Magazine awareness!

[G.T.]

In my little piece of heaven workshop, I get all kinds of Luger mags to repair, with all kinds of issues, mostly binding and failure to feed consistently. Improper fit is a close second, and most time both fit and function need attention. When you have worked on so many over the years, a pattern emerges that I have observed and will pass on to the membership. It has to do with what i would call, "gray area function" Meaning magazines even when new, were probably not the best choice for fit and function. The two most common mags in this category are, first, a/an old period copy of a DWM 1920 commercial mag. At first glance it looks good enough, and if you are not careful you will certainly mistake it for an original? But, it's not, and actually far from a decent functioning mag. The tells on it are, a very small and crude follower button and the biggest tell is a solid follower! You can see this with a light inspecting it thru the follower slot. And those are the two best parts on the mag, all the rest is terrible, and after many tries, also not repairable.
The second is the so called Finland magazines. They are almost all with wood bottom and a blue tube that is formed and welded on the rear spine. The problem with these, is nothing interchanges with the original for repair, plus the tubes are very soft and the follower stick and catch no matter how much you polish the interiors... Not to mention they are very crude and not worth the usual purchase price... At any rate, now you know, make your next magazine purchases with this little bit of knowledge at the ready! Best to all, til.....lat'r....GT...

[STEINBVG]

HI GERALD.
I have Interarms mauser 1977, which works perfect with its 2 original mags.
I followed an advice and bought highly recommended Mec Gar for shooting.
As my luger has a very snappy action, it kicks out this mag from the release. I examined the magazines side by side and noticed that the Mec Gar seems a bit thinner sideways and sits a bit looser in the well. Thus perhaps moving away from the lock and falling out.

If i hold the mag from the bottom, it performs beatifully.

I wonder if something could be done to retain it in place?

[rhuff]

I am not GT but I own a post war Parabellum, and had a similar experience. On mine, the mag catch claw is slightly larger than the ones on my old OEM Lugers. Not much larger, but just enough to cause this problem. The mag catch is not fully engaging the the hole in the mag. There are two(2) ways to fix this:

(1) Replace your mag catch with one from an early Luger.

(2) Use a sharp needle file to enlarge the mag catch hole just enough to solve the problem. Compare the holes to the mags that work correctly, and copy. It took very little file work to solve my problem.

Hopefully this will work for you, and get you up and running. Sorry if I stepped on GT's toes!!

[G.T.]

Hi V, that is a rare problem, but it does come around from time to time.... There is something you can do to help, and possibly correct the problem.. What I'm about to outline for you seems counter productive, but it works and you can easily try it yourself. First, you must acquire a round bar, or drill bit that is 13/32" or exactly .404" dia. Next, you clamp it (on the flutes) in a vice, or to a very heavy surface as you are going to use the shank as an anvil and forming tool both. Now, you have to probably take the mag apart to do the next step, but you can push the mag onto the shank depressing the follower at the same time, still, it is easier to just take it apart so you do not have too fight the pressure. Any way, you need to slide the front radius part of the mag onto the drill bit shank until it is past the mag catch notch. Then, using some very clean sheet aluminum, or very clean spring steel, you gently tap on it, the aluminum, with a small hammer, and with that, the mag shell on the front spine area adjacent to the mag catch, and this will cause the front radius to grow internally, with the end result is the sheet metal mag shell will better fill the void allowing it to drop free... The main concerns are, not to hit so hard you move metal, and not to overdo the expansion part of the process.. You can measure, or compare the gain from the rest of the magazine by looking at it from the back... In essence, you are expanding the magazine front radius from the outside, rather then from the inside... Good luck with the above... and, if not your cup of tea, I'm pretty much always here... best to you V, til....lat'r....GT

[G.T.]

Hi Doc, not at all were any toes stepped on! It is probably a better fix that you recommended anyway! I should have recommended the match up for the mag catch and mag catch notch as well... At least it should be the first thing to check and correct. BTW, Doc, how are you fixed for .30 brass?... Let me know if you need some, best, til...lat'r....GT

[G.T.]

Hi V, as rhuff said in his post, an original may cure the issue and fit and function as it should... I have original NOS replacement strawed magazine catches and in light of the recent work you had me do, I would send you one at no charge?.. Let me know if this is acceptable to you?... best, GT

[STEINBVG]

Originally Posted by G.T.

