Questions on Trommel magazine

10-28-2001, 02:59 PM

Does anyone here know how to safely dissemble a Trommel mag for cleaning?

Or how to be sure there is no tension on the wind up spring?

I have had one for quite a while now, and although I have never taken it out shooting, because I lack the loading tool, I doubt that it has been cleaned or inspected in a few decades.

Any help would be greatly appreciated, thanks.

Hannah

10-28-2001, 07:40 PM

Hi Hannah.......the proper way to take down the mag is...........first there is a small detent at the top of the mag push this detent in and remove the main spring carefully dont yank it out it has to be "worked" out. next remove the small screw at the base of the mag and then remove the large screw at the back side of the mag. assembly is just in the reverse,but again the main spring has to be "worked" into the mag.......Leo

MikeP · 10-28-2001, 08:08 PM

You don't have to worry about tension as long as it is unwound--the main spring is safely secured in a welded housing you can't get to.

My feeling is that these things are pretty expensive and are unfixable in terms of breaking that big spring which is over 70 years old.

They are a nice accessory and a relic best left on the shelf. I shoot most of my guns-even rarer ones-but I don't see how you could fix that spring if it broke.It is inside a cup welded to the body of the mag.

--just my take. Knowing about GI's-there must have been some interesting and painful accidents with these things.

Trainees have been known to screw up iron balls and anvils.

10-29-2001, 12:50 PM

Thanks Leo and MikeP for the info.

I didn't really plan on shooting it, but the thought of it sitting there with possible crud and maybe even corrosive residues in it made me cringe.

I have sprayed some Dry Lube down it a few times...but really wanted to clean it right.

However, now that I realize I could be risking that mainspring merely by messing with it at all, I am having second thoughts.

Thing is, I don't know if someone *might* have cranked on the cocking lever during the last few decades, just to test it.

Arrrrgh, on the horns of a dilemna. Even more confusing than the single horned "mono-lemna"

And, yepp, I have also heard the term "Finger Chopper" about these mags.

Thanks again, my faith has been restored, that someone, somewhere, on this board, knows the answer to almost any question.

10-29-2001, 04:56 PM

Hannah,

There may be internal corrosion working on it.

I can see no harm in washing out the interrior with a oil solvent such as Auto Starting Fluid. Thats what I would do.

It probably would be a good idea to spray in a little gun protectant to finish the cleanup job.

ViggoG

10-29-2001, 08:12 PM

Hi Hannah.....if it makes you more at ease then leave it be....I have several "snail drums" including type one and type two and take them down often, I dont believe the main spring is that fragile, and if it is then you already have a problem..........Leo

10-30-2001, 12:38 AM

Thanks again, guys.

Condition on the exterior looks really good, I was just concerned about what may be within.

I will give it a try.

G.T. · 10-30-2001, 10:28 AM

Hi Hannah, Prior to my venture into Arizona, I spent the major part of my working life as a mechanic and service manager in a marine dealership....in the 30 plus years that I worked on small engines, mowers, outboard motors, snowmobiles, etc, I encountered thousands of recoil starter repaires that involved flat coiled springs....one of the problems with flat spring that resulted in more failures then any other was a dry condition (usually caused by engine heat or absolutely no maintainence) which we labeled as spring bind...Instead of the coils turning freely throughout the full range of the spring travel, they would drag on one another similar to a brake shoe on a brake drum. This in turn would over stress the spring ends and cause them to fail. Or it would break the retaining pins if they were the weak link in the system. Also strong coil springs have a nasty habit of flying out of their housing and smacking you right in the face just at the time you are patting yourself on the back on your clever installation! I would make sure that the spring was well lubricated with a fine light oil, 3 in 1 oil, a good grade of gun oil, BUT NOT, WD-40 or any other type of chemical lube...they don't last, and have little resistance to corrosion! So, you don't have to take it all the way apart, just make sure it is clean (solvent & high pressure air) and well oiled in the spring coils...and you will be good to go! til...later...G.T.

