Curious. What length mags do you use?

[sandflea316]

Mostly start with 170.  Reload with 155.

 

Keep the 140 for LO

[zdali]

170s. I'm too dumb for different length mags 

 

[shred]

On 5/11/2023 at 9:17 AM, Superkaratemonkeyfighter said:

I guess the worry about dropping the 170’ s mostly full on a hard ground could cause some issues with feedlips ?

talking outdoors not indoors. I don’t like dropping any mags indoors

Off your belt or out of the gun?  The only time you should be intentionally dropping a mostly full 170 is if it doesn't work and at that point it has other issues than possible damage.

 

I've dropped my favorite 170 on the ground of five continents over 20 years and it keeps on trucking.  Albeit it was mostly empty most of those times and I have other mags I use for practice, but it still probably hit the ground more than a hundred times a year.

 

Now that Limited Optics is a thing I've configured a few 140s to fit the gauge for dual-use.

 

[Darqusoull13]

Dang, I just used all 170's because they were the largest I could . That and I got a screaming deal on like 5 170's and a token 140 that I don't think I used outside of practice. 

[motosapiens]

On 5/10/2023 at 1:31 PM, motosapiens said:

mrs moto can't easily reload the 140's with the giant-ass magwell on her open gun. The local open m's and gm's (typically top 25 at nationals) say they mostly use 155's, and only occasionally use the 170. I got her 2 155's. we'll see how she likes them.

The 155's showed up in the mail. 2 days of dryfire and some live fire today and mrs moto loves them. Much easier for her to reload to compared to either the 140 or 170. Looks like she will just pretty much always reload to 155's for consistency, and just choose a start mag based on the stage, or her mood.

[zzt]

FWIW, I just replaced the springs and followers on my MBX 170 and 155 mags with Atlas 13-coil springs with competition followers.  The are actually TTI springs and followers, which I have used before in other mags and loved them.

 

The went right in and fit perfectly.  No spring conditioning like required for MBX springs.  No tweaking the follower angle.  The TTI springs are stiffer than the MBX and the followers are better.  29 in the 170 and 26 in the 155s, both reloadable.  I'm sold.

[Boomstick303]

5 minutes ago, zzt said:

Atlas 13-coil springs with competition followers.

 

I just did the same but was going to wait to report after I ran some matches with the new springs.  They blow away the Grams springs I was using.  The have a lot more force and think it will fix some of the issues I was having.  Especially with the 170mm mags.  They seem like a much better option so far.

 

[zzt]

5 minutes ago, Boomstick303 said:

The have a lot more force and think it will fix some of the issues I was having.  Especially with the 170mm mags.  They seem like a much better option so far.

 

I never had an issue with the 170, for two reasons.  First, I never drop the 170 with more than a few rounds in it.  Second, I was using the Gen 1 universal follower.  The 155s had the Gen 2 9mm follower.  They worked perfectly until you dropped them with more than a few rounds left.  The Gen 2 follower sits at a steep angle (side-to-side).  That allows a round to slip under the follower when dropped, or jam halfway down the tube.  That's the first thing I'm going to test with the TTI guts.  I already know they load and feed fine.

[CalTeacher]

Just an FYI, I tried the new Atlas competition followers and had nosedive problems with every mag that used them. Grams guts are 100% reliable in my Atlas mags, but are -1 capacity compared to the competition followers. 
 

I had the issue in both 170 and 140 length mags. 

[zzt]

I shot a match today with all Atlas/TTI springs and followers.  No glitches that affected scores.  Even running a mag down to one round left had no problems.  What I did discover is there is a tendency for a round to slip under the competition follower.  It's annoying.  Sometimes it happens when you are loading the mag to capacity.  Sometimes while shooting.  Haven't nailed the problem down yet.  I suspect the MBX tubes are wider internally that the Atlas, and that is what is causing the problem.

 

I'm going to order new MBX 13-coil springs to compare.  I'll use the old followers.  The MBX springs I replaced were on their last legs.  No problems, but should have been replace way earlier.

 

The Atlas springs and followers work perfectly in Atlas tubes.  No slipping under the follower, etc.

[zzt]

More data after a lot more experimenting.  The 170 works just fine with the Atlas 13-coil spring and follower.  You can load it to capacity and empty the mag with no glitches.  The spring takes a set quickly.  When hand stripping the mag, the last five rounds come out with almost no push.  The spring shortened enough after leaving it full for a day, plus a dozen reloadings.  It shortened enough that you can now get 30 rounds in the mag (not reloadable).