Hi V, as rhuff said in his post, an original may cure the issue and fit and function as it should... I have original NOS replacement strawed magazine catches and in light of the recent work you had me do, I would send you one at no charge?.. Let me know if this is acceptable to you?... best, GT

You're sure Gerald? I would appreciate it.
So it means if i were to use the Mec Gar- I simply have you catch installed, but if I reverse back to the original mag, drop in my original catch, correct?

By the way, your upper work arrives Saturday and today I will have my side plate from Sarco. Can't wait to test fire with my Interarms lower . Cheers

[G.T.]

Hi V, actually, you should install the new original NOS I'm sending and hopefully it will work for all? The Mausers had a dedicated purpose built magazine made in Holland just to fit their Luger, and I'm sure Mauser designed their mag catch to be copasetic with the mag as well...??.. Anyway, the replacement will certainly tell you one way or the other, where the tolerances differ.. Best to you, til....lat'r.....GT...

[rhuff]

I am anxious to see if V can get his problem solved.

[STEINBVG]

Thanks fellas for the support.

I shot today with my replacement shooter upper and the magazine continues to drop out.
I,m tempted while waiting for GT,S catch( thanks GT) to widen the magazine as GT suggested.
using a drill bit as an anvil. It makes sense to me regardless of the catch as I don,t like this looseness of the magazine in the well

[G.T.]

Hi V, how did the upper perform in you test shoot?.... BTW, your measuring in the wrong place. Measure right at the mag catch notch on the front spine. Also the replacement catch went out today, you'll have it soon, and I would try that first... If the problem with the Mec-Gar mags persists, then I would recommend trying a Swiss 06/29 mag, as they are the very best OEM mags and a great shooter mag as well... I'm thinking that the problem, is the gun for now, rather than the mag... best, til....lat'r....GT

BTW, the Swiss 06/29 mag is what Mauser copied for the 1970's Mausers...

[STEINBVG]

Originally Posted by G.T.

Hi V, how did the upper perform in you test shoot?.... BTW, your measuring in the wrong place. Measure right at the mag catch notch on the front spine. Also the replacement catch went out today, you'll have it soon, and I would try that first... If the problem with the Mec-Gar mags persists, then I would recommend trying a Swiss 06/29 mag, as they are the very best OEM mags and a great shooter mag as well... I'm thinking that the problem, is the gun for now, rather than the mag... best, til....lat'r....GT

BTW, the Swiss 06/29 mag is what Mauser copied for the 1970's Mausers...

Shooter did very well, see my new thread:

http://forum.lugerforum.com/showthread.php?t=40955

I just wanted to show that the mec gar is .050 thinner than the original, thus perhaps moves away from the catch in the well and wiggles out, I believe.

I still have 2 original Interarms mags. May as well use them - they sit snag and perform well.

[G.T.]

Hi V, Thank you for the kind words on the shooter top end you now have for range and plinking work! It looks great, and will work great far into the future! I try to do my best, and always try to return completed projects with more than expected in keeping with my "smiling faces" protocol? ... As far as the mag, one more thing on the Mec-Gar mag you might try, just to see? And that is run some ae much as possible and still fit?) scotch tape, or other type of shim/spacer, full length on the rear spine from to to bottom. The mag may be wide enough, but to short front to back??? Spacing it forwards may clear up the problem, as I'm pretty sure, it is the gun/mag catch rather than the magazine?... Best to you V, and thanks again for all.... til...lat'r....GT

[STEINBVG]

Originally Posted by G.T.

Hi V, Thank you for the kind words on the shooter top end you now have for range and plinking work! It looks great, and will work great far into the future! I try to do my best, and always try to return completed projects with more than expected in keeping with my "smiling faces" protocol? ... As far as the mag, one more thing on the Mec-Gar mag you might try, just to see? And that is run some ae much as possible and still fit?) scotch tape, or other type of shim/spacer, full length on the rear spine from to to bottom. The mag may be wide enough, but to short front to back??? Spacing it forwards may clear up the problem, as I'm pretty sure, it is the gun/mag catch rather than the magazine?... Best to you V, and thanks again for all.... til...lat'r....GT

Just opened up the hole out so it bulges, the mag fits tighter, and held on solid ~2 mugs I shot today.
Feeds and extracts beautifully. Very crisp action and Boom. Makes me smile when shells sometimes fall on me from about 15 feet. What a fun! TY.