10-28-2001, 02:59 PM	#1
Hannah Guest Posts: n/a	Questions on Trommel magazine Does anyone here know how to safely dissemble a Trommel mag for cleaning? Or how to be sure there is no tension on the wind up spring? I have had one for quite a while now, and although I have never taken it out shooting, because I lack the loading tool, I doubt that it has been cleaned or inspected in a few decades. Any help would be greatly appreciated, thanks. Hannah

10-28-2001, 07:40 PM	#2
Leo Guest Posts: n/a	Re: Questions on Trommel magazine Hi Hannah.......the proper way to take down the mag is...........first there is a small detent at the top of the mag push this detent in and remove the main spring carefully dont yank it out it has to be "worked" out. next remove the small screw at the base of the mag and then remove the large screw at the back side of the mag. assembly is just in the reverse,but again the main spring has to be "worked" into the mag.......Leo

10-28-2001, 08:08 PM	#3
MikeP User Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: ILL Posts: 686 Thanks: 36 Thanked 452 Times in 198 Posts	Re: Questions on Trommel magazine You don't have to worry about tension as long as it is unwound--the main spring is safely secured in a welded housing you can't get to. My feeling is that these things are pretty expensive and are unfixable in terms of breaking that big spring which is over 70 years old. They are a nice accessory and a relic best left on the shelf. I shoot most of my guns-even rarer ones-but I don't see how you could fix that spring if it broke.It is inside a cup welded to the body of the mag. --just my take. Knowing about GI's-there must have been some interesting and painful accidents with these things. Trainees have been known to screw up iron balls and anvils.

10-29-2001, 12:50 PM	#4
Hannah Guest Posts: n/a	Re: Questions on Trommel magazine Thanks Leo and MikeP for the info. I didn't really plan on shooting it, but the thought of it sitting there with possible crud and maybe even corrosive residues in it made me cringe. I have sprayed some Dry Lube down it a few times...but really wanted to clean it right. However, now that I realize I could be risking that mainspring merely by messing with it at all, I am having second thoughts. Thing is, I don't know if someone might have cranked on the cocking lever during the last few decades, just to test it. Arrrrgh, on the horns of a dilemna. Even more confusing than the single horned "mono-lemna" And, yepp, I have also heard the term "Finger Chopper" about these mags. Thanks again, my faith has been restored, that someone, somewhere, on this board, knows the answer to almost any question.

10-29-2001, 04:56 PM	#5
Viggo G Dereng Guest Posts: n/a	Re: Cleaning a "Trommel magazine" Hannah, There may be internal corrosion working on it. I can see no harm in washing out the interrior with a oil solvent such as Auto Starting Fluid. Thats what I would do. It probably would be a good idea to spray in a little gun protectant to finish the cleanup job. ViggoG

10-29-2001, 08:12 PM	#6
Leo Guest Posts: n/a	Re: Questions on Trommel magazine Hi Hannah.....if it makes you more at ease then leave it be....I have several "snail drums" including type one and type two and take them down often, I dont believe the main spring is that fragile, and if it is then you already have a problem..........Leo

10-30-2001, 12:38 AM	#7
Hannah Guest Posts: n/a	Re: Questions on Trommel magazine Thanks again, guys. Condition on the exterior looks really good, I was just concerned about what may be within. I will give it a try.

10-30-2001, 10:28 AM	#8
G.T. Lifer Lifetime Forum Patron Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: Chandler Arizona Posts: 3,507 Thanks: 1,318 Thanked 3,653 Times in 1,004 Posts	Re: Questions on Trommel magazine Hi Hannah, Prior to my venture into Arizona, I spent the major part of my working life as a mechanic and service manager in a marine dealership....in the 30 plus years that I worked on small engines, mowers, outboard motors, snowmobiles, etc, I encountered thousands of recoil starter repaires that involved flat coiled springs....one of the problems with flat spring that resulted in more failures then any other was a dry condition (usually caused by engine heat or absolutely no maintainence) which we labeled as spring bind...Instead of the coils turning freely throughout the full range of the spring travel, they would drag on one another similar to a brake shoe on a brake drum. This in turn would over stress the spring ends and cause them to fail. Or it would break the retaining pins if they were the weak link in the system. Also strong coil springs have a nasty habit of flying out of their housing and smacking you right in the face just at the time you are patting yourself on the back on your clever installation! I would make sure that the spring was well lubricated with a fine light oil, 3 in 1 oil, a good grade of gun oil, BUT NOT, WD-40 or any other type of chemical lube...they don't last, and have little resistance to corrosion! So, you don't have to take it all the way apart, just make sure it is clean (solvent & high pressure air) and well oiled in the spring coils...and you will be good to go! til...later...G.T.