 

The 155 mags with Atlas springs and followers have problems.  These springs also took a set.  What happens now is when you load to capacity (26) a round slips under the follower and is trapped by the second and third coils.  It does this repeatedly.  When this happens, the mag will not feed the last two rounds.  They literally fall out.  There is still one under the follower, so that is three rounds you cannot access.  It also happens when you load 25 or 24.  I didn't experiment going lower than that.  At that point you may as well use a 140.

 

My gut feeling is the Atlas springs and competition followers are not a good match in MBX mags.  Even though they work in the 170, my suspicion is the spring will quickly weaken and won't feed the last round.  I'm going back to MBX springs.

[Superkaratemonkeyfighter]

Any reason to run the tti followers in the mbx ?

what springs are I’m the 155’s are they a cut down 13 coil ?

[zzt]

57 minutes ago, Superkaratemonkeyfighter said:

Any reason to run the tti followers in the mbx ?

what springs are I’m the 155’s are they a cut down 13 coil ?

 

They were hyped to be a direct replacement for MBX springs and followers.  I have used TTI stuff in STI mags previously and they were superb.  I needed new springs in my MBX mags, so I decided to try them.

 

MBX uses the same 13-coil springs in the 155s and the 170s.   Many people cut a coil off in the 155s.  I did.  I got a full 26 reloadable in the mags and no problems for two years.  My bad.  I should have replaced the springs after a year.  I'll reuse the followers.  They don't wear out.

[NoSteel]

Depending on stage I’ll start with 170 or 155 and reload to 140.  I have a couple 140’s with heavy bases I use to start on short classifiers with mandatory reloads as the drop from gun real easy even if empty.

[zzt]

Based on some of the comments in this thread, I tried different combos.  I like a 170 and two 155s on the belt. That's what I've been running almost forever.  I also like a 155/140 combo.  I still do not like the 170/140 combo.  Too big a difference between sizes.

 

I just ordered MBX 13-coil Competition +20% springs.  When I get the 155s working properly again, I'll try two 155s and a 140 on some stages.  As I mentioned earlier, I have a habit of starting with a 170, need it or not.  I should broaden my horizons.

[Superkaratemonkeyfighter]

I guess the days of keeping mag springs for 4 years are over.

At least my TSO I’ve had the same mag springs in that gun since I bought it. 
I know there geometry is different then the 2011 so I don’t expect that. 
never the less it’s impressive. 
 

[zzt]

The original springs that came in my Tactical Sport mags have never been changed and still work fine.  20-rounds 40sw easily reloadable.  The CZC +1 spring lightened so much in one season it would not lift the last round in the mag high enough to feed.

 

I had the same problem with the factory springs in my STI mags.  Less than one season of use and they won't lock the slide back on empty.  Last round feeding was iffy.  The TTI replacement springs and followers are long lasting in my STI mags.

[Superkaratemonkeyfighter]

I got much they the feeding of my gun.

it’s rare from what I’m hearing. 
 

[Superkaratemonkeyfighter]

I sent my homemade short block down to Jeff Abernathy to review my work and button it up. 
I wish I had all the parts so he could do a trigger job. I hear he’s the man 

[Matt1911]

Start with the big stick, and reload with the short stick, unless it’s a really large stage or small steel is around, then I’ll reload with another big stick. 

[Eli_a]

If it’s more than 26-27 or 26 and some steel I’ll start with 155 and reload to another 155. 170s if 25 and less. 140 is backup and Barney 

[mandiesel]

I run all 170s as I find they are easier for me to jam into big atlas magwell on my gun...  I struggle to get 140s in the gun quickly.  May need to order a few 155s to experiment with!

[zzt]

Update:  I ordered three MBX +20% 13-coil springs and installed them with the original; MBX followers.  No conditioning.  No clipping a coil for the 155s.  Just install and max capacity in each size.  Ben running them for several matches with no issues.

 

The Atlas 11-coil springs have been working flawlessly in my Atlas 140 mags.

[Superkaratemonkeyfighter]

Cool

Edited June 1, 2023 by Superkaratemonkeyfighter

[RobE1010]

I have all three...140, 155 & 170. Find myself using mostly the 140's and 170's in match settings.