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Posted: 6/28/2012 1:49:21 AM EDT
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I think I'll finally start to refinish my small stash or pre-bans. I plan on upgrading my followers to the Magpul anti tilts. Is it worth upgrading/replacing to a new spring?
Thanks in advance guys and gals! |
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FWIW, the new springs used with the tan follower magazines are a bit wider than the springs used under green followers. IIRC, they're a little longer as well. I also thought they felt a little stiffer. However, I have no idea where one can buy these springs outside of a new mag.
ETA: wider when viewed from front to back inside the magazine. They do a better job of filling the magazine body than the old springs. |
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Quoted: I think I'll finally start to refinish my small stash or pre-bans. I plan on upgrading my followers to the Magpul anti tilts. Is it worth upgrading/replacing to a new spring? Thanks in advance guys and gals! First of all, upgrading followers on pre-bans to the latest anti-tilts is an excellent upgrade. Magpuls are the most high;y recommended, and prices have come down quite bit from long ago. You can resell the old black or green followers - there are a few folks who still want those. As for springs, IF THE MAG FUNCTIONS FINE, keep the existing springs. If they are comparatively "weak" (based on your own subjective tests or observations), then a replacement is also worthwhile. Its up to you if you want stainless or chrome-silicon springs. I see no diffeence functionally and as far as durability/longevity, it didn't matter too much unless you're in a humid region (I live in a humid region, but I have lots fo spare springs). IF you replace the springs, KEEP THE OLD ONES ON HAND. As someone already noted above, some replacement springs are wider/narrower. I have found some to be just 1/2" shorter, and that half-inch soetimes made a world of difference in that the new slightly shorter spring would curl inside the mag and prevent it from taking in rounds 29 and 30. Putting the old original springs back in resulted in easily getting all 30rds loaded. So I sent the "new" springs back. So, new springs need function checks. New anti-tilt followers, especially from MagPul, will almost always work from the get-go.
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Thanks for the info guys. I'm glad the consensus is to check the current springs and not replace just to replace. It will keep costs down.
I'm shopping around for the new followers. I'll be sure to get tom pics uploaded of the ordeal. 
ETA: Does it have to be Perma-Slik G like mentioned above, or can I just go with any rattle can brand name out there? |
For refinishing, I have used Brownell's bake-on coatings. They come in all gun colors/textures, but the Teflon/Moly Oven Cure in 'Dark Parkerizing' is the best for the factory look. Actually it's a little darker than most G.I. mags but that's a good thing. But if you really want it, they also have the lighter color, just called 'Parkerizing'. Wire brush the mag and wash in hot soap and water. Dry with a hair dryer and paint while hot. The paint can should also be warm. For thin metal items like this, have the oven pre-warmed and cure for the recommended time. You can just turn the oven off then and let it cool down without opening - just a little insurance for curing. I remove the floorplates before painting. If the finish on them is good, I let it go with that. Otherwise, I do them in matte black. Here I show an original Sanchez and a refinished Center (left).
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I used CRC Dry Moly Lube. It makes prebans look a lot better, even almost new in some cases if done with (too much) care. One $12 can from Granger will easily coat 50 mags, inside and out if you want. The dry moly coat does rub off slowly on hands and gloves/gear, but it takes a while. It'll stay on the ag for a good while, but of course, its not anywhre nearas permanent as the bake-on coatings, and I like it far better than Krylon.  |
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Quoted:
For refinishing, I have used Brownell's bake-on coatings. They come in all gun colors/textures, but the Teflon/Moly Oven Cure in 'Dark Parkerizing' is the best for the factory look. Actually it's a little darker than most G.I. mags but that's a good thing. But if you really want it, they also have the lighter color, just called 'Parkerizing'. Wire brush the mag and wash in hot soap and water. Dry with a hair dryer and paint while hot. The paint can should also be warm. For thin metal items like this, have the oven pre-warmed and cure for the recommended time. You can just turn the oven off then and let it cool down without opening - just a little insurance for curing. I remove the floorplates before painting. If the finish on them is good, I let it go with that. Otherwise, I do them in matte black. Here I show an original Sanchez and a refinished Center (left). http://i209.photobucket.com/albums/bb27/INLAND44/Guns/armags.jpg Brownells, good call. Thanks! |
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