Magazine Ratings
 

What are the basic differences in original Luger magazines? Which is more desirable blued or nickle finish? rolled or extruded? How do you tell the difference between rolled or extruded? seam? or seamless????????? :confused:

As a collector, the most desirable mag is the correct one.

How could I be so stupid......

"Rolled" magazines are made in two pieces, front and back, that are joined by a side seam that is roll crimped together. Extruded magazines are made just like copper tubing, the metal is extruded through a forming die that produces a tube that has no seams. The rolled type magazine is correct for all Lugers produced from 1900 through the 1920s. The extruded magazines, particularly those made by Haenel, are very fine magazines and are considered to represent the best functioning magazines made for the Luger. In point of fact, either type of magazine in good condition and proper strength spring work quite well.

As to which type, nickel or blued, is more desirable, see policeluger's response.

How do you identify a magazine made by Haenel

Which would be the most correct magazine type for my "G" date? what type bottom piece would it have? Rolled or extruded, blued or nickel?

Ron, are the rolled seam magazines also soldered after the roll crimp or is the seal strictly mechanical? I have looked at mine and cannot tell.

LugerLizzie, the Haenel Schmeisser magazines are stamped with the Haenel Schmeisser or Haenel Schmeisser Patent on either the back of the spine or the side of the magazine on the police issue magazines, along with an arrow mark. The mark on the magazine spine may be worn. There a 4 types of police Haenel magazines. The army Haenel magazine is marked with a 122 code number and sometimes an eagle over a 37 on the left side of the magazine.

heinz

It will be marked on side or back with "Haenel" inside an arrow, and followed by the word "schemeisser" and with or without the addition of the word "patent"....and it always is an extruded type, without a seam.

Hi Heinz, The rolled sheetmetal mags are just crimped tightly together in a final forming die with an inside mandrel... There is no solder or any type of adhesive in the seam.. in fact, in order to make this joint, the metal has to be about dead soft to maybe quarter hard... (one of the major problems with all luger mags!) You will occasionally find an original mag that has been slightly heat treated or made with too hard of steel, and they will seperate in this critical joint... it was a lot of work to make them... and still is! best to you! till...lat'r....GT

Mr. Kim,
</font><blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana,Tahoma,Arial,Helvetica,Geneva">quote:</font><hr /><font size="2" face="Verdana,Tahoma,Arial,Helvetica,Geneva"> Which would be the most correct magazine type for my "G" date? what type bottom piece would it have? Rolled or extruded, blued or nickel? </font><hr /></blockquote><font size="2" face="Verdana,Tahoma,Arial,Helvetica,Geneva">* An Army "G" date will have a rolled & crimped, tin colored, Sheet metal tube with an Alum. side pinned base plug.
* The matching mag will bear the pistol's serial number, complete with the suffix letter, on the base plug. Also, a "+" symbol may appear on the base if the mag is the reserve numbered mag. to the pistol. Finally, one Army Waffen Inspector's Acceptance Stamp will appear on the base plug.
* As you can see from Frank's "G" date acceptance stamp study, posted here on the Forum, a wide range of WaA stamp numbers could appear.
* Usually (I say with a degree of trepedation as a very general rule <img border="0" alt="[icon501]" title="" src="graemlins/icon501.gif" /> ) the mag's WaA will be one of the same stamps which appear on the right receiver of the pistol.
* A Police or Navy Variation is a different story.
* Trust this responds to your query :) .
Bob

RockinWR, Thanks for the info, Now I have a starting point for my search. The magazine that came with my G date has a strange grey coating on the metal, it has an aluminum base with no markings. But the strangest part is the button that you slide down while your loading it doesn't have the usual? checkering it has concentric circles.... any guesses?? Where could I get a magazine that would go with my Luger?

Two of the best sources for mags are Don Hallock and Tom Heller...

LL, The mag that you describe above is a post WW2 Danish made commerical mag. Quite often, these are marked on the aluminum bottom (usually has an "L" shape casting flaw) "Made in Denmark". I do have a couple of d,e and f suffice DWE/63 proofed G date mags available in the $100 to $150 range and would consider taking your Danish mag as partial trade, although I would recommend you keeping it if you intend shooting you luger very much. TH

Thanks Tom, check your private messages!!!!, I don't think you would be interested in my magazine, some guy carved his initials ( JW )and the date on it back on May 12,1953!!!