 I run stainless steel spacers and Grams springs and followers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IceDevil Posted March 31, 2013 Share Posted March 31, 2013 STI 9 and 38 super bodies are the same. The 9 uses the spacer and a different follower. If you bought STI 9 mags they should have come with the spacer. Some people have success running the super follower and no spacer with 9, particularly with long loaded 9. I haven't found a downside to running the spacers so I haven't bothered to try without them. I have used the STI plastic and Hardy metal and not glued either of them in. Just to confuse things, the SVI 9mm mags do not use or require a spacer. The tube is different than an SVI super tube. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aircooled6racer Posted March 31, 2013 Share Posted March 31, 2013 Hello: Use the Hardy stainless steel spacers and the Grams springs and followers from Shooters Connection. I don't glue them in since I can clean them better when they are not glued in. I also get the 170mm spacers and cut them to fit the base pads I am using in the 140mm tubes. I also use the Dawson followers as well with ISMI springs. Hope this helps. Thanks, Eric Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
calvinc78 Posted March 31, 2013 Share Posted March 31, 2013 (edited) Steel spacers and I bevel the backs at the top that way they sit flush at the rear of the mag.... Grams internals with Dawson bases and do not glue the spacers. U need to beable to remove them from the mag to clean good Edited March 31, 2013 by calvinc78 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gunner40sw Posted March 31, 2013 Author Share Posted March 31, 2013 Thanks for all the info guys Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gunner40sw Posted March 31, 2013 Author Share Posted March 31, 2013 One more question the gun came with one o the funky guiderods that I want to replace. I have a Dawson tooless guide rod sitting in a drawer not being used so I was thinking about using that. What pound guide rod spring do you use Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sarge Posted March 31, 2013 Share Posted March 31, 2013 (edited) 8# is pretty typical Wasn't thinking when I posted 8. That's in my open gun. The edge is probably sprung considerably higher. Edited March 31, 2013 by Sarge Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mike3232 Posted March 31, 2013 Share Posted March 31, 2013 I use the sti 9mm mags just how they come, but they are 126mm I use got my IDPA gun. I haven't had an issue yet. And I am using a 9# spring. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
z40acp Posted March 31, 2013 Share Posted March 31, 2013 STI's website lists the stock spring at 12 lbs. That does sound high. I think ISMI rates their springs a couple of pounds high. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
z40acp Posted March 31, 2013 Share Posted March 31, 2013 When I bought some mag tubes back in 2005 the paper in the bag had a different listing for 9/38 tube and a 9 tube. These were 140mm tubes. I always wondered if they had true 9mm mags without spacers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PINMAN44 Posted March 31, 2013 Share Posted March 31, 2013 (edited) I think there is a difference between true 9mm STI mags and 9/38 tubes which are common among open shooters? I'm thinking you don't need spacers for your 9mm mags. But I'm not 100% sure as I have only bought and used 9/38's. They need spacers for 9mm usually. I silicone mine in and they usually make it all season before they come loose. Then I take them all the way down and clean and reapply silicone. You will get more capacity by switching to Grams internals and aftermarket base pads. I use Bolens/TT's on mine. Anything marked as a 9MM sti mag is a mag that comes with a spacer if you had to purchase the complete magazine. For complete reliability for 9mm in an STI magazine a spacer should be utilized. Also when I was shooting STI 9MM I used STI internals and spacers. They do not need gluing etc. They stay put, don't rattle, and in my set ups work 100 percent. I can get 21 reloadable with stock STI base pads, springs, followers, and spacers in a 140MM magazine. 28 with my 170's, Edited March 31, 2013 by PINMAN44 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sarge Posted March 31, 2013 Share Posted March 31, 2013 Brownells list two distinct part numbers for 9 and 9/38 mags. Don't know if the difference is just a spacer or if they are built different. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EkuJustice Posted March 31, 2013 Share Posted March 31, 2013 Same tube. The sti 9mm mag has a polymer spacer and a 9mm follower Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PINMAN44 Posted March 31, 2013 Share Posted March 31, 2013 Brownells list two distinct part numbers for 9 and 9/38 mags. Don't know if the difference is just a spacer or if they are built different. All it is is a spacer and follower for 9mm. The feed lip dimensions are the same. It's a 38 mag with a 9mm follower a poylmer spacer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gunner40sw Posted March 31, 2013 Author Share Posted March 31, 2013 I just ordered some from top gun and they are listed as STI 9mm 140 mags. So I will have to see how hey come when they arrive if hey ar 9mm only mags Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gunner40sw Posted April 1, 2013 Author Share Posted April 1, 2013 The mags came today and the package is marked 9x19 and not the 9x21 .38 super. So does that mean I will not need spacers Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
double_r76 Posted April 2, 2013 Share Posted April 2, 2013 The mags came today and the package is marked 9x19 and not the 9x21 .38 super. So does that mean I will not need spacers The spacer and associated 9mm follower should be inside the assembled mag. You can see the black polymer spacer at the back of the mag behind the feed lips... or you can remove the baseplate and see it when it falls out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gunner40sw Posted April 2, 2013 Author Share Posted April 2, 2013 Yea the spacer is there thanks. But is there a better follower cause the one that is in there seems rather clunky Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Desmo412 Posted April 2, 2013 Share Posted April 2, 2013 Grams makes a spring and follower kit specifically for use with spacers in STI mags. They are easy to fit and will give you more capacity over the STI guts. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PINMAN44 Posted April 5, 2013 Share Posted April 5, 2013 Brownells list two distinct part numbers for 9 and 9/38 mags. Don't know if the difference is just a spacer or if they are built different. All it is is a spacer and follower for 9mm. The feed lip dimensions are the same. It's a 38 mag with a 9mm follower a polymer spacer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cecil Posted April 6, 2013 Share Posted April 6, 2013 Grams makes a spring and follower kit specifically for use with spacers in STI mags. They are easy to fit and will give you more capacity over the STI guts. what kind of fitting is required for the grams spring & follower to work in STI mags... my Steel Match came with one mag..i bought several more... they don't load as easily as the one that came with my pistol.. (from dawson precision).. i would like to upgrade my other 3 mags to work as good as the one that came with my pistol. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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