Advantages and disadvantages of 155mm mags

[bigboy69]

I like loading to the 155. I'm actually thinking about just using 170's and getting used to reloading to them

[Chillywig]

I reload to 155s. I think it all in what you get used to. Now 140s feel too small and I have a hard time grabbing them in the right spot and 170 seem to long when reloading. I think its all  in what you practice with

[lacivilian]

I think you can’t go wrong with either 140s or 155s I personally like the 155s because I have larger hands and the 140s just seem too small with a magwell to reload. I find myself not seating mags well or dropping them because I have to start to take my finger off the mag before it starts to enter the magwell. If you have larger hands and want more capacity then the 155s should be a no brained. But I think the 140s are much better suited for people with small to medium sized hands. 

[RGC]

On 7/17/2018 at 3:47 PM, CHA-LEE said:

I guess I am the strange one in the group as I rarely use my 170's. The majority of the time I start with a 155 and reload to a 140. Or start with a 140 and reload to a 140. The only time I will use a 170 is if the stage allows for more than 26 rounds of non-stop blasting. If there is a step or two of non-shooting time its easy to throw in a reload as needed.

 

I can usually cram 28 rounds into my 155 and its easily reloadable to that round count when I cut 1 coil off of the mag spring making it a 12 coil. There is no need to use a 13 coil spring in a 155 as all it does is consume more ammo real estate.

 

With all that being said, I am a die hard Limited shooter who usually lives within the bounds of 20 round 140mm magazines. That is primarily why I feel comfortable with using the 140's and 155 mags in Open verses the really long 170's.

I am getting into Open and like this thought process....

[sean_stw]

On 7/27/2018 at 12:55 PM, Chillywig said:

I think its all  in what you practice with

I'd agree with that, its all about practice.

[Silverscooby27]

Ok, sorry for dumb question but who makes 155s?

[sean_stw]

16 minutes ago, Silverscooby27 said:

Ok, sorry for dumb question but who makes 155s?

MBX extreme

[36873687]

I like them. But I like to reload to a 170

[tanfoglio1911]

I think for me the 155 has the perfect length to do my reload. Easy to grab, not too long and not too short.

[RGC]

Just ordered a couple....

[bigboy69]

I start with a 170 and always reload to a 155. In classifiers I start with a 140 and reload to a 155.

[Gooldylocks]

I try to start all stages the same except for strange exceptions. For me, that means a barney round from the back pouch then a 170 at the start. My friends make fun of me for it sometimes, especially on like a 6 round classifier, but it is all about mental preparation/rehearsal for the stage. Because of that I have never understood the concept of not dropping 170s.... They are just another magazine, and none of us bat an eye at dropping our other mags. 

 

That being said, I have never used a 155, nor do I think they are necessary. If you like them then great, you do you, but I don't see their utility in general. If the situation dictates it I can run 24 in my 140s for a reload, which gets me back up to 25 in the gun after the load. If it requires more than that, I can use a 170 at 28, though I don't personally like to. Those situations are very few and far between, in my experience. If I put 11 coil springs in my 140s I could probably even get another for 25 in them, but with the 13s I have never changed my springs in two full seasons (as opposed to every few months with a 170). I'm willing to trade an extra round for lower maintenance. 

[Tyshoots]

5 hours ago, Gooldylocks said:

I try to start all stages the same except for strange exceptions. For me, that means a barney round from the back pouch then a 170 at the start. My friends make fun of me for it sometimes, especially on like a 6 round classifier, but it is all about mental preparation/rehearsal for the stage. Because of that I have never understood the concept of not dropping 170s.... They are just another magazine, and none of us bat an eye at dropping our other mags. 

 

That being said, I have never used a 155, nor do I think they are necessary. If you like them then great, you do you, but I don't see their utility in general. If the situation dictates it I can run 24 in my 140s for a reload, which gets me back up to 25 in the gun after the load. If it requires more than that, I can use a 170 at 28, though I don't personally like to. Those situations are very few and far between, in my experience. If I put 11 coil springs in my 140s I could probably even get another for 25 in them, but with the 13s I have never changed my springs in two full seasons (as opposed to every few months with a 170). I'm willing to trade an extra round for lower maintenance. 

This is what what I do. Recently started to reload to a 155 because we shoot open and can have more ammo than a production shooter. 

[Balakay]

I have 2 155s. I rarely use them. I think that they reload very similarly to 140s for my average sized hand. Like Gooldy, I almost always start with a 170.  This past weekend, a stage called for an unloaded table start with a 5 yard run to the table and then a short run top the first position. Based on the round count of the stage, I used the 155, thinking that it would be a little easier to load on the move. I think it is a bit of a niche tool. Maybe if you are starting to buy mags from scratch, get all 155s instead of 140s.

[zzt]

I have 140s, 155s and 170s.  I bought the 155s because they were on sale for the same prices as 140s.  I prefer to start with a 170, but have no problem starting with a shorter mag if advantageous.  Reloading with a 170 mag is no different than reloading with a shorter mag.  I also have no problem dropping a 170

Edited September 18, 2018 by zzt

[lacivilian]

I have 140s, 155s, and 170s. I no longer use 140s at all unless its getting dropped on a classifier. I find the 155s much easier to load than a 140 due to the extra gap between the basepad and a large magwell. I am one of the few shooters who is contradictory to the norm and "see no need for a 140." 

[Jumprun13k]

22 hours ago, lacivilian said:

I have 140s, 155s, and 170s. I no longer use 140s at all unless its getting dropped on a classifier. I find the 155s much easier to load than a 140 due to the extra gap between the basepad and a large magwell. I am one of the few shooters who is contradictory to the norm and "see no need for a 140." 

 

This is me as well. I rarely ever use my 140s. I have 2 155s and 2 170s, all MBX, that are my match mags.

[highhope]

I have been running 170 155mm at most of time

[Shadyscott999]

It is far more advantageous to learn to load to a 170.  There hasn't been a major this year that I haven't loaded to a big stick at least once.  It really changes your options on where to reload and in many cases your actual stage plan.  What if the BEST stage plan is to shoot two or three targets off the start and then reload on a 32 round stage. 
Practice reloading to a 170 and don't worry about 155s.  

[sean_stw]

I bought 1)170, 1)155, and a 3)140's to get me going. after some practice and seeing what gave me the best results as reload speed and the benefit of the extra rounds. I've come to the conclusion at least for me I'm quicker and more comfortable reloading the 155 mags and the 3-4 extra rounds I get are a plus. only downside is that I wish I had bought 3)155's and only 1)140 lol  

[OPENB]

20 hours ago, Shadyscott999 said:

It is far more advantageous to learn to load to a 170.  There hasn't been a major this year that I haven't loaded to a big stick at least once.  It really changes your options on where to reload and in many cases your actual stage plan.  What if the BEST stage plan is to shoot two or three targets off the start and then reload on a 32 round stage. 
Practice reloading to a 170 and don't worry about 155s.  

I agree it's definitely a skill that should be practiced. I find I do rather reload to my "hillbilly 155," an old STI 131mm tube with a Dawson Para base pad. 25 reloadable. If anyone has any of these old tubes laying around, I'd buy some more.