Bolen Followers and springs for 40SW Box legal mags.

[Julien Boit]

Hi all,

I have a couple of questions for you guys :

- Anybody knows if the Bolen followers are caliber specific ?

- If so, comparing to Gram's kits (follower end spring), what's the benefit ?

- Anybody tried it in a IPSC box legal SV 40sw magazine ?

[HSMITH]

No, I have used them in 9mm, Super, SuperComp and 40. They work great.

Almost a full round more capacity, and so far the spring looks to be more durable.

Yes, and also in the Rescomp box mag. Works great.

[Julien Boit]

What capacity did you achieve with both SV and Rescomp mags ?

[HSMITH]

19 in typical short mags, 21 easy reloading in a 140. 22 reloadable in some tuned 140 tubes.

[Jasonub]

19 rounds reloadable or not?

Also will the bolen follower fit an ismi mag spring?

thanks

[HSMITH]

Jason, I haven't spent a lot of time on box mags, just because I don't have a need for them. Let me scare up some more wedge pads and put a couple together to be 110% sure what can be done. 19 snug with a spring other than Bolen, Bolen follower and SV long wedge pad was easy in the Rescomp short mag. Bolen follower will not fit an ISMI spring other than the Bolen ISMI spring.

[Jasonub]

thanks time to try and order a set

[Phil Dunlop]

who sells them?

[MikeFoley]

Shooters Connection

[Julien Boit]

I'll order some and try it out.

Getting 19 in my mags is the goal, even if I already got some ;-).

Thanks a lot guys.

[Julien Boit]

Ok, the delivery man came sooner than planned (thanks to my friend Laurent, and thanks to Derek from Millenium Custom).

The followers looks a lot like the Gram's except for the shape of the upper part.

The radius machined seems to really improve the available space in the mag.

The botton part of the spring is wider than the Grams and the upper part (where you clip the follower) seems narrower than the gram's.

Now the best part : with the brand new spring and follower, the magazine can accept 19 rounds of 40sw.

The 19th is tight, but the mag can be seated with a small tap, not reloadable, but you can start with it.

The mag body is an lightly tuned SV tube, and SV base pad, IPSC box legal.

I now have to try the mag at the range, but feeding by hand seems ok.

Let you know more asap.

Edited July 22, 2008 by Julien Boit

[ahtsay]

Thanks for sharing Julien, really appreciate it.

[Julien Boit]

Went to the range yesterday.

The mag works flawlessly. the springs seems to get softer after loading/unloading it several times.

The 19th round seems a little loose in the mag, it makes some noise when you shake the mag but feed perfectly.

Now, durability testing !

[Jaxshooter]

Which Bolen base pad is everybody using on SV 140 mm 40 S&W mags for USPSA so they fit the guage?

Thanks

[HSMITH]

4mm on most SV mags.

[Litig8r15]

4mm on most SV mags.

Do you have to use the Bolen basepads with the followers to get max capacity or can you use the Dawson base pads too?

Eric

[Jaxshooter]

Thanks HSMITH.

[HSMITH]

4mm on most SV mags.

Do you have to use the Bolen basepads with the followers to get max capacity or can you use the Dawson base pads too?

Eric

Depends on the pad and tube, but basically it goes like this:

If you need a standard Dawson +1 the Bolen 3mm pad will provide a little more room, enough to make a real difference.

If you need a Dawson SNL the Bolen 4mm is roughly equivalent with a very slight room gain.

[Litig8r15]

4mm on most SV mags.

Do you have to use the Bolen basepads with the followers to get max capacity or can you use the Dawson base pads too?

Eric

Depends on the pad and tube, but basically it goes like this:

If you need a standard Dawson +1 the Bolen 3mm pad will provide a little more room, enough to make a real difference.

If you need a Dawson SNL the Bolen 4mm is roughly equivalent with a very slight room gain.

Thank you, Eric

[John2A]

4mm on most SV mags.

Do you have to use the Bolen basepads with the followers to get max capacity or can you use the Dawson base pads too?

Eric

I found that using the 7MM bolens base pad, "new Spring" and follower gave me 21 reloadable rounds in my tuned 140MM STI mags. When I tried the same thing with the dawson +1 base pad I could get 20 reloadable and 21 to start.

The thing with the bolens base pad is if the lips are at all bent they will not slide on the bottom of the tube.

The only thing I have found is with the old spring that #21 stays in the mag will not cycle. Any one have a solution for that?

[HSMITH]

7mm pads are not Limited or L10 legal on a 140 tube.

The tube needs to have more/different tuning done to run 21 rounds. Without that tuning 21 will not run in an STI mag reliably.

[John2A]

7mm pads are not Limited or L10 legal on a 140 tube.

The tube needs to have more/different tuning done to run 21 rounds. Without that tuning 21 will not run in an STI mag reliably.

OK My stupid question for the day what makes the 7MM base pad illegal for Lim or L10?

Is it the overall length of the tube?

Thanks,

John

[HSMITH]

Yes, it is the overall length of the assembled magazine. In USPSA the mag will either fit the gauge and be legal or not fit the gauge and be illegal. A 7mm pad will not gauge on an STI or SVI 140mm tube.

[italianshooter]

I have tried spring (11 coil) and follower in my short SVI magazine (12 cm.) with SVI pad but i notice no difference with Grams ;

in my mag the capacity is 17 and if i insist a lot 18; no more.

Have i to cut the spring?

[HSMITH]

Cutting the spring won't help much. Your best bet to get capacity will be to have the mag tuned, there has to be someone in Europe that can do it?

With 11 coil uncut springs and follower I am getting 19 in a tuned SV short mag with SV +2 wedge pad, snug but seats easily. 19 easily reloadable in Rescomp short mag with SV +2 wedge, 20 snug with Bolen 10 coil International spring and Dawson wedge pad. International springs are a month to 6 weeks out for commercial sale.