Mags for open 9mm?

[Aircooled6racer]

Hello: I am looking at building an open 9mm on a STI 2011 platform. I was going to get 2-170mm SVI mags, 3-140mm SVI mags and one short 124 or 131 SVI mag to use as a Barney or for classifier reloads. Do you guys think this is enough mags? Let me know. Thanks, Eric

[werewolf45auto]

That will be plenty, most I shoot with get away with one 170 and two 140s. But its nice to have 2 170s and 3 140s, I realy have not found a need for more. Hope this helps.

[RangerJoe]

+1 on what Wolf said. That should be more than enough, plus you have backups if something goes down.

[Aristotle]

plenty good

[matt2ace]

Sounds like plenty. I have 2 x 170 and 6 x 140. I rarely use more than 1 -170 and 3 -140s in a monthly match.

Good luck finding SVI mags. They are perpetually out of stock on the website. I was told by a reliable source that

most, if not all, of the 9/38S mags go to buyers of SVI guns.

[BMartens]

I'm building a 9mm open gun too. I'm going with 2-170mm and 2-140mm SVI mags to start with. Will probably add another 140mm along the way.

I had a tough time finding SVI tubes. Got lucky and bought Manny's last 2 140's at A3 and it took another month or more to finally find a couple of 170's. Good luck on finding any SVI tubes quick.

[BrianATL]

I called SVI 4 weeks ago, fist full of 9mm mags showed up three days later.

[ogiebb]

Eric,

that is fine but i would get 4 sv 140mm and 2 big sticks

[MoNsTeR]

I have to admit to owning 2 170's, 7(!) 140's, and 2 131's. It's a long story.

[Whitefish]

Hello: I am looking at building an open 9mm on a STI 2011 platform. I was going to get 2-170mm SVI mags, 3-140mm SVI mags and one short 124 or 131 SVI mag to use as a Barney or for classifier reloads. Do you guys think this is enough mags? Let me know. Thanks, Eric

I carry 2-170's (SV) and 4-140's (SV) to matches. That has always been more than adequate. For some matches, the only 140 I actually use is one as a Barney mag.

[warpspeed]

I rarely use more than 2 140's & 1 170. In fact, I think that with the exception of classifiers, you could get away with 2 170's and probably could do with 2 170's & 1 140.

[G-ManBart]

Hello: I am looking at building an open 9mm on a STI 2011 platform. I was going to get 2-170mm SVI mags, 3-140mm SVI mags and one short 124 or 131 SVI mag to use as a Barney or for classifier reloads. Do you guys think this is enough mags? Let me know. Thanks, Eric

I don't really see the need for the 124 or 131 mag. It's just as easy to use one of your 140s as a Barney...just make it the farthest one back in your belt all the time. If you get to needing that one things are already pretty bad and one more round isn't likely to help! I wouldn't see where they'd really help on classifiers either....just download the 140s a bit and you're set.

I like to have three 170s. There are times when you'll want to go big stick, big stick so you really need two minimum. The nice thing with three is that if you do use two big sticks on a stage you already have a third loaded up for the next stage in case you're early in the order. Or, if you just used one big stick on a stage and the next one you want to use two, you're already set. R,

[Flatland Shooter]

My SVI mags are for shooting. Too expensive and too hard to find to use as a lowly Barney mag.

I always load just one round in my Barney mag. Shove it in the gun, rack the slide and pull out the mag. If the round ain't in the mag then there's a dang good chance its in the chamber. Nice and simple, just part of my routine.

My Barney mag is an old STI that came with the gun. It only has to hold one round and so far it does that just fine.

Bill

[smokshwn]

Hello: I am looking at building an open 9mm on a STI 2011 platform. I was going to get 2-170mm SVI mags, 3-140mm SVI mags and one short 124 or 131 SVI mag to use as a Barney or for classifier reloads. Do you guys think this is enough mags? Let me know. Thanks, Eric

I don't really see the need for the 124 or 131 mag. It's just as easy to use one of your 140s as a Barney...just make it the farthest one back in your belt all the time. If you get to needing that one things are already pretty bad and one more round isn't likely to help! I wouldn't see where they'd really help on classifiers either....just download the 140s a bit and you're set.

I like to have three 170s. There are times when you'll want to go big stick, big stick so you really need two minimum. The nice thing with three is that if you do use two big sticks on a stage you already have a third loaded up for the next stage in case you're early in the order. Or, if you just used one big stick on a stage and the next one you want to use two, you're already set. R,

Big +1 to Chris' advice. In total I have 5 170's and 4 140's.... Early on I had 2 170's and 4 140's and it seemed like all I ever did was reload the big sticks....with the extras now there is less of the rush to get ready for the next stage in the scenarios talked about above.

[Fireant]

You could get away with only having 1- 170 and 2- 140's. I carry 3- 170's and 4- 140's in my bag. I have 7 mag spots so I can tell in a glance if one is missing, I can also load them all the night before a local match and in most cases not have to load a mag during the match. That gives me 185 rounds loaded up and a handful in the bag just in case.

[Aircooled6racer]

Hello: You guys are killing me. I guess 3-170mm mags and 4-140mm mags seems the norm. I like having lots of mags because you don't have to stop to clean them as often and also load them up before the match. You can never have too many mags. I have over 20 for my Glock 35 but they cost alot less I appreciate all the info. Thanks, Eric

[MoNsTeR]

If you don't have enough, the worst case is you have to spend more time loading them. Get a reasonable set to start and then watch for opportunities to get more at a good price.

[Chris iliff]

I've got 1 170mm and 4 140mm mags, have never, in 6 years, seen the need for anything else, ymmv.

[al503]

I've got 3 170's and 8 140's. I take 2 170's and 4 140's to matches unless it's raining/nasty outside. Its nice not to have to clean your mags out if they happen to drop in a puddle or something during the match.

[Rolex]

3-tuned 170mm HSMITH and 8-140mm.

Best of luck!

[Aircooled6racer]

Hello: I have 3-170mm SVI mags coming so far. I will have to order the rest and wait to see when they arrive. I am thinking 3 140mm mags and one 131mm for classifiers. Thanks, Eric

[smokshwn]

Eric,

Help me out and explain the need or thinking for a 131mm mag?

[Aircooled6racer]

Craig: I was thinking of using it for low ports or prone. Also for a classifier with a manditory reload involved. I use a 131(preban 140mm) mags for my Limited pistol and find I can reload them faster than the 140's on classifiers. I have just been trying some Grams base pads again and I am liking those alot over the larger Dawson's for now. I may just try the 140 limited mags again with the small Grams base pad or the factory base pads to see what works for me. Besides I was hoping someone would sell there 131mm SVI mags cheap Does this sound logical? I did find another SVI 9mm 126mm mag in one of the many boxes of parts so I just need the 131mm to get the whole set Thanks, Eric

[smokshwn]

Sounds like it works for you.....I have gone to all Dawson bp's so I wasn't seeing the advantage to a 131, but I thought I would ask in case you had some secret magic I needed to know about

[Txkid]

My 2 cents,

I have big hangs (Long Fingers) and can reload 170’s faster than 140’s and with the magwell it is harder for me to push in the mag with a 140. If I can return my 140’s to SVI I like to get all 170’s. I love the mag sticking out of the magwell it makes it easy to push them in and to pull them out if they don’t drop for some reason.

I will go for 4 x 170’s and 1 x 140 as a Barney mag

good luck

Thomas