Freddie the Swede Posted August 22, 2009 Share Posted August 22, 2009 I currently have a SPS/Caspian Open gun and I'm using SPS mags and find them great for my shooting. When I look here there is always a higher demand for the SVi mags than either the STI or the SPS mags. Why is that? Is the SVI mags better or do they hold more rounds? If they are so great why are they so hard to get? If I ran SVI I would make more magazines since there is always people asking for them. I just need to know Many thanks Fredrik IPSC Sweden Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kgunz11 Posted August 22, 2009 Share Posted August 22, 2009 SVI mags take less work to get capacity because they will typically run right out of the bag with the advantageous Bolen spring and follower. SVI mags can sometimes be a little on the large side. STI will do anything an SVI will with a little attention. Buy the SVI and pay more, or have the STI massaged and be at the same place for about the same price. STI are easier to find, both are about as easy to sell. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
XRe Posted August 22, 2009 Share Posted August 22, 2009 ... and the part Bobby left out ... And both are higher quality tubes than the SPS tube (thicker stainless, and less likely to change dimensionally under normal wear and tear - but easier to bend on and tune for the same reason) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zero_down Posted August 22, 2009 Share Posted August 22, 2009 STI mags = about $60 (140mm) SVI mags = over $100 bucks! (140mm) I have 10 stock STI mags and 1 SVI mag that a friend actually gave me. Pay what you want but they all work just fine for me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kgunz11 Posted August 22, 2009 Share Posted August 22, 2009 Forgot to add, SVI mags are hard to get because they hate making them. I can imagine how much of a pain it is. So they make them in short runs and when they run out they're just out. When they hit the market, get'em while you can. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kgunz11 Posted August 22, 2009 Share Posted August 22, 2009 ... and the part Bobby left out ...And both are higher quality tubes than the SPS tube (thicker stainless, and less likely to change dimensionally under normal wear and tear - but easier to bend on and tune for the same reason) You're right Dave. A person would have to literally twist my arm or guilt me into working on an SPS mag tube, and even then I won't guarantee them for more than 30 days. Don't take that as negative chatter about a company or product, I just don't like working on them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
larry cazes Posted August 23, 2009 Share Posted August 23, 2009 I setup and tune all of my own open and limited mags for both my wife and I. I find the out of the box quality to be higher on the SV tubes than STI and I have less work to get them tuned. I only use SV these days. If you want tubes call in direct and get some on order and be patient. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
boz1911 Posted August 23, 2009 Share Posted August 23, 2009 The SV's work for 9 major without spacers which is really nice. This also creates quite a demand and healthy prices. I haven't seen any 170's for sale in ages. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kgunz11 Posted August 23, 2009 Share Posted August 23, 2009 None of my STI mags have spacers. My experience with the SVI tubes is different than Larry's. I find the SVI tubes to be very inconsistent in size and dimension (which isn't good quality IMO), and I've handled quite a few of them. On the other hand, I can take a dozen STI tubes and they will all measure with .005 of each other. Now I do agree the SVI is easier to tune (you basically only have to debur and tune the feed lips for them to run good), but it has nothing to do with its out of the box quality, it's all because of its design and construction. It's just a different animal. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
walter hornby Posted August 23, 2009 Share Posted August 23, 2009 my own experience is that the SVI are "tuned" better. i recently had to replace all of my mags (my gear was stolen out of the trunk of my rental car at the match hotel for the Canadian Nationals.) when i had bought STI mags i spent 3 months getting them tuned so that they all ran without a hiccup. so far the SVI mags that i bought have worked flawlessly out of the box. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
larry cazes Posted August 24, 2009 Share Posted August 24, 2009 None of my STI mags have spacers.My experience with the SVI tubes is different than Larry's. I find the SVI tubes to be very inconsistent in size and dimension (which isn't good quality IMO), and I've handled quite a few of them. On the other hand, I can take a dozen STI tubes and they will all measure with .005 of each other. Now I do agree the SVI is easier to tune (you basically only have to debur and tune the feed lips for them to run good), but it has nothing to do with its out of the box quality, it's all because of its design and construction. It's just a different animal. I haven't seen the same variation you have in SV tubes where it counts. I prefer the feed lip and rib design on the SVs as well. No Baby rattles. Sheesh, Everything else is really just semantics I polish the inside but don't bother with the outside finish as they take a beating anyway. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kgunz11 Posted August 24, 2009 Share Posted August 24, 2009 (edited) I had a customer send me 5 SVI 170mm tubes, 3 of the 5 would not drop free from any grip. This is not an isolated incident. I'd say that counts. ETA: They were all new mags and were replaced by SVI. Edited August 24, 2009 by kgunz11 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
00bullitt Posted August 24, 2009 Share Posted August 24, 2009 I've had plenty of STI mags that would do the same thing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flexmoney Posted August 24, 2009 Share Posted August 24, 2009 Well Glock tubes are the best ...so there! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
el pres Posted August 24, 2009 Share Posted August 24, 2009 Well Glock tubes are the best ...so there! Love that !! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hi-Power Jack Posted August 24, 2009 Share Posted August 24, 2009 The SV's work for 9 major without spacers which is really nice. This also creates quite a demand and healthy prices. I haven't seen any 170's for sale in ages. I bought a new 170 a couple months ago - very nice, but without a spacer, I guess you have to load the 9mm major to 1.18" OAL with MG JHP 115 grains? Jack Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
00bullitt Posted August 24, 2009 Share Posted August 24, 2009 Well Glock tubes are the best ...so there! Love that !! And oh so true Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Singlestack Posted August 24, 2009 Share Posted August 24, 2009 Well Glock tubes are the best ...so there! Disposable too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kgunz11 Posted August 24, 2009 Share Posted August 24, 2009 Well Glock tubes are the best ...so there! Disposable too. :roflol: Best thing is you can send left overs home in them too! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
born-in-45 Posted August 24, 2009 Share Posted August 24, 2009 I am using both STI and SVI. Shooting 9mm, the 140's are SVI w/+2 bases and the 170's are STI w/o spacers (but Howard Smith "smiled" on the 170's back when he 1st started tuning for folks). Using Grams internals exclusively. Running 124 gr MG CMJ at 1.170 oal and absolutely zero mag problems. From a reliability standpoint it seems if you ensure the tubes are in spec, run good internals, and keep them reasonably clean, they'll run for a long time without failure. Mags are one thing I don't have to worry about when shooting. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nik Habicht Posted August 24, 2009 Share Posted August 24, 2009 Well Glock tubes are the best ...so there! Disposable too. :roflol: Best thing is you can send left overs home in them too! Left overs for a small cat maybe..... Humans and dogs will require at least a 30 round .50BMG mag..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flexmoney Posted August 24, 2009 Share Posted August 24, 2009 Why not make them out of chocolate? They could be the new MRE (Mags Ready to Eat). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pezco Posted August 24, 2009 Share Posted August 24, 2009 Flex - that is the best one yet! Have you been saving that line or did it just come out? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RayFromHouston Posted August 27, 2009 Share Posted August 27, 2009 OK guys... here is the 64,000.00 question????? Who do I send my mags too, to get them tuned???? I just looked in my "parts box" and I have six in 9mm/38 SVI mags that I haven't tryed..... This site ROCKS..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RickyH Posted August 27, 2009 Share Posted August 27, 2009 http://www.freedomgunworks.com/ does great work Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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