31 round SPS 170mm magazine setup

[RobE1010]

Give Derek @ MC Guns a call. I have seen his 30+ round mags run first hand. Plus, he is a vendor here and a first-class nice guy. www.mcguns.com. Anybody else want to confirm this info for me?

Slight drift... So who's selling/making a 31+1 rnd mag for 38SC ?

[1911jerry]

The number one thing that is important in a mag is reliabilty, if you can't trust it, it will cost you more in the long run than it will ever do for you with capacity. Last Saturday I was 45 seconds behind my rival after the first stage, Just don't ask how that happened. He had the hi cap tuned mags with the bolens etc, in stage 4 his tuning ran out the mag puked, he cleans mags stage 5 another mag upchuck, I beat him in the match, score one for reliable mags. I didn't miss the extra 3 rounds of capacity.

One salt shaker episode will wreak havoc in a stage, possibly the match..

Ron,

Yep I agree 100%. That was me with the mags.

Jerry

[Fireant]

It's not hard really, I have gone over 15 loadings with some springs before a problem, but not all of them. So, on my 31 round bigstick I keep a record on how many times I load it. When I hit 10 I change it out. Pretty easy really. Since I have done this they are 100% with 32 in the gun.

[larry cazes]

Larry - I just change them every year.

Rich

Sure, I change mine every six months but my mags only hold 29. Folks are saying here that with these 31+1 setups the spring are only lasting 30 LOADINGS or so.....See my point, with so few cycles, how do you know when they are fatigued? Sounds like you almost have to change them prior to every match to be sure.

[uscbigdawg]

Hi Larry,

I'll say this for having big sticks that currently hold a paltry 27. I do pretty well with them. I can make a reload if there's 2 steps and it's rarely the case that it costs me time. Foot speed does help though.

Rich

[larry cazes]

Hi Larry,

I'll say this for having big sticks that currently hold a paltry 27. I do pretty well with them. I can make a reload if there's 2 steps and it's rarely the case that it costs me time. Foot speed does help though.

Rich

I would agree. Years ago I started using big sticks for open only and if the stage is 27 rounds or above, I ALWAYS plan a reload.

[ironb]

Do some research on the SPS tubes before spending your money on one. 31+1 in 9mm or 38SC is done easily enough in an SV tube as well with durable aluminum basepads. 30 of regular super is easy too. It can also be done in an STI tube if you find someone willing to do it for you.

I bought one SPS tube and the thing "sticks" horribly in my gun (doesnt drop when pressing the mag release). the company I bought it from told me that I have to "tune it" in order for it to work properly. i havent had that issue with my other STI and SVI mags though.

[kgunz11]

That's what they told you huh. They sold you something that doesn't work? It's no secret I am not a fan of the SPS tubes, for many reasons.

[matt2ace]

I bought one SPS tube and the thing "sticks" horribly in my gun (doesnt drop when pressing the mag release). the company I bought it from told me that I have to "tune it" in order for it to work properly. i havent had that issue with my other STI and SVI mags though.

+1 Same problem here only I have 3x140 and 1x170 that stopped dropping free. They worked perfectly for many months and then gradually, over 3-4 weeks, they stopped dropping free. I discovered that the bodies had buldged out slightly causing them to stick. My HSmith tuned mags never have this problem. I am going to try and tune my SPS mags when I have some time.

[kgunz11]

I have tuned a couple SPS mags that would not drop free out of the box. Getting them back into spec isn't that hard, the bad part is that if your's was dropping free and now they're not, then you've reached 1/2 life of the steel. If you fix them, they won't stay. Might work for 3-5 loadings, then you'll be right back to where you are now. HSMITH can confirm this.