OK what exactly are chrome silicon springs and hwo do they rate compared to the USGI issue springs that come in my mags?  I think we need a special part of the mag FAQ to deal with all the various mag springs and what they are made of, thickness, coating or lack there of etc.  If you have any FIRST HAND knowledge about chrome silicon springs please let me know.  I already know the hype from the guy selling em.

SO nobody knows a DAMNED THING about chrome silicon springs?  I guess these must be a waste of money then eh?  Should I just get USGI springs for a lower cost?

Troy?  Anyone?....

Chrome Silicon springs are stronger than oil tempered springs or music wire, and they resist changing dimension due to heat unlike music wire.

Titanium is stronger but might not be so good in adverse conditions (something about shattering explosively if scored).

All my 2nd hand info gleened from [url]http://home.earthlink.net/~bazillion/matls.html[/url].

I picked up 25 of them from Computer Guy when I buying some orange followers. They were pretty much the same (if not exactly the same) price as the regular springs so I figured what they heck. Since you can get regular springs at a lower price, I can understand your hesitation. Why not just buy a few (5?) and try them out.

I only used them in mags I put orange followers in so I could "track their progress". So far they've worked fine but I really won't know how they hold up until I get a mag spring to fail.

Heat treated chrome silicon wire is specified for springs that are to be subjected to either heat or extended cyclic loading and unloading.  They also resist corrosion slightly better than high-carbon music wire springs.  But they will still rust.

If the price were the same or not significantly more for CS than music wire springs, I'd go for the CS as long as the spring length and force was within GI spec range.  I am not a big fan of extra-force springs in USGI aluminum mags, as I have seen double feeds with mags in which extra-force springs were installed.  

Noah