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21 round untuned STI mags


Rocket35

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:lol: Well, my thumbs aren't what they used to be. Haven't loaded anything other than SStk mags since last year! :blush: Maybe I am getting soft, but these are brand new mags and 21 rounds is no walk in the park. ;) Edited by Rocket35
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I have brand new STI tubes I got from a couple of contingency match wins, that have Grams guts and Dawson +1 pads that hold 20 rds. The 1st 19 go in without a problem, then you have to put a little pressure on the 20th one but it isn't at all like I need a special tool to get 20 rounds in them. In fact I often ask other shooters to load them back up while shooting our indoor Monday night matches where we shoot 3 strings back-to-back. I'm usually leary of whether or not they got all 20 rounds in them, so I check but lo and behold they always get 20 in them (without special tools).

PS I can get 21 rounds in my 'tuned mags' using my weak-hand Pinky finger ......... they're just that smooth.

I'll let you guess who tuned 'em. B)

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Sooooooo what does it mean if you have rounds that rattle in the mag? Do you need to put the mag in a vise and squeeze on it a little? Most of my mags rattle.

I think the rattle they're referring to is when a bullet gets stuck side by side with the follower (usually below the ribs on the side of the tube). If this happens, you're done.

The other rattle that I know of is just a round or two shifting in the tube. Since the follower isn't stuck you won't have any function issues. Hope I made sense.

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  • 2 weeks later...

Well I must be blessed. Among other things, all 5 of my STI magazines that have "SNL" basepads fit the EGW magazine gauge without tuning. All still hold 21 rounds and have been 100% reliable thus far. And the new Rescomp mag I got will hold 22 rounds and fit the gauge using a 3mm Bolen basepad. The 4mm just doesn't quite fit. But with a little bit removed from the top of the feedlip area, it might. Just thought I would share that bit of information. ;)

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Well I just got my Bolen followers and springs and the mags will now hold 20rds easy they will hold 21 rounds but the 21st round is tight. Using Dawson SNL base pad and yes all my mags are legal with the Dawson SNL.

Bolen Follower and spring=

20Rds reloadable

21 Rds not reloadable.

I was using Dawson comp followers before but the Bolen are the S#%$! The Dawsons would hold a tight 20rds and could not even come close to getting 21rds.

Dawson follower and STI spring=

20rds not reloadable

21rds impossible.

Thought I would share this.

Thanks for the info.

Edit to add: None of them are salt shakers!

:cheers:

BK

Edited by bkeeler
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  • 1 month later...
Well I just got my Bolen followers and springs and the mags will now hold 20rds easy they will hold 21 rounds but the 21st round is tight. Using Dawson SNL base pad and yes all my mags are legal with the Dawson SNL.

Bolen Follower and spring=

20Rds reloadable

21 Rds not reloadable.

I was using Dawson comp followers before but the Bolen are the S#%$! The Dawsons would hold a tight 20rds and could not even come close to getting 21rds.

Dawson follower and STI spring=

20rds not reloadable

21rds impossible.

Thought I would share this.

Thanks for the info.

Edit to add: None of them are salt shakers!

:cheers:

BK

Update:

I took the mags out a couple weeks ago and tested with 20 rounds all ran fine then.

Took them to a match this weekend guess what I had a mag fail on 2 stages. I only tried 2 stages with 20 in the mag and yes the mag failed twice. <_< They all work great with 19 rounds. The follower got stuck below the ribs of the mag both times. So much for that! So problem is being solved by getting at least one tuned mag(eventually will have a couple tuned but one for now will work) that will run 20 rounds with no problems and I don't have to wonder when it will fail so I can get back to the shooting. 19 rounds in un-tuned mags with Bolen guts is fine. Not going to risk 20 in the un-tuned mags anymore.

I should have listened before I went through all this trouble. :rolleyes:

If you want to run 20 in the mag at least get one tuned mag that will run with out doubt.

Glad it happened at the local match ;)

BK

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I just ordered a sv mag, from SV, while I am waiting for my Hsmith mag to be built. It actually lists on the sv sight that they hold 21. I thought that was kind of interesting since most sti mags are advertised to hold 18, or in some cases 17. Wonder what they will hold with bolens guts? guess I will find out when it gets here. BTW my sti untuned tubes only hold a tight, unreloadable 20 with bolens parts. Wish I had your luck Jay. My quest for the 21 rnd reloadable is getting quite costly, factoring in SPS, Bolen, sti, and losts of trial and error.

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  • 1 month later...

Now that I have the proper dimensions front and rear on the mags, feed lips all mic out as they should, and have the Bolen springs trained, I am getting a reliable 20 reloadable and 21 to start with STI tubes. One note of warning, if there is a single scratch inside the magazine and the follower gets a little friction, the mag will fail. I have been polishing the inside of the mag just as bright as the outside. Witness holes at 10, 15, and 20 rounds. Bolen 4mm base pads, and all make the gauge, but then they all did with Dawson +1 SNL's too. Getting the dimensions of the mag body right in a few places was critical to reliable tuning.

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Now that I have the proper dimensions front and rear on the mags, feed lips all mic out as they should, and have the Bolen springs trained, I am getting a reliable 20 reloadable and 21 to start with STI tubes. One note of warning, if there is a single scratch inside the magazine and the follower gets a little friction, the mag will fail. I have been polishing the inside of the mag just as bright as the outside. Witness holes at 10, 15, and 20 rounds. Bolen 4mm base pads, and all make the gauge, but then they all did with Dawson +1 SNL's too. Getting the dimensions of the mag body right in a few places was critical to reliable tuning.

What are you using to polish them inside?

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