No joy today with the snail drum :(

[spacecoast]

I loaded up 20 rounds in the snail drum and took the whole shebang (drum, loader and strut) out to the range, but try as I might I could not get the drum's loaded magazine to seat successfully in either of the two Lugers I had with me.

The only thing I can figure is that I didn't ram the drum and magazine together quite hard enough to lock everything together. The tensioned round coming out the top of the mag has to be shifted down a bit, which requires a substantial amount of force, more than I was willing to provide at the range.

When I got home, I unloaded the drum and put about 8 of the rounds back in, and this time was able to make things "click". I guess the real road test will have to wait for my next range date.

[spacecoast]

Addendum - I put a total of 26 rounds in the drum and am again having problems seating the mag in the frame.

20 rounds - no go
15 rounds - nope
10 rounds - nope
8 rounds - success
9 rounds - success

It's as if the added tension from the drum spring is just too much to overcome. I am a sturdy 200+ pounder so it's not like I am limp wristing it. I actually do feel a bit vindicated that the behavior I saw at the range was not just a fluke of some kind.

In case there is any question, this is a 1918 Erfurt frame I am using for testing.

[DTR04]

Did you try to insert the drum with bolt locked open?

[spacecoast]

I haven't... but don't normally need to do that with a standard mag.

[G.T.]

Hi Mark! and hi to all, I guess we missed the most basic instruction... the toggle assembly MUST ALWAYS!!! be locked open, to insert the drum... There is NO WAY you can compress the rounds once you've turned the corner on the mag to the main spring, probably 13 plus rounds... Load it up again, and try with the bolt toggle locked open and you will be surprised... ... still more to learn, best to you, til...lat'r...GT....

BTW, you should NOT be loading full 8 round luger mags with the toggle down anyway... it will do it, but it's really hard on original magazines?... not to mention grips and such....

[DonVoigt]

I suppose we left out that "tidbit" about using the drum; one should never "assume" that others do the same as "we" do!

I can't load most 8 round mags with the toggle closed either; no where for the round to go and it has to move down 1/8" or so to clear the bottom of the bolt.

No way can I get a loaded drum into the pistol.

[spacecoast]

Now that you mention it, I never put 8 rounds in a mag, usually 7 at the most. I had no idea you had to wait to release the winder until the mag is in the drum (unless the toggle is locked open).

As far as locking open the toggle, do you keep an empty magazine for that purpose? Any other way to do it?

[Norme]

Originally Posted by spacecoast

Now that you mention it, I never put 8 rounds in a mag, usually 7 at the most. I had no idea you had to wait to release the winder until the mag is in the drum (unless the toggle is locked open).

As far as locking open the toggle, do you keep an empty magazine for that purpose? Any other way to do it?

Hi Mark,
You hold the gun open manually while inserting the drum with your thigh, as shown in the 1917 manual.
Regards, Norm

[spacecoast]

Thanks Norm, how did they do it with fully loaded 8-round magazines, lacking three hands? Use their knees to finish seating?

[DonVoigt]

Originally Posted by spacecoast

Now that you mention it, I never put 8 rounds in a mag, usually 7 at the most. I had no idea you had to wait to release the winder until the mag is in the drum (unless the toggle is locked open).

As far as locking open the toggle, do you keep an empty magazine for that purpose? Any other way to do it?

1- Release the winder FIRST, settle the ammo column, lock open,
insert drum. On a full drum, leaving the winder "locked" just does not made any difference- think about the pressure you have to use with the loader to get the last few rounds in!

2- Yes, an empty mag, or a carefully manipulated chop-stick.

[DonVoigt]

Originally Posted by spacecoast

Thanks Norm, how did they do it with fully loaded 8-round magazines, lacking three hands? Use their knees to finish seating?

That is why they have a hold open.

The picture in the manual will work, but it puts an un-necessary strain on the joint of the mag/drum connection- and is a pain to do-I've tried it and just use an empty mag to lock it open.

Locking it open is not an issue after the first mag of the shooting session, the pistol does it after that.

Of course it didn't matter when the Kaiser would furnish you another drum at no charge!

As to the 8 rounder, You can hold the mag and grip in one hand and the toggle open with the other. Think about the guys who used the pistols without a hold open, they worked it out- somehow.

Just try it, takes practice. Your knee or another object can help too.

But basically, just use the hold open.

[Zorba]

Originally Posted by G.T.

BTW, you should NOT be loading full 8 round luger mags with the toggle down anyway... it will do it, but it's really hard on original magazines?... not to mention grips and such....

This is news to me - but I'm glad to hear about it!!

I'll remember this in the future, or start my shooting session with a 7 rounder.