Magazine Questions
 

I have noticed that there are two types of magazine springs, coil and oblong, the fxo mag shown as well as the earlier wooden bottom mag both have oblong. Then the two earlier wooden bottom have coil springs. Wondering which are more common or more reliable or any details about the use of the different type springs, thanks :thumbup:

Padre..Mauser changed the spring to fill the housing as the earlier spring could become jumbled in the housing as there was extra room. The later Mauser design is the more reliable one. That and the extruded magazine body..both changes were excellent.

thanks jerry ,so the bottom two with the coil springs are correct earler mags? the fxo is a mauser design ,what about the one under it with the oblong spring? one to the side is a mittchell kkk/ss aftermarket.

Not easy to tell from the picture, but the bottom two have coil springs and are unmarked.

Jerry, to be clear, I understand ALL coil spring magazines to be a post WW2 design, correct?

Padre..Perhaps GT will see this and comment..I only concern myself with original items so I am not too familiar with others.

The transition began with Mauser is my understanding..they did not make the magazines but were instrumental in the design changes I suspect. All I know is the short diameter circular spring changed in the mid 30's to the oblong front to back type. Less chance of an accidental foulup inside the mag body. The spring is also angled up and towards the front of the magazine. Your photo's detail are a tad poor so it's difficult to analize.

Doug.. ALL coil spring magazines..I guess deffinition is a tad out of my nomenclature knowledge base?

the question i am asking is i have two early unmarked wooden bottom mags that came with my dwm's and they both have coil springs and i thought they were original and correct. allso one mag with a wood bottom with a oblong spring it i believe came with the erfurt,

Hi Padre, The zig-zag spring (the kind that fills the whole body of the magazine) was patented in 1938 and introduced in 1939. They were installed in what collectors call extruded magazines (although they weren't) with the squared off bottoms and aluminum or bakelite bases secured with a central pin. If you have one of these zig-zag springs in a wood based magazine, it is not original. Regards, Norm

Norm ,thanks, now i know, my fxo with the oblong zig zag spring is correct and my two early mags with the coil springs and wooden bottom are correct for that type mag, and the one with the wooden bottom and the oblong spring is not, thnaks everyone.

Norm..collectors call extruded magazines (although they weren't) How were they made?

Hi Jerry, This was news to me too, until I read the Sturgess book. The magazines were made from weldable sheet steel that was folded around a die and welded along the spine. The exterior was then milled, ground and polished to the correct profile. Apparently this method of seam welding is being used, to this day, in the manufacture of cheap bicycle frames. Best regards, Norm

Norm, Thanks! I am very familiar with the extrusion process for clay having done it for years. I always wondered about so called extruded magazines as the feed lips do not lend themselves to the extrusion process.

I have been waiting for the other Sturgess book and when it comes out will buy a copy.

Thanks for the explination...Never too old to learn something!